# excessive barking and aggression



## laurenxstar (Dec 3, 2011)

Hi, I have just got a two year old bedlington terrier. He's VERY aggressive towards other dogs and barks constantly at them. He's hardly been out walks before we got him so that would explain it all, he is out walking all the time now and i have bought a muzzle for him. However, the muzzle isnt working he just jump around silly with it on when he sees another dog. Is there anything else that can make him stop being so aggressive and barking all the time? Ive considered training & obedience classes but they are pretty expensive, too expensive for us at the moment.

Thanks


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## Lexiedhb (Jun 9, 2011)

Did you muzzle train him at all or just stick it on and go for a walk? Muzzle training to get them to accept it takes time.

I think you REALLY need classes, or a good book. This is something that you can not train out over night.


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## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

Why do you believe it is aggression?

Could it not be frustration?


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## Jugsmalone (Apr 11, 2011)

Are you sure it is true aggression and not over excitement and frustration because he wants to greet and play?

The reason I ask is because from your post, the behaviour you have described is how my friends dog acts and it is pure frustration and over excitement because he wants to greet and play with other dogs. This dog is perfectly fine with other dogs when he is off lead.

If you think it is aggression, please can you provide further details i.e. body language, any snarling, growling, etc?


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## laurenxstar (Dec 3, 2011)

Jugsmalone said:


> Are you sure it is true aggression and not over excitement and frustration because he wants to greet and play?
> 
> The reason I ask is because from your post, the behaviour you have described is how my friends dog acts and it is pure frustration and over excitement because he wants to greet and play with other dogs. This dog is perfectly fine with other dogs when he is off lead.
> 
> If you think it is aggression, please can you provide further details i.e. body language, any snarling, growling, etc?


He definately doesnt want to play, once the clip on his lead broke off when he was pulling when he seen another dog and he just went right for it, luckily enough i was quick in catching him! he was trying to attack the other dog.


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## Jugsmalone (Apr 11, 2011)

laurenxstar said:


> He definately doesnt want to play, once the clip on his lead broke off when he was pulling when he seen another dog and he just went right for it, luckily enough i was quick in catching him! he was trying to attack the other dog.


Okay, in that case it probably is aggression. I know you said from your post you cant afford training classes but I think that is what the dogs needs. He needs to be socialised with other dogs in a controlled manner and you will only achieve this if you take him to training classes or have a one to one trainer.

I think you should definitely keep the muzzle on your dog just to prevent any mishaps with other dogs bounding up to yours.

HTH and please keep us updated.


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## Lexiedhb (Jun 9, 2011)

Good luck finding a training class that will let you in- my dog makes similar noise, lunges etc, except his is frustration/lack of socialisation and every class near me says "these classes are only for dogs who are good with other dogs/people" not overly useful.


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## grandad (Apr 14, 2011)

laurenxstar said:


> Hi, I have just got a two year old bedlington terrier. He's VERY aggressive towards other dogs and barks constantly at them. He's hardly been out walks before we got him so that would explain it all, he is out walking all the time now and i have bought a muzzle for him. However, the muzzle isnt working he just jump around silly with it on when he sees another dog. Is there anything else that can make him stop being so aggressive and barking all the time? Ive considered training & obedience classes but they are pretty expensive, too expensive for us at the moment.
> 
> Thanks


Do you know a group of people, who walk their dogs, so you can use the situation to get him used to other dogs. I'e. from a distance and under control.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

laurenxstar said:


> ... just [adopted] a 2-YO Bedlington -
> He's *VERY aggro* towards other dogs & barks constantly at them. He's hardly been [leash-walked]
> before we got him, so *that would explain it all*...


if he has no history of having BITTEN another dog, or ATTACKED another dog, labeling him *dog-aggro* 
is a bit premature, IMO & IME - he's _*dog-reactive,*_ yes, but i would not say 'aggressive' - 
yet.

- he's a Bedlington; sadly, terrierrrrists as a group are THE most-aggro group of breeds, & Beddies are worse 
than some others - quite notorious for dog-reactive or dog-aggro behavior, depending on the symptoms. 

- U don't mention if he's neutered; if he's intact, that's the first thing i'd suggest. It's not a magic bullet, 
but it does reduce aggro somewhat & makes B-Mod easier & more effective.

- he's been seriously under-socialized, which is unfortunate but not permanent. He needs B-Mod, 
which is not anywhere near as simple as training [teaching manners & cued-behaviors], so a DIY program 
will be difficult, time-consuming, & require considerable work on Ur part. Are U prepared to do this?

the help of an experienced REWARD-based trainer with *credentials -* not a 'whisperer'-wannabe, nor franchise 
trainer ['listener', Bark-Bluster, etc], but an assessed member of the APDT-uk at the very minimum, would speed 
the process of B-Mod considerably, & need not break the bank: a few 1-to-1 sessions with WRITTEN protocols, 
with some e-mail support in-between fortnightly appointments, could really make a huge difference.

if U are determined to fly solo, U have a big learning-curve ahead - he must be kept UNDER THRESHOLD 
when in the presence of other dogs, meaning *aware* of them but at sufficient distance to *Not React*. 
U need to learn his earliest signs of beginning-arousal, so that BEFORE he begins to react, U see those & make 
judicious changes to reduce his arousal/ increase the distance / decrease the stimulation.

the presence of other dogs, additionally, needs to _*predict* "good things will start now"_ - 
this is straightforward *counter-conditioning*, making a formerly-bad or scary or hyper-arousing trigger 
into an ordinary or acceptable, or even happy thing. Changing their emotional response changes their behavior.

for a DIY process, i'd suggest 4 things: 
- *calmatives: * see post #22 of the _Dog Body-language_ sticky for What, 
How, When, etc; they are all OTC/no Rx, all safe, no dosage worries. 
i'd suggest a minimum of 3: 1 oral, 1 olfactory, & 1 tactile; EX, Rescue-Remedy liquid as described; 
DAP pump-spray ditto; & either an Ace-bandage worn a'la T-Touch body-wrap, or a super-snug T-shirt.

- 'how-to' instructions: 
the book _'Click to Calm'_ - it has detailed, safe, step-by-step protocols. Also the website, 
K9aggression.com by DVM Overall - more protocols, including RELAXATION & DEFERENCE.

- a Calming-Cap: 
nope, not kidding; it does help - like a horse's fly-mask, it reduces visual-stim & makes anything more than 
a few feet away, fuzzy-focused & less distinct. I'd have him wear it around the house for a few days, then 
put it on for all trips outside - AND continue to put it on him at home, indoors or in the garden, for short periods 
2 or 3 times each week. This prevents the CAP from becoming a 'signal' to get excited. 

- loads of patience by the ton, & an attitude of _I won't give-up_ sheer pigheadedness. 
U'll need it - terrierrists are thin-skinned, reactive, & vocal. Barking is natural to them, & it's also 
a self-rewarding, self-reinforcing behavior; teaching him SPEAK!, then teaching _'hush...'_ can really help. 
BOTH are taught using rewards: rewarding him for _hushing_ by telling him SPEAK! may sound crazy, 
but it works. 


laurenxstar said:


> ...he's out [leash-]walking all the time now, & i've bought a muzzle for him. However, *the muzzle [doesn't work]* -
> he... jumps around silly [wearing it] when he sees another dog.


the only PURPOSE for the muzzle is to prevent him from biting another dog, or a person, & injuring them. 
:thumbup1: i'd say it's doing the job -

but i certainly HOPE the muzzle in question is a *box-*muzzle, 
properly fitted, not a bloody #$%@! tube-muzzles or a mesh-cone as used by groomers? 
THose are downright dangerous, they DO NOT allow the dog to pant freely, which dogs must be able to do 
at all times: a dog's temp-regulation depends on a patent airway & free panting, & limiting their ability 
to pant can be fatal - with a tube, fabric or mesh muzzle, a dog can swiftly overheat, become nauseous, 
VOMIT, choke, & die on the spot - or inhale the vomitus, develop inhalation-pneumonia, & die more expensively 
& slowly in a vet-hospital.

the BOX-muzzle should also have a strap over the head, between the eyes & secured to the COLLAR. 
this prevents the dog flipping the box-part off their nose, & then assaulting someone while it dangles.

*the MUZZLE does not do the B-mod needed to teach him another way to respond to other dogs. 
it's only a safety-precaution; we don't know if he's aggro or merely reactive, it may be superfluous. 
U must provide the B-Mod to teach him a new response to other dogs - either by hiring a pro to help, 
with the aforementioned credentials, or by doing it Urself - which means U must learn a LOT in the next 
few months, & consistently apply that learning. *


laurenxstar said:


> Is there anything else that can make him stop being so aggressive & barking all the time?
> I've considered training & obedience classes but they're... too expensive for us at the moment.


the barking is only a symptom of arousal; we don't know from Ur description if he's reactive, or actually aggro.

B-mod, which requires teaching him new-responses, is the only way to alter his current behavior; how long 
it takes depends on the skill of the person doing the B-mod, their success at keeping him UNDER threshold, 
their consistency in the process, & how entrenched / practiced / fluent his habitual reaction is to the trigger.

the LONGER he has reacted, the MORE HABITUAL his response, & the MORE-OFTEN he's allowed to react, 
practicing the behavior again & again, also influences how long B-Mod will be needed to resolve the behavior.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

laurenxstar said:


> ...once the clip on his lead broke [as] he was pulling [toward] another dog and he just went right for [that dog],
> luckily enough i was quick in catching him! He was *trying to attack* the other dog.


If he did not MARK the other dog, then he was not "trying" to attack & injure that dog. 
there'd have been, at the very minimum, punctures from teeth - if not torn skin from piercing, then pulling.

if all that was on the other dog was saliva, HE DID NOT intend to injure that dog - as if he had, 
HE WOULD HAVE; since he was off-leash & uncontrolled, nothing would have prevented injury.

i'd say he may be * reactive surely, * frustrated possibly, * fearful & undersocialized ["go away!" 
is his basic message to other dogs], * highly-aroused by the sight or sound of other dogs... But it appears 
he is not necessarily *aggressive,* as given a perfect opportunity to hurt another dog, he didn't.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

What sort of collar does he wear? 
if it's a CHOKE-Chain or PRONG, or anything which is in any way painful or aversive, it will make this worse.

an all-fabric sighthound style martingale, at least 3/4th inch & preferably 1.5-inches wide, would be good - 
or an equally-wide leather collar of the same type.

alternatively, a FRONT-clipped H-harness will allow U to turn him away from his intense focus on another dog, 
which helps enormously to limit his arousal by cutting-off the staring contest before it begins.

a _*habituated*_ headcollar is another good choice, but it cannot simply be put on him & used; 
it takes an average of 5 to 7-days, wearing a headcollar more-often & increasing duration, to accustom a dog 
to the funny-feeling of a noseband; just as we must GET USED TO wearing glasses [sunglasses, reading, etc] 
for the first week or 2. 
additionally, the headcollar is deliberately PAIRED with happy things: 
first with meals only 2x each day; then with walks AND meals, the leash on the other collar; 
then with any other fun events AND walks AND meals... until the mere sight of the headcollar has the dog jump 
to his feet & run over to shove his own nose into it.

the dog is actually TAUGHT from the beginning to slip their own nose into the noseband - for a treat, each time. 
the very-first time he sees the headcollar, it can be on the floor & treats put inside the open straps... 
the dog's own kibble can be used, or any TINY high-quality pea-sized goody: meat, cheese, veg, fruit. 
every time it is held up, s/he TARGETs [touches] the headcollar & gets a treat... then it becomes, 
*stick Ur nose in the hole to get the treat*. then HOLD the nose in the hole... then STAND while i fiddle 
with the neck-strap, wearing the noseband for a few seconds... etc, etc, etc.


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## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

Hiya, the following may help

Flying Dog Press - Suzanne Clothier - Handling On-lead Aggression

Headcollars, types, introducing one (or muzzle), and walking a dog on one here:

Black Dog Head Halter

Agility Warehouse | Dog Agility Equipment and Supplies | Black Dog Head Halter

The Canny Collar

The Canny Collar - The Best Collar to Stop Dogs Pulling on the Lead - Home

The Dogalter

http://www.kumfi.com/index.php?page...n=com_virtuemart&Itemid=26&vmcchk=1&Itemid=26

The DogMatic

Dogmatic Headcollar

Gentle Controller

GenCon All-in-1

The Gentle Leader

The Gentle Leader at Canine Concepts

The Halti

http://www.companyofanimals.co.uk/halti.php

The K9 Bridle

K9Bridle - The Worlds First Dog Bridle, Head Harness, Head Collar

The Newtrix Easy Way

Angela Stockdale, Dog Aggression Specialist - About Angela: an aggressive dog is an unhappy dog

http://www.apbc.org.uk/system/files...aring_your_dog_for_a_muzzle_or_headcollar.pdf

http://www.deesdogs.com/documents/walkingyourdogwithheadhalter.pdf

Dogs like this need either 1:1 help or a class that specialises in grumpy/growly dogs.

HTH


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

i introduce it with treats BESIDE the headcollar, on the floor; then treats for TOUCHING the headcollar, 
as i hold it; then TARGET the noseband as i hold it, TARGET the *opening* as i hold it, 
*stick one's nose INTO the opening* as i hold it open, *Keep one's nose in the nose-band,* 
then *keep one's nose in WHILE i slip the neck-band ends together,* then *while i HOLD the ends together*, 
& finally *while i BUCKLE the ends for a few seconds.*

Desensitization To The Gentle Leader Head Collar - YouTube

Muzzle Training - YouTube

Desensitizing Your Dog to a Muzzle - YouTube

Teaching A Dog To Wear A Muzzle (Muzzle Training) - YouTube

then the dog wears it: 
- only while eating for 2 or 3 days 
[fill the bowl, call the dog, ask for SIT, put it on, SET THE BOWL DOWN, when the dog finishes CALL THE DOG 
for 'dessert', "sit" - remove the headcollar, PRAISE, reward, release].

- then wears it FOR HAPPY EVENTS *plus* meals, 
for another 2 or 3 days: leashed walks, games, petting or grooming - anything the dog enjoys, 
but the leash is on the OTHER collar / harness for control; the headcollar is only worn for habituation 
& happy associations.

if the dog likes car-rides, that's fine - but SECURE the dangling clip for the leash, safely out of reach! 
or the end will almost-surely be gnawed-off while the dog is not watched, in the back-seat, making the headcollar 
useless, or into an expensive neck-collar. Oops. 

- *finally, one day the dog Alerts happily when s/he SEES the headcollar come out:* 
they approach, shove their head into the noseband impatiently, wag & wiggle, & are full of happy anticipation - 
*'Where are we going? What are we doing?'* is the dog's obvious message.

FIT it properly: 
with the Gentle Leader, fit is especially critical: the NECK strap must be *high & snug*.
it should be as close to the ears as possible, & NO FINGER should fit under it! 
think of a watchband - that's the idea; it should not rotate, nor slide-down, but stay put.

that SNUG neck-strap allows the NOSEBAND to be adjusted as large as possible, SET so that the lower 
edge of the noseband barely reaches the *upper-edge of the leather of the dog's nose*. 
this precludes the dog thumbing it off: it won't give sufficient slack to go over the nose & off.

NOW - clip the leash on the noseband, & go for a *short, happy, brisk 1st-walk* - 
5-minutes is plenty, & that may be too long; keep the dog moving, briskly!

The more opportunities the dog has to stop & fuss at the collar WITH THE WEIGHT of the leash on the noseband, 
the more likely s/he is to be suddenly resistant or unhappy with the headcollar; DON't use the usual leash 
if it has heavy hardware, or it's an extra-heavy leash; it's *overkill* & not needed, a light leash & small 
but sturdy clip are all that are needed, with a headcollar.

a BULL SNAP, or any oversize hardware, or a double-thick nylon leash, or an extra W-i-d-e leash, etc, 
only add needless weight & will make the dog uncomfortable, as that weight is transferred to their nose.

a 6-ft long standard nylon leash, one-half-inch wide, will easily handle dogs up to 80# on a headcollar.

i use veg-tanned 6-ft leather leashes, 3/4-inch wide, for dogs over 90#. 
LIGHTER is better - so that the dog does not try to thumb-off the noseband, but happily moves along.


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## CockersIndie (Dec 14, 2011)

totally agree with leashed for life- don't label him as aggressive. rarely are dogs aggressive, normally it's frustration, lack of good long exercise and mental stimulation. Keep the muzzle on for the time being but above all KEEP CALm. The worst thing you can do when you see another dog is to tense the lead, he will automatically assume there is danger or you are frightened so may try to protect you. Keep calm, breathe, and try to read the signs of his own tension- tail tensioning, ears pricked and body tense then correct this- distract him in some way. It's easier said than done, and this will take time to correct. I would also recommed training classes of some kind so he gets used to dogs more in a controlled setting where you can correct the unwanted behaviour and allow him to become a well socialised dog who is polite!!


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