Dog Trainer

Question: Question for dog trainers, dog sitters, dog handlers and any one else who works with dogs?

(Posted by: MrsBossy on 2010-02-16 22:06:35)

Has there ever been a time where a certain dog intimidated you? I know all of what you do is about working with dogs and I know one shouldn't feel that way, but has there ever been occasions where a dog made you feel uneasy? How did you handle it?

Posted by: "I dance in the mud" on 2010-02-16, 23:55:54

No, dogs don't intimidate me, but I am weird. I have always had a special connection with dogs.. even as a kid, the family down the street had a gigantic malamute that lived outside. I'd give him treats and pets. I wasnt scared of him, but one day the owner came out screaming at me to get away from his dog, "he's a guard dog, he's not friendly " and I just walked away..the dog trotted to the fence and followed me to the end of his yard. The dog did bite my friend on the hand. I hate when people (at work) put the "WILL BITE " sticker on the cage card..it then makes me think. If I don't see the sticker...then I never have a "will bite " in the back of my head.. I don't let the sticker get to me though and I let myself judge the dog. I worked in a shelter and took care of cruelty case dogs. One dog in particular that I will remember forever was a Rott/ Shep mix named Buddy. He spent his life tied to a tree and he had an embedded collar. His neck was ALWAYS a sensitve spot and really only let me touch him there. I would take him to the clinic, one time my stupidass manager (whom I HATED) seen me coming down the hall with Buddy and reached down to touch his neck and he nailed her... I said, "you know he is sensitive about his neck " and I kept walking and went to the clinic with him. There was a diabetic dog I was taking care of, he was new @ the boarding kennel. He seemed scared and lonely. I got him his food, and sat in the cage with him. He wasn't eating much..but I knew he had to eat some more because he needed his insulin injection. I got a spoon and was reaching into his food dish, and feeding him from the spoon. He ate his food and I gave him his shot, I let him outside and brought him back in..petting him and giving him some "lovins ". It wasnt until the Vet tech came back and asked how he was doing, and I said fine as I was petting him, then she reached over him to grab his dish...and he bite her. She said "damn-it, his owner said he was a biter " I was like REALLY? I have tons and tons of stories like this... I have been bit by a chihuahua, the dog was terrified and felt trapped. I had to move the dog and I was bit..but I didn't let that scare me, and with-in 2 hrs that dog was following me around and I was able to pick her up w/ no problem. I worked very closely with Chows (one of the kennels I worked at did Chow Rescue) I never had a problem with any of the chows, even the ones that just came in. The one chow was so mean to everyone, and was a "liability " but she LOVED me.... and now (yrs later) she is a good girl with a happy personality and enjoys meeting new dogs and seeing the people at work. I took her home (chow rescue gave her to me) she my avatar:) add* I have to add this, it one of my heartbreaking stories. When I was working at the shelter w/ cruelty case a old wolf dog named Doc, came in. He was thin, scraggaly and in a bad mood. I looked into his eyes and wanted to be his friend. It didnt take long but I was soon brushing out his matted coat and walking him on breaks, he was sentenced to death (being a wolf dog) and I took him for his last walk..his lead snapped and he went running twards the open field. I said "Doc " and he came back to me...and I was there to comfort him while they pushed the plunger. So SAD.

Posted by: Maeghan on 2010-02-16, 22:09:26

Very much so. I work at a doggie daycare/ boarding facility, and there is one Giant Schnauzer that intimidates me. The managers know how I feel about this dog, and don't make me handle him. Which is good. If the dog can feel my uneasiness, he could take advantage of the opportunity. Better safe then sorry. ETA: This is no way an attack on Giant Schnauzers. There are 3 others at work whom I enjoy thoroughly. This one, is just different.

Posted by: ♥Chigirl is a she Wolf on 2010-02-16, 22:15:19

Yes, most definitely & I'm not even for a second going to mention the breed of dog he was. Lets just say, I can comfortably say, he was mentally unstable & why his owners chose to keep him alive was beyond me. His name was Gator, we often had to look after him whenever his owners would board him at the Vet Clinic I worked at. It was not a pleasant experience, especially when I had to hold him down so that he could be sedated long enough to have a bath. Yes, you heard right, he had to be sedated to be given a bath & he was every bit of 75lbs.

Posted by: 4Her4Life on 2010-02-16, 22:20:06

The only dogs who have made me uncomfortable were little dogs who snapped without warning. I generally worked with larger dogs (Labs, Alaskan Huskies, various Shepherds) but for smaller dogs with 'tude I would let the owner deal with it (in class) or find a way of caring for them that didn't involve my hands in their face (kennel) or use a lead and/ or muzzle to control their movements (grooming). Large dogs with dominance issues, I like non-confrontational approaches like letting them drag a leash for easy couch removal, shutting the door in their face, or only giving them what they want if the do something for me. Dogs with fear aggression I've found it's best to remove other dogs, let them pick their distance and then go about your life while talking/ singing - I've had more than one "biter " turn into a Velcro dog using this method.

Posted by: Amber on 2010-02-16, 22:28:51

Yes mastiffs intimadate me i stay calm and stand my ground nomatter what...

Posted by: BYB eating dragons want ketchup! on 2010-02-16, 22:29:46

I don't work with dogs outside my own, but most dogs don't frighten me in the least bit. My neighbor GP doesn't scare me, but a Pit mix half his size scared the cr@p out of me one day because he ran to the fence and barked at me when I've walk past. I know he's friendly because I've talked to the owner but I avoid the house as much as possible, he's that intimidating.

Posted by: YODEL on 2010-02-16, 22:31:39

There was a Chow once when I worked at an animal hospital. Dog made me SO uneasy. I find Chows hard to "read " anyway. Their gait and stance is so erect and stiff-legged....it looks like they are always posturing and tensing up for a defensive reaction. Hair makes it hard to see their eyes & ears from all angles. And in my experience most Chows don't waste time with "warning growls " and snaps....if you push them too far, they BITE. Anyway, this dog's owner dropped off for exam, vaccines & HW test, she also wanted her dog brushed & given Frontline treatment. My job. Dog clearly didn't trust me from the get-go....but he tolerated minimal handling. But the entire time I felt like he would turn and bite at any minute- the way he was giving me that whale-eyed sideways stare, tail held erect, body stiff, breathing shallow. I realized the longer I spent with that dog, the more tense & edgy I became....which I'm sure only made matters worse; I know that dog could sense my anxiety. He got his Frontline and a half-a$$ed once over with the brush. I called it quits once I realized how tense the dog was making ME and knew it wouldn't end well if I kept pushing my luck with the dog. Our vet office wasn't a grooming service; we'd brush coated breeds as a service to regular clients for a minimal fee, IF the dog wasn't a huge problem. No way anybody was going to risk a bite to do something the owner should have done at home, or paid a pro groomer to do. Owner understood perfectly & actually apologised about her dog's unfriendly behavior. IN all reality the dog wasn't that bad....actually quite typical & very tolerant considering some of the mean Chows I've seen. I have dealt with worse behavior in many breeds....it's just the fact he was so QUIET and hard to predict that unsettled me. I'd rather deal with a raging, snarling beast that wants to eat me...at least I KNOW what he will do!!

Posted by: sickbxy on 2010-02-16, 22:42:56

When I worked with a training school, we worked with aggressive dogs, there was a GSD who for a time intimidated me and everybody else but the owners made tons of progress and the worked really hard for a very long time and brought him around to the point he kept the muzzle looped around his neck not over his snout. Then there was a beautiful but severely abused pittie who the human father tried turning into a "protection dog " for his daughter, eventually the dog tried killing the dad. The dog successfully scared the **** out of me at 25ft through a chain-link fence. Needless to say, the owner told me the details of what he did to the dog and what the dog did back; then was talked to by the lead trainer about the history and treatment and they stopped coming to class. Feeling that way just happens sometimes, especially when you have certain people handling the dogs... People who work with dogs are human, it's natural to get scared, startled whatever... and safety comes first. My vet once showed me the damage a dog once did to her arm, she was missing large chunks of muscle. If after our evaluation the dog is more aggressive than the typical aggressive dog, they get a muzzle, simple. Any aggressive dogs stayed in a designated area, we would work with them from a distance which was determined by the dogs personal bubble and progress.

Posted by: lynnet bielech michaels on 2010-02-17, 10:15:29

Yes there has been a few xs my sis had a black lab mix that when came2 visit it would come growling and snapping at the car i hated that dog here i have a male mastiff that thinks hes a tough guy i have a Metal pole pole that will go over his thick skull if need b when move or go 2 get up he growls and snaps i will not tolerate that ina dog with the-others all i have2 do is point-my finger and say get lost and-they do but this block head is wearing-my patience thin the thing-is u have 2 let them know who's boss and b the-bully turn the tables on them good luck lynnet