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Chet. He has just turned 14 months.
I take him to work every other day, sleeps inside every other night, and half and half between kennel, and yard rest of the time.
We follow leadership to a T because of his history, although he hasn’t really shown any dominance, or aggression, other than fear aggression over hands towards us. He sits for his food and waits for permission to eat before moving. Doesn’t get to engage with other dogs at all unless I am present. He “owns” nothing.
When we first got him if you said his original name, and moved your hand he would yelp, darting to end of leash going into defensive mode, like you hit him. Take a little time to get near him afterwards. Since changing his name his fear aggression seems to be mostly triggered by having your hand on his collar, or neck and reaching for him, even to pet, with the other. Heaven help ya if you had something in the other hand. and didn’t have control as he would go deep into defense mode.
We have been working on it for some time, and he is much more relaxed with me now, although he still gets a little tense.
The only thing I know is, he had 4 bites to 3 people in his previous household, in the 2 weeks before I took him, and they lost their temper and knew they took his punishments way to far, and something snapped in him.
2 Of the bites sounded like redirect, or protestation bites because they grabbed his collar while he was wanting to engage with another dog.
One of the other bites, just a few days before we got him, was from trying to forcefully take something out of his mouth. Which I was told was dealt with. These dogs are possessive.
