Cant handle this much longer...neeed help with dog fighting in my home

[BubbaMayhem]

Hi all
I have a 14 month male Cane Corso whom I rescued 5 months ago. To say that its been difficult is an understatement and in all honesty Im at the point where I dont know if Im going to be able to keep him which makes me very sad. The story is a long one and I intend to create another post which explains why and how we got into this situation but just for now I wonder if anyone can help me with regarding dominace? Initially my boy settled into my home with my young daughter and 2 other dogs very well, though I knew not to be complacent that this would last; predictably as he has begun to gain confidence asgain ( traumatic background) he has gradually become more and more assertive around the house. Within the space of two weeks the whole status quoiin my home has been completely shattered. My CC haas become very attached to me and wont allow the other dogs near me at all. When the other dogs try to get to me he will leap up from wherever he is, barge his way through and plant himself as a barrier. Understandably my other dogs dont take too kindly to this and start growling. Then a fight breaks out and its very scary. This happens all day long and not just over me, it can be anything at all that the other dogs want or have. The atmosphere in the home is tense and all tjhree dogs are like wound up springs. My iother dogs have gone from being placid, easy going pooches to agitated and very unhappy dogs. My home is a war zone. The fights are escalating in frequency and ferocity. Im terrified that one of the smaller dogs will get seriously hurt or worse my littel girl will get bitten. Ive been putting the smaller dogs in their crate when things get really OTT but as soon as they are ket out, it starts again. HELP!!!!!

 

[BubbaMayhem]

ps I should add that the CC is in no way aggressive, its the other dogs who are aggressive. Just the presence of the CC in the same room is enough to set them off. I can see that the other dogs (who are much smaller cockapoos) dislike him intensley and are probably scared of his size. He wants to play with them but they immediately start growling and then it turns into a fight. I feel sorry for them all. The CC is huge and clumsy and the cockapoos have been accidentally squashed or had one heavy paw too many on them. The CC can be minding his own business in one part of the room and the other 2 dogs will sit and growl under their breaths . Im thinking that maybe these dogs cant co-exist together ? The cockapoos clearly feel threatened by the CC and if they are all out together I spend my entire day re directing and distracting potential fights. It doesnt help that whenthe growling starts my daughter knows what is going to happen and starts screaming her head off, which fuels the fire even more. Im a bag of nerves and I cant keep them seperated 24/7 or watch them 24/7.

 

[Bailey's Mom]

Two things are apparent from your first post, you are not being the dominant member of your pack. And, you are crating the wrong dogs. If the CC is blocking and threatening the other dogs from getting to you, it may play to your ego that the dog adores you this much, but it is abdicating your responsibility as the leader. The CC should be crated. Every dog needs to know the pecking order and he is number five, not number one. You are number one, your daughter, number two, your two older smaller dogs are three and four and the newcomer is number five.

From your first post to your second post you seesaw from the CC being bad to him being Good. He's probably neither, he just needs to understand his place in the home. There are members here who have had the unfortunate situation arise of having to crate and rotate because these situations simmered and were not dealt with immediately. Get on top of the situation, the next time he blocks the other dogs from getting to you, crate him with a firm, "No." Repeat as often as is necessary. You have to get control of the situation, and the smaller dogs are not the issue...even the CC isn't the issue, he requires you to become a strong leader. And don't let him play you. I know that you feel for him and for his past, we all feel for our rescues, but, they are with us now and they require firm guidance to help them be the best they can be.

If your smaller dogs attack the CC, crate them, if the CC blocks and intimidates the smaller dogs, crate him, and, if your daughter (you didn't say how old she was) goes off like a five alarm fire adding to the stress of the situation, send her to her room. You Are The Boss. Believe Me, they need to know who the boss is in no uncertain terms, and they need to know the rules in no uncertain terms, you cannot equivocate, you must help your big CC know his place in the pack. Crating doesn't have to be long, it just has to establish a connection between the behaviour and that that behaviour will not be allowed. Maybe 15 minutes, but 15 minutes as many times as it takes until they get the drift of what you expect from them.

Now, there are people here with very specific experience with situations like this, but it being summer and everyone having their vacations it may be hard to reach them. I'd suggest that you PM Hector, she's had a lot of experience with dogs who are intolerant of other dogs and she has worked through those situations. Also, Boxergirl might have a few ideas. Nik has been on line a lot lately and has dealt with the multiple dog situation. Each of these will have great info to help you not only succeed in this situation, but to come out on top...right where the Pack Leader should be. I've had my own dramas recently with my daughter's dog upsetting mine, but since we don't live together, I don't have to deal with it every minute of every day. Good Luck. Don't give Up. You Can Do It. NILF the situation, "Nothing In Life Is Free", including access to you and the free run of the house. You Are The Boss.

 

[BubbaMayhem]

Thankyou so much for yr quick reply. I totally agree that none of the dogs see me as pack leader. Ive been hearing this over and over but noone seems able to ell me what to DO to be pack leader, so yr advice is much appreciated. The dog related problems and issues in my house are numerous so I dont doubt that there are lots of things going on that have been left unchecked. Its as though I deal with one issue and another one springs up. Before the CC came along there was no conflict whatsoever between the 2 cockapoos but they definately do not welcome the new addition. He is oblivious to it all, plods around like a King not really taking much notice of them - until they have something like a toy or old sock - then he immediately pays attention! He'll calmly walk up to them and just take it away. They growl and snarl but isnt the slightest bit bothered and he still plods off with it. Ive immediately told him 'no' , given the toy back to the other dog and given the CC a toy of his own to play with. Everyone happy . That worked for a while but now as soon as I walk away CC is straight back to get at the toy and all hell breaks out. I dont want to remove all the toys (unfair for the cockapoos) because he has to learn he cant just take whatever he wants but the fights are really, really bad and it can be over anything not just toys. Some situations happen so quickly that I dont get chance to intervene or see who is to blame .
How would you have called this situation and what did I do wrong?
CC was asleep on the floor , my daughter was watching the ipad on the sofa, and the cockapoos were asleep in their crate with the door open (ALL IN SAME ROOM) Calm and peaceful, so I went into the kitchen to do a few chores. Few mins later I heard the warning growl from one of the cockapoos. I dropped everything, ran into the room to see 1 of the cockapoos standing nose to nose with the CC and both are growling their heads off. IMMEDIATELY the other cockapoo comes charging out of the crate and next thing I know an almighty commotion breaks out! Next thing the CC has 1 of the cockapoos pinned to the floor with the other cockapoo on his back trying to bite his face. My daughter is literally 2 feet away from them still rooted to the sofa, screaming "mummy, mummy, mummy" . Im shouting at CC to LEAVE IT and hes taking no notice whatsoever and Im shouting at the cockapoo to GET OFF but again noone is listening and theres no way Im getting in the middle of that ! My first priority is to get my daughter out of the room away from danger. I literally throw her out into the hallway and close the babygate. CC still has 1 dog pinned to the floor and is growling, fur standing on end, stiff as a board ready to attack. I KNOW that if I try to pull him off or make the wrong move it will make things worse so I grab his lead and jangle my car keys and call him as though we are going for a walk. THANK GOD this works and he lets the cockapoo up and begins to come to me.....BUT the minute he is released the cockapoo charges the CC !! I couldnt believe it!. This time CC doesnt react because his mind is on the walk he thinks hes going to get so he just shakes him off . It sounds as though I didnt react quick enough but this all happened in less than seconds!! I honestly dont know how the other dogs walked away from that uninjured ...and it hasnt put them off. If anything they are even more fired up and similar situations are happening several times a day!! What could I have done differently? Everyday fights like this are breaking out over what appears to the human eye nothing at all . As I write this both cockapoos are in the crate because Im sick to death of hearing them growl at CC or launch themselves at him as he walks past. Earlier CC was crated because he barged 1 of the other dogs out of the way and sat on her to stop her getting near me . Believe me I take no pride that I have become such a source of conflict. I just want them to all get along and share me and everything else in the house . My daughter is 8 and has Down Syndrome and she cant judge a potentially dangerous situation or understand that screaming when they are snarling at eachother is making things worse. I feel terribly guilty because all 3 dogs are stressed and clearly not happy and neither the dogs or my daughter asked to be living like this. My family all love the CC but think I have taken on far too much and are telling me that I am putting my daughter in danger by keeping all 3 dogs. I knew there would be teething problems but this is way more than I anticipated. I certainly will take onboard everything you suggested and will contact those other members. Thankyou x

 

[marke]

personally I wouldn't crate my dog as punishment , i'd be concerned they'd view it as punishment ..... much better just to punish them ....... as far as you and your daughter getting the dog to submit to you , that's easy the nilf thing should work fine , accompanied with corrections .......... as far as making the cc submit to your cockapoos , to me it's not something you can do without ending up with a neurotic dog ..... the cockapoos would need to do that themselves .......... myself I can pet 4-5 dogs at the same time , you need to figure out to pet them all at the same time , if anyone doesn't like it , then you need to let them know it's not their choice ....... set the cockapoos on your lap the cc next to you all and pay attention to everybody ........ train them and reward them together ....... while I've had dogs couldn't be left alone with each other , I've never had dogs couldn't be together when I was around , they are clear on the fact they don't fight when i'm around ...... get a fly swatter , it sounds like it's about all you'll need , it sounds doable to me ..... I've known dogs took a cattle prod , but they got it ....... might appall some folks , but the behavior , as you mentioned around your daughter is a death sentence ......... it sounds like the cc isn't dangerous , and the cockapoos might bite , but they're not dangerous , make sure your daughter knows to stay out of a fight if it happens ....... my kids knew to just let a fight take it's course , and never take anything from a dog ........ they grew up from babies to adults without ever getting bit , around a lot of aggressive dogs .....

 

[Boxergirl]

I believe that you need more than the advice of an online forum. I honestly feel that giving training advice in a situation like this, where we can't see what's happening for ourselves, is irresponsible. You need a behaviorist that can come and evaluate your situation. If you're willing to share your location perhaps we can help you locate a trainer/behaviorist in your area. I think the only responsible thing to do is give you ideas to keep everyone safe while you find a professional to help you. I know other members are more comfortable giving actual training advice.

The most important thing is to keep everyone safe. All things that can be guarded should be put away. No toys. No food. Nothing. Feed separately. I don't agree with the dominance theory when it comes to interaction between dogs and humans, so I don't think you need to "dominate" them. Social hierarchy between dogs is something different. I DO believe that we, the human, need to have rules and expectations that we make sure the dogs follow. That's leadership, not dominance. I'm of the opinion that you already have a lot on your plate. If you feel that you can't separate or supervise 100%, and I do mean 100%, then maybe this is too much to take on. Your daughter should not be left alone with the dogs ever. At least not with the CC, and not with all three dogs together. Her safety must come first. Please understand that I'm speaking as a mother who has raised two special needs daughters. Special needs of a different kind than you are dealing with, but I do understand that special needs of any kind require a lot of diligence from the parent and a normal day can be very exhausting both physically and emotionally. If supervising 100% of the time and putting in a lot of training time isn't something you feel you can do then there's nothing wrong with putting your family first.

If you do want to try to work through this, then I strongly suggest calling in a professional well versed in dealing with resource guarding. There's too much at stake to try to do this alone with just advice from the internet, no matter how good the advice may be. This is my opinion.

 

[Bailey's Mom]

I can only reflect on my own situation...I am the Alpha...my husband is the Beta and the adult and almost adult children, are treated by our dog as elder and respected siblings. My Grand-puppy who is a half Dogo Argentina/Bully...is the SH**t disturber...and there are threats between him and the CC, but as the Alpha when I growl, when I yell, everyone rolls over and gets submissive. I'm not joking! I move from threats to action, everyone knows, if I blow my stack there better be peace.

NOW, having said this, I am a no nonsense type of woman. I know who I am and what I am and not everyone can say that. I'm still silly about how cute and smart my CC is, but it just goes that far and then no farther...I don't let myself get played; when it interrupts the peace and good function of the family, it's over. I lower the boom.

Our situations are very different, and, of course, they have to be...you have a child with Down's Syndrome...that alters the dynamic. I've worked with Down's Syndrome teenagers and I know that a peaceful and docile environment helps them manage their day, but, having said that, You Need To Get Control. No dog can rule the house, control the inhabitants, run the game. It gets worse if you don't lay down the law and make the dogs mind you as the Alpha.

IF YOU CANNOT DO THIS, YOU NEED TO RE-HOME YOUR CC. This is a powerful dog, and it needs a powerful and capable leader. AND, not to put too fine a point on it, your cockapoos were there first and they need your support and respect and your commitment, you cannot abdicate your ownership of the house to an "infant" CC who doesn't know his ... from a hole in the ground. You are the Adult.

First, try crate and rotate. This means, put the CC in the crate and then after an hour, move your Cockapoos to the crate. Let the CC out, and then repeat. This May Be Your Life, so, consider if you are willing to make this your day-to-day and ordinary experience. Think. Second, move to a warning crating when teeth are barred, such as your CC stealing a toy from one of the smaller dogs. A big "NO", crate...let him see the toy going back to the little dog. Don't water it down by giving him a different toy.

NO REWARD FOR BAD BEHAVIOUR!!! N.I.L.F.! NOTHING IN LIFE IS FREE. All Good Things From Food, To Walks, to Treats, to Toys, all of it comes from GOOD BEHAVIOUR, And ONLY Good Behaviour.

If you feel that this is too much, remind yourself what an out-of-control Cane Corso could do without training, without a strong hand to lead him. This is not a lap puppy. These are good dogs...great dogs, but they require an strong hand and an strong will to make them successful. No matter what this dog's past of abuse was, the greatest gift you can give to him is to show him who is boss. Like all children, dogs need a strong leader to model their behaviour after, be that leader.

 

[Bailey's Mom]

I agree with Boxergirl that this is an overwhelming experience and that you have too much on your plate. Your family must come first. And, if you can afford it, a behaviourist could be very helpful. Tell us where you are and perhaps Boxergirl can hook you up with someone in your area. (You can PM her if you like.) I also agree with feeding separately, I hope you are already doing this. BUT, I do believe in dominance. I am the head of my pack, and I get the behaviour I have modeled and I expect.

When Bella the Rottie was here, she was the head dog, but my daughter was her boss and I was my daughter's boss. Everyone knew their place in the hierarchy, and so, there was no anarchy. It was and still is a "my way or the highway" world. Unfortunately, out in public, Bella was what they call a "redline dog", very dangerous which eventually led to her demise. She had a lot of interventions and professional help, but nothing could change the dog's behaviour when she was out in public. It is a tragedy, much to be avoided if you can.

I absolutely love and adore my CC (she is the best dog in the world), and I love and absolutely dote on my grand-puppy (he is the sweetest little trouble maker, but soo cute.) But, these two have conflicts since the head dog has gone. I was willing to let them work it out, but I've taken counsel from the people on the Forum about me abdicating my responsibility, they were right. For the safety of both dogs, I enforce my rules, my dominance and everybody tows the line. They are even starting to show signs of a resigned type of friendship, though they only have to tolerate each other in short visits. Your situation calls for serious consideration. But I still would not give up until I had tried all the techniques of gaining control and obedience with the N.I.L.F. program.

Have you PM'd Hector, she's amazing, and she has a much deeper insight and experience with dogs that express dominance issues that are unacceptable. She has such patience, and I'd let her vast experience guide you. I'd trust her with my life.

 

[Bailey's Mom]

Oh, by-the-bye, I wouldn't use a fly swatter on a dog...maybe Marke can get away with it, (don't know how big a man he is) but...CC's in my experience wouldn't respect you for it. I think resorting to hitting will get you bit. Just my opinion, but, it's a bankable opinion. Too many dogs turn on the person wielding the whip. A noise...A honk or loud beep to break up the intensity, yeah, but hitting...Never a Fan of It, Nor Will I Ever Be. And sending a dog to their room (their crate), is a time out, it isn't punishment, but hitting them is! You are going for respect, not fear. Being the Alpha is respect, not fear.

 

[Boxergirl]

Bailey's mom, dominance as it relates to dog training is different than dominance in a social hierarchy of animals. What you call dominance, I call being a good leader and setting rules and boundaries. You're not advocating alpha rolling dogs or antiquated techniques that usually go along with dominance terminology. I just feel that terms like alpha, submissive, and dominance have been used incorrectly by certain trainers and the terminology has been poisoned. We, as humans, already control all resources so we are already dominant. If a dog is pushing the boundaries it's not because they think they can be leader. It's because they either haven't been taught the rules or because they've done something that they've gotten away with. Dogs do what works for them. If we're wishy washy about enforcing the rules then they're going to take advantage of it.

 

[Bailey's Mom]

I have no argument with your description, and perhaps over time the words I have used have been abused by others. No, I do not advocate straddling a dog or biting a dog or anything as barbaric or backward as that.. My posts and my time on the Forum speak plainly to my humanity with our dogs, BUT, I don't let them get away with behaviour that snowballs into real problems. I do lower the boom. I am the leader and I do correct behaviour that has morphed from cute to intolerable. Dogs do push the boundaries and as leaders we need to assert that they must keep within the rules. Training, teaching, being firm, but kind and loving, not allowing aggressive or destructive behaviour. Using N.I.L.F. techniques to train them to fit into a human world. All of these, I do. I advocate for, and I advance to our members. Oh, I've erred on occasion, been taken in by the sweetness and cuteness, but...give a dog an inch and they will take a proverbial mile. That is reality.

Dogs are a joy, they are some of our best and often The Best Companions of our Lives. But without leadership they are lost and will revert to behaviours that would frighten most of us. They keep their watch with humans because we control the resources and therefore their lives, that is why N.I.L.F. works, not only with dogs, but with our human kids. They tow the line because we hold the line. So, we can argue semantics, Alpha/Leader, dominant/submissive, but in the real world, where we live, I am my dog's leader, and my dog is submissive to my commands and desires, and there is a hierarchy, one that is firmly established, humans first, dogs second and if we break it down within your family or my family each family member is not equal or holds as much authority. In my house, I am the boss...in my absence my husband is the boss and so on and so on, and Bailey, my sweet CC, she guards us all, but she doesn't boss anyone but the unwanted, suspicious person at the door.

 

[Boxergirl]

I have no disagreement with you. I believe we're on the same page about giving our dogs (and children) strong leadership. I hope that you didn't think I was insinuating that you were ever abusive to your dogs. The caps suggest that perhaps you mistook my meaning.

 

[marke]

if you have a dog that will bite you for a correction , it's not something you should have in a house with kids ...... a dog like that should be owned for a reason by an experienced person , or put down ......... if your afraid of the dog you shouldn't have that dog , nothing good will come of it ............ when you tell a dog to sit , and they sit , they submitted , tell them to stay they submitted , tell them no and they stop , they submitted ......... he's obviously bluffing , as if you had a real fight you'd have mentioned the vet visits ........ you need to start all over , probably as mentioned with help , i'd advise you take them all to obedience classes together ........... take my word for it , a flyswatter is an awesome tool , corrections have nothing to do with size , it's about communication and respect .........

 

[Bailey's Mom]

Marke, we will agree to disagree about physical punishment. I believe it is the road to creating a truly disabled dog. My dog/grand-dog/kids may roll over for my anger, but there is no fear of pain, only that in disappointing me they may lose my love and respect....and only then for a time...a short time.

I believe our correspondent was concerned about the potential for the situation escalating to a biting scenario between the dogs, and the potential overflow to her child. She said the dog was docile with other dogs, by in large, but was struggling in defining its situation within the pack. That's what I took from her explanation. She has a mentally delayed child suffering with Down's Syndrome, why would she wish to disable a large and potentially dangerous dog with pain as a teaching aid?

Is she out of her depth? Very likely, too many variables, too many participants and, of course, her child has to come first. Good intentions concerning the CC...and, I would guess, the perception/hope of a fierce protector, for her family have bred a situation that may not be amenable even with concerted effort.

Every dog deserves a loving home. A loving home doesn't come with physical punishment. You, Marke, may get away with the stinging hit from a fly swatter, but a less informed, less capable, new and inexperienced owner of a already re-homed CC might find herself in a very different/difficult situation. All of us know how independent and stubborn our Mastiffs can be...love works, pain and suffering doesn't.

 

[BubbaMayhem]

Good morning all and I cant tell yiou how happy I was to see some replies when i logged on.
I live in England, UK where Cane Corso are virtually unheard of . Also thers a massive backlash with the whole 'protective breeds' going on here. Shelters are full of bull type dogs. Since having my CC Ive had nothing but negative reactions from people and Ive even had someone threaten to report me to child protection for owning him with my daughter. Im the only person for miles with a CC ; even vet hadnt seen one before lol As for trainers there are limited resources and those that are available havent really dealt with giant breed dogs though I can't see that matters too much . He is a dog. A big one but still just a dog who needs guidance.
Thanks for youyr advice and I agree that we need to seek professional advice. Im on it. Got some numbers to call tomorrow and Im hoping we get thje right person for the job. This tension between CC and the othgers is only one of the problems. He has CHRONIC seperation anxiety and I do mean chronic. If left alone either with or without the other dogs for company (always without now obviously) he goes absolutely nuts. Crying, whining, barking, destroying whatever he can get his paws/mouth/head on. He poos and wees everywhere . First few nights in our home he was terrified so I stayed with him on the couch and day by day gradually started moving to my own room but the minute I left he would start barking and crying. I I ignored it but it got so bad that his barking was making the floors shake and my neighbour came banging on my door at 1am FURIOUS! My daughter wasnt getting any sleep and neither was I. So I couldnt ignore him after that. Even coming downstairs to reassure him I was still there had no effect, actually made him worse when I went back to bed. I broke my number one rule and allowed him to sleep down the side of my bed. Yes I know that was wrong but we were desperate for some sleep. Overnight became peaceful again but daytimes are still a huge problem. I feel a prisoner in my home,. He point blank refuses to go in the crate and if I force him in there and shut the door he goes nuts. Hes actually headbutted it and bent it all out of shape now so it wont stay shut properly anyway. Whatever room I leave him in when I go out I literally have to take EVERYTHING out and barricade what I cant remove with chairs . Kitchen is a no no since he chewed all the cupboards and pulled the microwave onto the floor and chewed thast too. Hallway he chewed all the carpet up and pulled the curtains down. Living room he has totally derstroyed a new three piece leather suite . I barricade my computer corner with chairs and move all the furniture to the middle of the room so he cant jump onto the windows and pull the curtains and poles down. I kid you not - if it wasnt so serious Id laugh at myself. I do tjhius EVERYTIME I leave the house. Hes left with all sorts of bones and things that he doesnt get any other time and even then he will find soemething to destroy or will plough through the middle of all the chairs and get to the computer stuff. Then when I return home (even after 10 mins) he goes into a frenzy where he s jumping and mouthing and impossible to calm down. I have to make my dasughter sit in her room until its safe. She resents this and I dont blame her. Hes knocked me over, hes knocked her over and hes barged furniture over. I cant tell you how nuts he goes when we get home. Ive sat in the car outside my house crying many times dreading going inside. When you put ALL this together even I can see that something has to change. Noone should be living like this. I love all my dogs but the stress of this situation is making me ill. Lost over 30KG in weight since May and my psoriasis has flared right up again. ...now im reading my own post back Im wondering wtf !?! My mum refuses to come inside my house so I havent really seen her properly for months and my friends wont come round either. When I do have guests I put CC in the kitchen and he barks, howls and tries to dig his way out the entire time. Its embarrassing and also stressful. Now uits got to the stage that if he cant physically see me he panics and will literally headbutt through a door to find me. This isnt normal and Im about to crack up anyday. No...something has to change.

 

[BubbaMayhem]

btw i have tried leaving him the garden to cool off and also when I go out. He dug up an entire lawn and smashed my back window, pulled he clothes airer spinny thing out of its concrete base, got ino the poo drum ( which is almost impossible) and dragged shit all over. He pooed on my daughters slide , ripped all the decking up and for good measure managed to dig up some of the concrete patio. Wtf do you do with a dog THAT destructive when left alone??? Apart from when the cockapoos ambush him agression is the least of my worries. He barks like a maniac when anyone comes to the door or walks past the house whiuch sets the others off too. I took delivery of a parcel yesterday and in he 30 seconds I was oiut of he room he had got ontop of the computer desk and knocked the monitor over. Totally smashed the screen. SDo now I cant even leave him unattended at all. If I could pack my bags and go |I would. Today I HAVE to visit my mum who is sick. I KNOW when I get back I will walk into devestation and utter chaos and already my stomach is in knots. Ill be worried the whole time Im gone . Oh lord what a mess

 

[marke]

doesn't sound like your equipped for a dog raised so poorly ...... good luck with him for his sake ..... for someone to create such a dog just pisses me off ....

as for me suggesting causing "physical pain" , try putting on a prong collar on , tie off the leash , run to the end of it as hard and fast as you can , try a shock collar , or a choker , then have someone smack you on the butt with jeans on with a flyswatter , I've bent dull needle on my dogs skin , your statement about physical pain is ridiculous ....I've hit tables chairs and couches with a flyswatter without even getting up , it's the noise , and the touch ......... my dogs never in their lives wear any type of collar , none , ever in 40yrs ....... I've never raised a dysfunctional (disabled) dog , my dogs aren't afraid of anything , as well adjusted as any I see anywhere ...... when your dog rolls over for your anger , I think that's a disabled dog , I've never seen one of my dogs roll over for anything , that sounds terrible to have a dog that frightened , I would feel bad for them ....... I can leave 5 kennel dogs loose in my house and come home to 5 happy dogs and my house as I left it ............. my dogs go anywhere and will do anything I ask , they trust me with their lives ............ never needed help with a dog , needed to rehome a dog , needed to put down a dog , or surrender a dog , it just comes natural from having dogs literally everyday of ones life , i'm better at it than raising kids , and my kids are the bomb , as are their kids going to be ....... a flyswatter , I've smacked puppies with one , physical pain , too funny ............

 

[Bailey's Mom]

I don't agree with Marke very often, but in this matter, after hearing further testimony from you about how intense and destructive this poor dog has been, I must amend my hopeful statements and, reluctantly, but with resignation, tell you that you must surrender your CC to, hopefully, a rescue that handles Mastiff-type dogs. Don't delay. I don't think anyone here would think any less of you especially after hearing the horrible details that you've shared. Please make arrangements as soon as possible. As inexperienced as you are with large breed dogs, you are deeply out of your depth and in serious trouble. There is no simple fix...this needs to end so that you can have peace in your life and a safe home for your family.

In the right hands, with intense one-on-one training he can be turned around and he can be a good dog. He's just so troubled and he needs someone with the time and the resources to really help him. I don't think a young mother with a special needs child and two other small dogs to worry about can effectively give him what he needs. I know the argument that you will bring, that you love him, that he needs you, but the reality is he needs a safe, consistent environment where training is constant and intense. I know you want the best for him...that's why we rescue and foster dogs so that they have a chance in life. Give him another chance to find a more perfect match in a different home.

I must say, I was really shocked when I read your last two posts....this is a very serious situation.

And don't take this as a dismissal from me or any of us, you are most welcome here and within our ability we will try to help you and your family. Perhaps one of our moderators, Glen, who lives in England, may have a few leads on mastiff-type rescues. I'll PM and ask for you.

 

[glen]

I'm so sorry your going through this, I'm in total agreement that it's time to try and regime. The one I trust in the uk is cane cordon mollesser rescue 07960348820. If you want to talk to me I would gladly phone you and help in any way I can. Normal shelters over here won't help our breeds but there is some that would take time to sort this out.

 

[Boxergirl]

I'm sorry, BubbaMayhem. That level of separation anxiety is going to take a very, very long time to work with. It's been my experience that dogs with severe separation anxiety also often have an unhealthy attachment to their person - which makes you as a resource even more important to guard. If this were my dog I would definitely have a behaviorist in. Not a trainer, a behaviorist. I would probably be using medication for anxiety this severe. There's just no easy fix for this. These issues are daunting in a dog of any size or breed and for even an owner experienced in working with these behaviors. I also know, from experience with a several similar situations, the stress it can put on the rest of the family - pets included. You must be exhausted, emotionally and physically.

I know how hard it is to consider surrendering your boy to rescue. But as you well know, sometimes love means sacrificing what we really want and doing what's best for the ones we love. Your boy CAN be helped, but I don't know that you're the one that will be able to help him. Please consider contacting the rescue group Glen suggested to explore options. Just to explore options. Don't disappear on us. We care and will be here for any support you need. We're pretty good at listening if you just need to vent.