Now: Chisums training diary kinda on his training :D

[Siliverin]

going to vent a bit:

i got my dog chisum ealier this year and he seemed to be a wonderful beautiful dog. Well all was fine then all of the sudden he started growling at my dad. I worked with him all the time when my dad was home to help get him to stop, it helped but then he went back to doing it. we never ever hit him, i am not sure about his past since he came from a shelter. We always used positive reinforcement. well my dad could never even get close to him without growling. my dad would talk to him from a distance but still growling. it has gotten worse and worse over the last few months, and seems to be becoming more of a aggresive growl. my poor dad cant even move without him growling, he startes growling when my dad pulls in front of the house when he comes home from anywhere. my dad cant even sit without hearing it, if my dad is in the house and moves, he growls. my poor dad is just sick of it since nothing is working and we have done everything within our means to try and help him stop, but nothing. So sadly, i am goign to have to be getting rid of him. My dad doesnt want it to get to the point where he feels threatned by the dog, or gets to the point where he hates animals cause of it. it sucks since i love chisum but it has become to much. my dad said we would be getting another puppy so we will have more knowledge of their younger years like we do with our other dog winter. its very bittersweet cause i love chisum with all my heart, and he is a good dog but i dont want to keep putting my dad through this since , he is my dad who i love to death and its his house and just not fair to him. my dad knows how i feel about having to have 2 dogs because of something that happened in the past, and its why he said we would get another, but its just a bitter sweet thing

*end vent*

[Niabi]

I am so sorry Sili ... but at the same time I can understand why you and your dad are doing what you are doing. The only remedy I can forsee, would be to seek out professional training to help rectify the situation. I'd hate to see any animal be given up on but your family's safety has to come first.

I am no expert, but it definitely sounds as though Chisum had some sort of traumatic experience in the past. Dogs usually growl at people for one of two reasons (again, I am no expert, this is simply based on observation): first, whenever they feel inclined to establish dominance and second, whenever they feel that someone poses a threat. I think Chisum may have been abused by a previous male owner and that is why he continues to growl at your dad the way he does.

Poor little guy. He deserves a loving home but at the same time, if he doesn't manage to control his growling, adoption opportunities will become more and more scarce. It really gets under my skin too when I hear or read about people mistreating and abusing animals ... especially when the animal is young, trusting, and most influenced by their owner's behavior. It makes it more difficult for the good people out there, who only want to help, try and undo all the damage and prove that not all humans are bad!

[Teigan]

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[Zuilu]

I feel really bad even suggesting it, but do you know for sure your dad hasn't harmed the dog in any way? I don't mean to offend you, it just reminded me of my cat's situation. She was the sweetest little thing when we got her as a kitten, but she just started acting very..scared and..er..bitchy. Granted, she does have some brain damage, but my cuddly kitty is no more. I figured she was just kind of neurotic, but no, my brother's best friend was hurting her when he came over here; someone I knew since I was like..3 years old. She's getting better now that he doesn't come around anymore but she'll never be the same :I

[Sukurachi]

Sil, maybe that was the reason the dog was in the shelter in the first place.

It may have nothing whatsoever to do with how you or your father acted toward him.

The dog may simply be asserting dominance. It happens every once in a while that some dogs can't be broken of their fixation that THEY are the de facto "boss" of the house (pack). So when your father - clearly the actual leader of "the pack" (the family) - arrives, your dog feels that he needs to display aggression/dominance to attempt to regain what he sees as "his rightful place" as alpha.

I'm very sorry to hear about this. It's hard to bond with another creature, and then realize that you have to break that bond.

[Siliverin]

thanks all. it does make it bad cause he is a great dog other then the growling at certian people. used to be dad and sister bf till the bf moved out but if he comes over he still growls. we thought maybe it was cause my dad was only home on the weekends and wasnt used to him but that kinda went out the window after the first month. I know my dad hasnt hurt him let alone touched him to even pet him cause he is only home on the weekends and chisum growls and runs from him so he doesnt even have the chance to put a finger on him. My dad has never hit a dog in his life, and when he is home chisum is always with me. plus my mom would most likely freak on my dad if he ever hit an animal. we are all animals lovers, so i know my dad has never hit him like i said he doesnt even have the chance to pet him.

i think you might be right sukurachi, he is only 2 and for some reason i think you are right and that, him trying to assert his dominance and the growling is why he ended up in the shelter .

and it is hard to bond with another creature to then end up having to break it my dad feels bad too cause chisum is such a beautiful dog but for ebing almost a year and nothing has helped, its driving my dad up a wall and like i said before he said he doesnt want to end up hateing animals becuase of it.

Its so hard now too casue right now i am afraid to give him intoa home because of the dominance issue, and just seeing chisum knowing i have to get rid of him makes it so much harder

[Siliverin]

Well a good friend of mine from high school gave me some suggestions. I am going to petsmart to takl to their trainers for some tips and advice and as crazy as this sounds goign to send in a submission for the dog whisperer

[Sukurachi]

good luck, I'm sure I can safely say that we're all praying for you and your four-legged friend, each in our own way.

[Meggers]

I can garuntee part of the thing with the dog whisperer if you did get on the show would be he is telling you that you might be making it worse by both you and your dad being tense whenever the dog is around.

I recall my aunts dog hated anyone that picked up a shovel, poor thing was abused...but they kinda worked that fear out of her. They kinda had to since they built their house and they also live in a place that gets snow so having shovels around is sortof inevitable.

[Siliverin]

@Sukurachi: thank you so much it nice knowing peopel are hopeing for the best for you. thats why i have to say i do love this community

@Meggers: yeah it doesnt help at all. went and talked to my old trainer, and she was shocked cause chisum is such a nice sweet dog. She really believes that it has to do with his past, and gave us some real good suggestions on things to try so, will be starting on them tonight.

[Gumballs]

Good luck with you and your dog, no matter what I hope it works out for the best. I just want to stress one point, and please don't think I am being heartless by saying this. If you do have to give him away, just remember that he could pose a threat to others, perhaps his past history has affected him greatly and it is something wrong with him, not just how he acts around your dad.

My family took in my uncles dog when him and my aunt got divorced because he couldn't keep the dog and she didn't want him. After having him for a few weeks he slowly got more aggressive and vocal towards my mom and I. We found out later he didn't like women, and during the week it is just my mom and I home. He bit my mom once, and then one time when I was home with a friend he cornered me and attacked me. It was a tough decision, but we ended up getting him put down because my uncle didn't take him back. We thought about giving him away but we didn't want to risk him attacking and possibly really hurting anyone else, especially a child.

Now once again, PLEASE don't think I am heartless or suggesting you put your dog down. I am not suggesting that at all, I hope some form of obedience training can help, and you do all you can for your doggy to help his vocal aggression towards your dad. I am just asking you to make sure he will not put anyone (especially children) in danger of you give him away. If it has to come to that, I suggest finding a potential owner and meeting with them etc. Instead of giving him to some sort of shelter.

I do wish the best for you and your dog. I have three boxers and they are just like siblings to me. It's hard to deal with the thought of potentially having to give them away. If you take him to obedience I hope it goes works and I'm sure it will, obedience can work wonders.

[Siliverin]

i totally understand where you are coming from gumballs and i have to say kudos to you actully cause not many people do think that way or they just dont care. I have though about it, and have taken it into consideration, and with that

a loveley update!!: i have been workign with dad and chisum and doing some of the things my trainer has suggested and they seem to working out wonderfully. One of them was make sure chisum is not in the house and either he enters with dad ie. while walking chisum in OR dad goes in first. Well when we had got home my dad was in the house and i walked chisum in, my dad ignored us and nothing... not a peep outta chisum who would normally make some sort of " hey you.. im here>.>" which it turns out my trainer said from what she is hearing from what i say its not really agressive it seems more like he is afraid of my dad. since he doesnt show his teeth, raise his hair etc. So anyway i was shocked, dad walked around... notta noise outta chisum. which normally again he would do his grumble grumble im a grumpy old man even though im 2 xD yes i call him my grumpy old man xD. So i was shocked, we had a bbw tonight and i was out there and dad came out to help and chisum sat next to me then laid down and dad was right next to him not a noise again nothing.. so we are eating dinner and another suggestion was have my dad toss treats to him, and slowley have him work closer and closer, so as we were sitting at the table i had dad toss him one, he gobbled it up and got closer and just watched my dad like ooo hay got anymore???? so dad tossed another but closer and chisum took it. then he actully took 2 from my dads hand!! now this is a miricle!! chisum would NEVER do this before. he showed now signs of being pressuered to take them or anything his tail was waggin and he was happy! now this whole time my dad "ignored him" as suggested my trainer. I am just so excited and we are going to keep this up in hopes the habit dies which this gives all of us a glimmer of hope since we all know chisum is a wonderful, kind, funny, beautiful, loving smart dog. And if he does stop, next year we are hopeing to go to wisconsin again, we dont fly we drive and the dogs will get to go! we have drove to wisconsin before and to florida, so this will be exciting if the dogs will be able to go

just a small update on his ... training per say might actully rename tihs thread now if i can xD