[Tina Garuc Garuc]

Hi,

Day 2, put shock collar on Rocky and went for a stroll, he was so calm and responded easily to any command. I did not even use the collar nor did I turn it on, I think he knew it was there and just relaxed and knew. I praised him and felt so proud of him. I just want to save him from himself. He really is a loving dog, healthy and after 5 trainers knows his commands, it is just he always fights any command with whining and yawning and after telling him 3 times with hesitation he does it, but, when he sees someone he totally does not listen. After yesterday he is calmer and just great. I hope this will last and that we can grow old together!!!!

[Tina Garuc Garuc]

Hi,

Well to give you my update, I have not smooched with Rocky only at greetings when I arrive home, took away all his toys, which he is still searching for like crazy. He has been better. Till today, he saw someone and went totally nuts on me. I figured I have nothing to lose, if I end up putting him down, I might as well pull all punches. So, I took him in the house, he had his choke collar, his gentle leader, his baskerville muzzle AND THE SHOCK COLLAR, I started with the beeps, it did nothing, I then gave him a shock at no. 3 to let him know,  I demanded he sit and stay, he tried once to move I shocked him at no. 4 and he sat and stayed and sat and stayed for over 1/2 hour. He whined and his eyes and mouth turned bloody red, but, I said, either you are going to listen to me or I will fry you myself. He stayed, I didn’t care he whined, he whines whenever you make him do something. But, he did it. So, I will continue with this, I think now that he knows what can happen I won’t even have to use it. My husband and I will take him to the park, where there will be many people, he does not have to like anyone, but, I want him to learn to just let everyone be and they will let him be. That is what we will do next weekend. Hopefully the weather will be better. It probably wasn’t the best thing to do, but, at this point I was so frustrated and figured everyone wants me to put him down. He is otherwise a perfect dog. If after all this nothing works I will consider everything, but, after today am more hopeful.

Anything else you can suggest, please let me know, when can I reintroduce his ball, we kind of made the ball part of him, since he is so mouthy, we always asked for the ball to keep his mouth occupied. But, I do feel he is calmer without the ball.

Thanks again.

[Tina Garuc Garuc]

Wow, I guess he would guard his toys and bed and food. If another dog came into the house he would want to eat him alive. When he was 6 mos. old he grabbed the neighbors dog by the neck a small white terrier. Thank God I when I yelled Rocky he let go. So, I know not to let him near any dogs. We have 3 parrots and he used to snap at one, now he does not go near the cage, I think one got him and he stays away.

He does not go on the furniture. He goes on the bed in the computer room, for that is the room he is locked up in when we have work done in the house for a longer period, otherwise he is crated when someone comes over.

I am finding that life with Rocky won’t change, I just keep him muzzled and always aware of our surroundings when outside. I do have guilt if I went to put him down, for he is loving and listens in the home and outside as long as no stranger is around. Being we live in a rural area it is not often that we come upon strangers it is just now with the nicer weather people walk on the road. I am always on the look out if someone is walking and return him into the house. We are not close to the road about 60 feet down from the road.

If there is something I can do, that would teach him I am the leader, please guide me to that solution.

Thank you for your help.

[Tina Garuc Garuc]

Rocky is not possessive at home, he has his toys and plays with them, he does not guard them or his crate or beds. He goes to the door and hits the knob to let us know he must go out, if we don’t here the knob he will walk around crying till we go to take him out, he won’t even go to the bathroom in his dog park, he must think it is a room of the house.? He has his Kongs that he chews, he is an aggressive chewer literally can chew a black Kong to bits, we now know to rid them once cracked. His balls are only Kong Balls. But, you can take anything away from him, he does not mark anything, he is the perfect dog at home. We choose when to play ball not Rocky, he is sent to his crate to sit and wait while I put his food in the dish and water and waits till I tell him he may go eat. I feed him 5 am and 5 pm. He has a sensitive stomach and vomits easily so I found this better for him. There is no food out all day. Only fresh water. We usually walk him when he needs or before we go out, he is alone only 3-4 hours the most.

Through training I learned that with Rocky everything has to be at our direction. To be pet, fed, to sit and wait when leashing him up and not to get up till we say so. To walk behind me when going out of the house. Not allowing him to follow me everywhere. If he decides not to listen, when he is to excited to play, we put him in time out, in the bathroom and after 5 minutes let him out, that calms him down. He comes when called and goes down when told, sits and gives paw. He will “leave it” and when I give a treat he has to wait and “sit nice” and wait till I say he can take the treat. Everything is to show him who is the leader. He sometimes tries to take over but, we correct him and he sees it does not work. Just when we are outside and he sees a strange person that he is not familiar with then everything goes out the window. Because he is food motivated one trainer told me to sprinkle treats on the ground and say “track it” and that works great also, until he sees a stranger then he does not care about the treats.

I truly appreciate your help. Rocky appreciates it too!! Thank you.

 

 

[Tina Garuc Garuc]

Another thing about Rocky, when I ask him to sit or down after his attack mode, he will ignore the command and start his yawning!!! Then I wait him out, as he continues to yawn until he finally does as asked.

[Tina Garuc Garuc]

Thank you for you reply. It is still very heavy on my heart, will try anything that you can suggest to me first. We live in the mountains here in the Catskills. 90% of the time he does not see people. But, now the summer is coming people walk on the road, (thank God we are not right on the road) and then he goes into his red zone, I just pull him back through the garage and take him in the house. When people come I put him into a spare room. As long as he does not see anyone he is calm. Never barks or growls. Even if they stand right outside the door and talk with me. They cannot believe how he is quiet. I have Beware of Dog outside I bet when the UPS or Fedex come they must think I have no dog. He is very food motivated. That is how every trainer became his friend. The last guy, actually thought Rocky was so much fun, if he ignored Rocky, Rocky would take the ball and push it into his hand. Then he would run backwards waiting for him to throw the ball. He is a fun dog when he knows you. I tried taking him to a local dog park and put cookies outside the gate hoping someone would just call his name and throw a cookie, so that he can associate strangers with cookies. One girl was jogging I asked her to do this, she gets the cookie, sees Rocky in his crazy state, throws it at him and runs. I can do what I want with him, he just lays there, I can pull his lips, play with his ears, pull his paws, tail. Never showed anything aggressive towards me. We have a raised ranch, downstairs is his domain, and when someone comes he is in the spare room. In the car he is in a crate, he won’t even get in the car if he doesn’t see the crate. He lays down and just watches the world. He used to get aggressive whenever someone passed the car. He has learned to relax. If we have a wedding or something, we have to crate him in the car, since we cannot bring him to a kennel. That is rare but, it is a problem. I wish people would come and with the muzzle let him see they would not hurt him. But, I guess I really don’t have many dog people that I know. I have been even thinking about putting an ad in the paper for dog people to come and give treats and let them walk him. My son thinks that will be an open door for more then friendly dog people. In training I was told when he acts aggressive towards someone to turn him around and walk the other way. Problem he just won’t turn around and walk, he will continue to try to get to what has gotten his attention and walks backwards because I am pulling him. His eyes, nose and mouth turn beet red. Sometimes he even tries to bite the leash!!! Anything you can guide me to try would be greatly appreciated.