My dog showed some aggression towards me

[WeekendWarrior]

Well I was reading about this aggression test on the internet. One of the things to test a dogs aggression was to try and hold it mouth shut. Well storm did not like this at all and got very upset and snaped at me. Granted I proably pushed her more then she should have been. She is about 15 weeks old now and that was the first time that she didnt seem to be playing around. I dont know what to take from this besides the fact that I pushed the dog more then I should have.

[rocksteady]

What temperment test are you referring to? can you supply a link? A young pup will usually not like having its muzzle held shut but to snap.. sounds like your pup needs some direction in its life asap.. could jsut be the puppy or it could not..hard to tell with just this one incident.. but it is something that needs to be addressed.

How is the pup anyother time? Domiante personality? Pushy?

[tjpitbull]

Well I was reading about this aggression test on the internet. One of the things to test a dogs aggression was to try and hold it mouth shut. Well storm did not like this at all and got very upset and snaped at me. Granted I proably pushed her more then she should have been. She is about 15 weeks old now and that was the first time that she didnt seem to be playing around. I dont know what to take from this besides the fact that I pushed the dog more then I should have.Give us the link to test this test out...

[WeekendWarrior]

What temperment test are you referring to? can you supply a link? A young pup will usually not like having its muzzle held shut but to snap.. sounds like your pup needs some direction in its life asap.. could jsut be the puppy or it could not..hard to tell with just this one incident.. but it is something that needs to be addressed.

How is the pup anyother time? Domiante personality? Pushy?
Usally she is a huge puss that is why I was just a little shocked. I mean she is scared of the vacum cleaner. She does love to play with are lab. It nevers gets out of hand. I read about the test on another forum that I would rather not disclose.

[searkkennels]

i eprsonaaly would not worry about that. i wouldn't like it either if someone did that to me. jus show it love and affection and it will turn out right

[14rock]

Yeah no doubt, if the only trouble you are having from her is when you do that, then i wouldnt worry about it, most dogs will get agitated at that, and being only 15 weeks old im sure shes just scared still. Watch her for other signs of aggression but the way it sounds now, its nothing I would worry about....if you dont want to post the name of the forum thats alright, but can you just provide a direct link to the test your talking about? Or was the test on the forum? Good luck with her, I think you should be fine.

[WeekendWarrior]

Yeah I dont have a direct link it was just a post on another forum. The test consisted of pulling there ears and tail and tryin to hold there mouth shut. This is suposed to tell you how aggressive the dog is buy doing these things. It doesnt makes much sense to me cause everybody and everything has there limits.

[14rock]

Yeah I dont have a direct link it was just a post on another forum. The test consisted of pulling there ears and tail and tryin to hold there mouth shut. This is suposed to tell you how aggressive the dog is buy doing these things. It doesnt makes much sense to me cause everybody and everything has there limits.
I'd say thats a little overboard for a 15 week old dog.....even the best tempermanted dog is going to get a little agitated if you pull its ears and tail. Every dog has its limits like you said but a pitbull shouldn't try and bite when these things happen generally speaking, they normally will ignore it when they get older, or simply get up and go in another room. If you really want to see how aggressive it is, try this test when its at least 2 years old,by that time it should be mentally mature and you will get the most accurate results I would think.

[miakoda]

For many hyperactive dogs, holding it still & holding it's muzzle shut is considered tortured. But as a vet tech, I do NOT appreciate dogs trying to bite me just because I have to hold it's muzzle shut for approx. 5 sec. for the vet to check out the inside of the ears & check the eyes. It's one thing if the dog sort of seemed to panic, but to snap at you is another.

Good news is she's young, she's impressionable, & she's old enough to start obedience training (which I strongly advise).

[misterdogman]

Well I was reading about this aggression test on the internet. One of the things to test a dogs aggression was to try and hold it mouth shut. Well storm did not like this at all and got very upset and snaped at me. Granted I proably pushed her more then she should have been. She is about 15 weeks old now and that was the first time that she didnt seem to be playing around. I dont know what to take from this besides the fact that I pushed the dog more then I should have.I absolutely disagree with the method of holding the mouth shut. When a dog is forced to have their mouth held shut it affects their breathing and probaly scares them or confuses them. Also, I tried this with my Male Bambam and he flipped and he has never bit anyone or even hinted at doing so because I'm sure he knows what would happen if he did...I didn't even try the tail or ear...but the mouth was a no no...he didn't show aggression or nip but he did do his little head shake thing and tried to pull away like I was going to hurt him and he knows better than that..I do believe if it was anyone else he didn't know or trust he would have bit the sh!t out of them on the shear principle that it is his mouth and it is abnormal under any circumstance for it to be "forced" shut... no matter who is doing the shutting. I wouldn't do it for any reason no matter who was suggesting it ever again to ANY dog. JMHO. JK

[the_flamingo]

I tried this with Jaha and he didn't seem to mind me holding his mouth shut.

[lil'lucybear]

jaha is a spoiled little fellow, you could probably dress him up in a dress and make him do a little dance and he wouldn't mind.

[SLICK WILLIE]

Why the heck would you want to test the pup. Did the dog do anything wrong? Why in the heack grab the dog by the snout and hold it. Your teaching the dog bad habbits by trying the stupid test. If your going to grab the pup make sure it is when you catch it doing something wrong. Most of the time a loud voice will teach them right and wrong. The only time I grab my dogs by the head is when I give them wormer or during a breeding to hold the crazy bitchs head still. Dont make the dog mad to see the limits. If you understand your dog and it trust you it will not bite you but you keep doing the silly test like this you take the trust away. Dogs know when your getting ready to give them something and they start their submission or try to fight you off. When you were little did your parents push your limits to see if you would fight? I dont think so! Because it teaches the child to fight and not reason with a problem.

[lil'lucybear]

but flamingo, i do love jaha, he is so so so cute.

[the_flamingo]

jaha is a spoiled little fellow, you could probably dress him up in a dress and make him do a little dance and he wouldn't mind.
Probablly, LOL. Jaha is quite the laid-back fellow, normally anyway. Once in a while he gets these "spurts" of crazyness.

but flamingo, i do love jaha, he is so so so cute.
Thank You!

[lil'lucybear]

your very welcome, i can tell that he is your favorite, he has such a sweet look in his eyes all the time, how is his leg feeling by the way

[miakoda]

Holding a dog's muzzle should not cause a dog to become aggressive. I can understand a dog pulling away & shying away from you because she's scared, but to show aggression? No. This is something we do all day long to dogs to keep them still for a few seconds for the vet to check inside the ears & if needed to stain an eye, or clean the eyes, or whatnot. And it's not that common for a dog to become aggressive. But let me explain the proper method to holding your dog's mouth shut. You do not just grab the muzzle and squeeze tightly. You want to reach your arm underneath his neck/head & position your hand so your thumb rests underneath the jaw with your fingers coming around the top of the muzzle (although you can put your thumb on top & fingers on bottom however it can be harder for some people to hold that way). You never want to squeeze hard, just enough pressure to keep the dog's jaw shut (or in our case, from clamping down on my hand or fingers). Even holding an aggressive dog & having to use more pressure, I've never caused a dog to pass out due to lack of oxygen. The dog should be able to breathe fine. NOW, if you are using sooo much force to clamp your dog's mouth shut that it cannot breathe, then get rid of your dog or attend anger management classes.

Just wanted to add that positively adjusting your dog to this process will pay off big time in the vet's office. I don't take a chance with ANY dog when it comes to me irritating him (cleaning eyes, ears, etc) & his mouth near my hand/fingers. Not worth it to me.

[SLICK WILLIE]

We forget that they are dogs and not people. They were built to live outside and survive. I take care of my dogs but going through some of this crap I would bite you to. For crying out loud people! THEY ARE DOGS! Pups will act like pups and dogs will act like dogs when time comes. Stupid test people do to animals. You will find out later if your dog wants to bite you or not but dont teach them early by trying things that you dont understand.

[miakoda]

I never said to "test" your animal. All I am saying is to make it comfortable with people & their touch. And what is "trying things that you don't understand" mean?

[rocksteady]

bfgu..no, I would have to disagree with you.. dogs have been specifically tested, seleceted and bred throughout the years for their qualities in serving humans and for that purpose..to serve man (and woman) kind..unless of course its a wild dog. Not all domestic dogs are capable of surviving outside ..

Yes, the dog will retain many natural instincts.. but above all, the reason for their exisitance in todays society is to serve us..whether it be as a companion, guard dog, guide dog, entertainer, herder..hunting dog.. each breed has been bred to achieve these not by nature, but by man (man selected the traits that were natural to the dog and improved them..)

but I do agree with what else you are saying..they are still dogs.. they will react as a dog will..

[SLICK WILLIE]

I understand the reason the dogs were bred. I would not say all domestic dogs could survive out side but a strong willed dog like APBT could in fact overcome the odds along with many others. This is how I look at it! I dont take the extra step to save weak or sick pups on my yard cause this is a natural way to cull. I dont put the pups up off the ground cause they were to be born in a burrow of some type but the bitches have their dog house to welp in. After that the pups have free run on the ground cause mamas milk should protect them till the first shot. Some people think that keeping pups off the ground keeps down Parvo but that is an air-born viro. Worm are the factor on the ground but if the pups are wormed then cleaned up afterwards then no prob. I will not house weak dogs if they have to be pampered. I will not aid in the protection of weak dogs on the yard. This is some of the reason we are getting sick dogs now! People breed into a dog that had to be saved as a pup or older dog. I understand that dogs get introuble with health sometimes but when its a constant issue put it down. Had my share of sick pups but I would not give or sell ones that had issues as pups. I said in a post some time ago that if you allow the weak to live you will spread weakness into your yard and I believe this to be true with what I have seen. This post was one that got under my skin and sounds like the owner of the pup got under his or her puppies skin and pissed it off. Puppies think you might be playing rough with them also. Dont try and make an educated guess unless you know what your looking for from the pup or dog! Some dogs just need their butts set on fire with a switch one good time like a child to make them see the light. But if you are not down with good o'l spare the rod S T C then I guess set them in the corner without a snack! LOL



bfgu..no, I would have to disagree with you.. dogs have been specifically tested, seleceted and bred throughout the years for their qualities in serving humans and for that purpose..to serve man (and woman) kind..unless of course its a wild dog. Not all domestic dogs are capable of surviving outside ..

Yes, the dog will retain many natural instincts.. but above all, the reason for their exisitance in todays society is to serve us..whether it be as a companion, guard dog, guide dog, entertainer, herder..hunting dog.. each breed has been bred to achieve these not by nature, but by man (man selected the traits that were natural to the dog and improved them..)

but I do agree with what else you are saying..they are still dogs.. they will react as a dog will..

[Kellyisanoodle]

Hey people!! I'll be getting my pitbull soon so when I do I'll post up some pics of her. People tell me diff things about pits and I've been reading stories about them. There's nothing wrong with having a pit, they are no diff from any other dog out there. Yeah some people say they bite but look at it this way, it depends on who has the dog and what they do with it. Some people have them to fight and others have them as pets.

[14rock]

Hey people!! I'll be getting my pitbull soon so when I do I'll post up some pics of her. People tell me diff things about pits and I've been reading stories about them. There's nothing wrong with having a pit, they are no diff from any other dog out there. Yeah some people say they bite but look at it this way, it depends on who has the dog and what they do with it. Some people have them to fight and others have them as pets.
They are great pets, but they are not like other dogs. They are a working breed and thus need alot more attention and excersise than most dogs. They usually will not get along with other animals and beware of this before you get one, ''never expect a pitbull not to fight'', no matter how buddy-buddy he is with another dog, you could turn your back and the other dog could be dead so never leave them unsupervised. Also, know that they are extremely driven so a things like a fence wont keep them back usually, this breed can climb trees. The proper way to contain a breed like this is a secure chain, they love being outside and getting excersise and they cant escape this way. I dont know if you knew all this, just thought I would pass along the info because pitbulls are not like any other dogs-but if you care for them properly they are better companions and will return the favor. Looking forward to seeing some pictures by the way. Good luck!

[the_flamingo]

your very welcome, i can tell that he is your favorite, he has such a sweet look in his eyes all the time, how is his leg feeling by the way
His leg is doing much better. He is actually getting another acuepunture done today. The vet said that he is responding well to all of it and is healing alot faster than he would have thought. ;) Thanks for asking.

[lil'lucybear]

no prob, i know that i would be upset if lucy got hurt, so i am glad to hear that little jaha is doing well,

[misterdogman]

I understand the reason the dogs were bred. I would not say all domestic dogs could survive out side but a strong willed dog like APBT could in fact overcome the odds along with many others. This is how I look at it! I dont take the extra step to save weak or sick pups on my yard cause this is a natural way to cull. I dont put the pups up off the ground cause they were to be born in a burrow of some type but the bitches have their dog house to welp in. After that the pups have free run on the ground cause mamas milk should protect them till the first shot. Some people think that keeping pups off the ground keeps down Parvo but that is an air-born viro. Worm are the factor on the ground but if the pups are wormed then cleaned up afterwards then no prob. I will not house weak dogs if they have to be pampered. I will not aid in the protection of weak dogs on the yard. This is some of the reason we are getting sick dogs now! People breed into a dog that had to be saved as a pup or older dog. I understand that dogs get introuble with health sometimes but when its a constant issue put it down. Had my share of sick pups but I would not give or sell ones that had issues as pups. I said in a post some time ago that if you allow the weak to live you will spread weakness into your yard and I believe this to be true with what I have seen. This post was one that got under my skin and sounds like the owner of the pup got under his or her puppies skin and pissed it off. Puppies think you might be playing rough with them also. Dont try and make an educated guess unless you know what your looking for from the pup or dog! Some dogs just need their butts set on fire with a switch one good time like a child to make them see the light. But if you are not down with good o'l spare the rod S T C then I guess set them in the corner without a snack! LOLI wish more people had similar views...and yes parvo is airborn...isn't it toxiplasmosis and distemper that can come from the ground and other infectious means (Cat and other animal poop for toxiplasmosis im not sure about distemper)...anyway people forget the moms milk immunes them for a little while ...at least long enough to get to Farm and Fleet to get your shots for 3$ a pop. Too bad though people think they have to save every little runt and weak pup that walks...it really does weaken the stock if that pup grows up to breed instead of being eliminated or at least fixed before giving to a family friend like my buddy has done...I personally wouldn't do that either but at least he eliminates them somehow ASAP to get away form the litter. Too bad some of us get so frooffy and fluffly its like if we dont save them we are doing something bad..when we really are if we do save them. Sensitivity never made a good dog breeder or ER doctor. Insensitivity has made lots more, it teaches humility if you have ever been in the situation you'll be grateful for it.


"These shoes are so comfortable, It feels like im walking on a cloud of baby ducks".
Red Foreman

[Miss Conduct]

I am a vet tech as well, and i have to hold the muzzle of dogs every day. Usually they pull away because its new to them, and they are probably scared. I've never had a dog (of any breed) try and bite me for touching its mouth, if it was aggressive, it wanted to bite me from the moment it saw me lol.
I dont temp. test my dogs (as they are working dogs), BUT i DO agree with handling your dogs from pups, and getting them use to anything you can think of. When i get pups, they ALL start there life out as a house dog, then make there way outside when they are around 8-10 months old.

I like my dogs being touched all over and trusting what you are doing to them.
You never know what might happen, like for instance, what if a kid happened to be petting your dog (with some of us i know this is slim, but what ifs are possible) and for some reason put his hand around your dogs muzzle? Even if your dog is comp. none human aggressive, but snaps out of fear/confusion, thats bad news bears for you, and your dog.

I do not have kids around my dogs, but i'm comforted to know if there ever was one in my yard, i'd have almost nothing to worry about (except for maybe being knocked over by a little too excited dog).

Thats just my 2 cents

[lucibub]

I'm no expert, but here's how I feel: Annoying puppy is ineffective indicator of aggressive tendencies, as aggression's not always general disposition, but sentiment toward certain things/situations. Furthermore, aggression is defined by the aggressor's instigation of hostility or destructive behavior...this means no provocation when "testing".
Snapping incident: I'm sure U know now never to clamp a dog's mouth; pup probably exhibited knee-jerk reaction, U didn't reprimand as U were taken off guard. This 1 time mistake is harmless as long as U instill in her the necessities required in creating the adult you desire. It sounds like U will appreciate a couple of tips.
First, U figure out what U want in a dog. And I try to keep an open mind when training...let the dog teach U how to teach her.
I love this trick, adapt it to any activity; it maintains your authority w/out confrontation; it instills a sense of paying attention...easier to work with when time to train for real, etc.::: I make dogs sit & wait until I give the OK to "at ease" before opening any door for them, before feeding them, before crossing the street, when introduced to children etc. Mostly before things that make them super-excited, so it's cool that the dogs know they are getting a reward every time they sit pretty! This way, they are not fish-out-o-water hurricanes going crazy when excited..that's fun for play. After one of these routines is set, training just becomes easier.
For me instilling boundaries is necessary, too. I think dogs get concept, but of course once out in public, it takes extra patience. So I start in home, no dogs upstairs, or in kitchen. Dogs to lounge on their blankets only. Dogs to sleep in laundry room. Work to front yard, then to parks or public places. On walk-training...I instill several boundaries or lengths away they can go from me. "stick around" is directly by my side, next is 8 feet away max, next is bound only by my sight of dog. Never are they to be out of my sight, but they try. I just remind them. For my sake, I wait till they are well acquainted with the original rigid walks. I've never had an easy time teachin puppies how to go on well-behaved walks.

well, hope at least one trick'll stick.