I need a little help...

[CeeCee]

How can I tell if it's jealousy, or doesn't it matter?
I was once told that he sees me as his rather than seeing himself as mine. Does that make sense?

It make absolute sense. MusicDeb's suggestions for how to bring Franklin into the room when you have company is perfect! I would bet that he does think he owns you, so in this case where he is, in relationship to you, is very important. Do not allow him to be in front of you. He can be at your side or a little behind you (whether he's standing, sitting, or laying down). When he is laying down, near you, make sure he is facing you and not facing away from you. That is very much he is owning you and letting other dogs and people know it.

I had to remind myself that I encounter all situations and people first; not my dogs.

 

[Penelope's Mom]

Wow. I've never paid attention to where he sits or lays down before. When he's laying down, he almost always faces away from me, especially when someone else is here. Amazing.

 

[musicdeb]

Personally I hate prongs and would try a martingale and a gentle leader or harness....

Franklin is part Fila isnt he?

I was going to ask the same question MM. His behavior sounds like a Fila temperament but I've experienced this same exact behavior with Titan.

Franklin's Mom, just keep doing what you're doing. Are you walking him in the morning for at least 30 minutes before the heat to socialize him more?

Good point to not let him walk in front of you.

 

[Penelope's Mom]

I didn't get to walk him this morning, but I'm going to take him for a short walk once it cools down tonight. He's wearing his harness and collar as you suggested. Now I'm really wishing I had a vest to put on him that told people to leave him alone. Most of the dogs around here are small, so I know he will attract a lot of attention.

Wish us luck!

 

[musicdeb]

You'll be fine. Remain confident that you have it covered. I always tell people with or without dogs to not talk or look at my dog. I only say hi to them as we are passing them not before because Titan will then look at them and they look at him and game on.

Remain confident...you've got it covered. Let me know how it goes.

If you are afraid, Franklin will pick up on that and think you are afraid of someone or something and he will go on high alert. I learned that the hard way.

 

[Penelope's Mom]

Ok. We just got back from a 10 minute walk. I kept it short because it's still pretty hot.

He dragged me all over the place but the two leashes definitely helped. I have an easy walk harness and I was under the impression that he wouldn't be able to pull with this harness. I was wrong. Lol
I think that when he's outside, he forgets English. Inside, I can make him do whatever I want. Outside, i couldn't even get him into a sit. But it wasn't all bad.
There were a lot of people out, mostly kids. When they saw us coming, they started yelling and getting excited about how big he is. I kept my cool and told him no and he just stopped, looked at them, then continued to pull me down the road. He met a Chihuahua that luckily was chained up. His hair stood up but I told him no and he kept going. The big finish was when we were crossing the street to come home. There were two kids walking toward us. He almost went after them, but I told him no, and kept walking. He turned to watch them, but didn't try to eat them so I was very proud of him.
So with the exception of the pulling, i think it was a success. Thoughts?

 

[musicdeb]

Instead of telling him no to the other dogs, to leave them alone, tell him leave it. Teach him that leave it means exactly that.

With the pulling, try this. When he starts to pull, stop dead in your tracks and he should stop too. If he doesn't, give a little tug on the leashes and tell him stop and then make him sit. Titan would pull be when I first got him but he wore only a harness. Harnesses tend to make them pull more but I find with the regular collar and harness, I have better control.

Do not move until he stops pulling. It took me and Titan about 45 mins to walk a block because I kept stopping.

I also tried the stop and switch directions technique which didn't work as well with him but it might work with Franklin.

When he starts to pull, stop and go the other way. Franklin should follow. When he's at heel or close enough to your side, turn back around.

Sounds like he generally did well. Since he didn't get a walk this morning, this might be a reason he pulled so much tonight. It would probably help to walk him at least twice a day. In this heat, Titan gets a 30-40 min walk in the morning and about 5 minute walk at night because of the heat at night.

 

[Penelope's Mom]

Should I be walking him by his audience ( ) or past them like we did tonight? Is he learning anything by not going down the road the kids were on?

 

[musicdeb]

I would recommend not walking him by his audience until you have control of him. Once you have control then you can start bringing him closer and closer.

For example, when I used to walk Titan at the park and someone was walking toward us I would have to remove Titan from the sidewalk and go about 10 feet away. I've working on socializing him for over a year. Now when we go to the park, I can go about 2-3 feet from the sidewalk when someone is approaching. As long as they do not look or talk to him, he completely ignores them after taking a peek at them. My goal is to remain on the sidewalk and they can walk right past us with no issues.

 

[Penelope's Mom]

Ok, got it. Tomorrow morning we head out again.

 

[Penelope's Mom]

This morning's walk was horrible, though it was no fault of ours.
The people next door have 3 small dogs. 2 Chuihuahuas and a mixed breed. One of the Chis is mean and chases people and cars down the street. The dogs are let out at random times of the day, unsupervised. The owner can't even get near the dog without using a long stick because he bites.
We left the house at 7 this morning, and Franklin actually seemed excited to go. We turned right out of the driveway and there was this mean, little dog charging at us. It was all I could do to get Franklin back in the house. It's 8:40 now and the dogs are still outside.

 

[SavingGrace]

If pulling continues to be an issue, I would try a prong collar. What I like about using it as you can also correct with it on your walks, so if Franklin barks at a person or a kid you can give a correction. I tell my dogs "No" and give a correction - for me, leave it is reserved for their toys or other things (bones etc). I know not everyone is familiar with prong collars, and one commented they didn't like them - but on our Mastiff it's worked wonders. It's designed not to collapse all the way like a choker collar and you don't have to put it on tight, but it has really helped me in healing training. Mastiffs, especially EMs have so much muscle in their neck that a prong is a safe option because it will cause them to back off without hurting them. The 'pinch' mimmicks a momma dogs bite when used as correction and I am sure now, when I go out walking that my dog won't lunge. If she tries too, she gets corrected and (kind funny) immediately sits.

Other harnesses and leaders are great, but every dog is different - and if the pulling continues, it doesn't hurt to try.

 

[Penelope's Mom]

Forgive my stupidity, but if the prong collar hurts him, won't he become afraid of me, or dislike going for his walks?
I'm not being difficult, I've just never used one before.

 

[musicdeb]

Hopefully you'll be able to bring him out soon before the heat kicks in. I'm a firm believer in exercising dogs. An exercised dog is a happy dog.

Have you talked to the neighbors about their dogs? Don't you rent? Is an apartment complex? If you are in an apartment, complain to the property manager. I would even report it to animal control. You and Franklin should not be held prisoner in your own home.

I'm a firm believer in all dogs should be kept under supervision of their owners. If the owners are F.I.'s, then the dogs pay for their stupidity. Unfortunate but sometimes it's necessary.

I hear ya, Saving Grace, I didn't care for the prong collar. I know lots of people use them but I didn't care for it. I find using the regular collar and harness works for me and Titan. Franklin's Mom, use what you feel comfortable with. It's really all about you and Franklin and what works for both of you.

 

[musicdeb]

If you want to try a prong collar, check out this link for instructions on applying and using the collar.

Leerburg Dog Training | How to Fit a Prong Collar

 

[Penelope's Mom]

I live in a mobile home park. Everyone has complained about these dogs. They'll keep them inside for a day or two, then it goes back to the same thing. I really hate to call animal control knowing that the owners probably won't care enough to pick up their dogs, and at least one of them is mean enough to where it will probably be pts.

 

[musicdeb]

I hear ya. If it were me, I would call animal control because if the dog is that aggressive and you fear he will bite someone, then he will probably bite some. Meaning a person will be injured and the dog will end up being PTS.

Again, dogs pay for owners who are F.I.'s. I volunteered at a shelter and saw it day in and day out of the amount of dogs that come in because of idiot owners. I just received the Code Red list for Irving and there are 7 dogs on the list to be PTS today. 4 of the 7 dogs were owner surrender. One was surrendered because they didn't have the time to take care of the dog that was 8 yrs old. What??? Another dog on the list is 40 lbs Jack Terrier, owner surrendered because it was too big.

Our society is full of F.I.'s and we will all pay for it in the long run.

 

[Penelope's Mom]

8 years old?

I hate people.

 

[Penelope's Mom]

Today's walk was bad.

He came upon two cats who happened to be mating... .lol and he barked a couple of times but we kept going after I told him to "leave it".

I brought treats with me so getting him to sit was a lot easier today. Keeping him sitting was impossible.

I saw two ladies walking down the road so I put Franklin in a sit facing away from them and kept him facing away from them by waving the treat in front of his face and giving him praise. I don't know what crawled up his ass, but he whipped around and took off after them. He didnt care about the treat or me at that point. He expressed his anal glands and lunged. All I could do was hang on for dear life.

I would have walked him away from them if they weren't walking so fast.

We came home right after that. He didn't bite anyone, but of course the women did the dumbest thing they could do, they ran.

 

[Penelope's Mom]

Oh, and I should tell you that I don't think the women even saw him before he went after them. They were in the middle of a conversation, and if he was threatened by them, I don't see how,