How to deal with a bratty dog?

This dog honestly has bipolar or something. He is a collie, we've had him since 2012. He growls at me 24/7 and other people. He tries biting me, I can't handle him. It annoys me beyond belief, I literally feel like punching him. How would you deal with it(the dog)?

Take the dog to obedience training. You can teach an old dog new tricks.

Get rid of the dog. If it bites someone... You're liable. That could run into some $$$.

Then... Get another dog if you really want one.

I'd get rid of that dog.

Keep the dog muzzled. If he bits someone you would be responsible for it. Next, how much exercise is the dog getting? Collies are notoriously high energy dogs. Start taking him on longer walks or even better, runs at LEAST twice a day. Behavioral problems in dogs are often caused by or made much worse by pent up energy. Next, get the dog into an obeidence class.

If you do not have the time to take care of a collie properly and give it the stimulation it needs, then yes, get rid of the dog.

Research dog trainers in your area for help in dealing with the dog. It's a quality of life investment and well worth the assessment from an expert.

Ideally by having him in training classes since 2012. Collies are very smart but they are herding dogs and need jobs and attentive owners.

There are no bad dogs, only bad owners.

You didn't train him properly and now you're blaming the dog? Get the dog some training. Dogs need discipline and routine. You've allowed him to become the pack leader and he's putting you in your place.

To everyone suggesting she get rid of the dog: that's pretty cruel. You're going to dump an untrained dog at a shelter?? It will never get adopted. This is the owners fault for being too lazy or ignorant to train their dog.

There are no bad dogs, only bad owners.

 

You didn't train him properly and now you're blaming the dog? Get the dog some training. Dogs need discipline and routine. You've allowed him to become the pack leader and he's putting you in your place.

 

To everyone suggesting she get rid of the dog: that's pretty cruel. You're going to dump an untrained dog at a shelter?? It will never get adopted. This is the owners fault for being too lazy or ignorant to train their dog.[/QUOTE]

 

 

This, ive seen it so many times at the animal hospital its pretty sad

The dog does not need training as much as you do.

I have had Australian Shepherds all my life and they are wound up tight and ready to go all the time.

First off are you a woman or a man? Women have a harder time being the Alpha and need to put a little more effort in than a man does.

So the dog growls at you? When? When you come home? When you get near his food? When you get near your spouse? You need to be more clear on when this happens.

Obedience training is only as good as the pet owner so perhaps you should look into some reading material before you plop down a bunch of money. Google "Sit Stay Fetch" I have recommended it to several people and it has helped them a lot. Even though I am very experienced with training dogs I still go back to it occasionally.

It could be territorial growling and biting but without more info it is hard to say.

The dog needs you so don't give up on him. I must also note that there are occasionally dogs that cannot be handled by certain types of people or simply cannot be broken from destructive behaviors. I had a mix my dad brought home once that started killing our live stock and hard as I tried I could not break him of it.

Lost

Is it your parents dog? Don't antagonize him, give him treats or play ball outside. Be nice to him and speak calmly. Pet him, take him for walks and feed him. Your anger/angst/hostility exacerbates the situation.

He growls at me 24/7 and other people. I literally feel like punching him.

I had a collie/lab mix for 16 years growing up. Best dog I've ever encountered. They are playful and full of energy all the time. Do look into obedience classes. Do take him out to the dog park to expend energy. Do NOT hit him or take out your frustrations on him.

Totally agree with the statement that there is no such thing as bad dogs; just bad owners.

Keep the dog muzzled. If he bits someone you would be responsible for it. Next, how much exercise is the dog getting? Collies are notoriously high energy dogs. Start taking him on longer walks or even better, runs at LEAST twice a day. Behavioral problems in dogs are often caused by or made much worse by pent up energy. Next, get the dog into an obeidence class.

 

If you do not have the time to take care of a collie properly and give it the stimulation it needs, then yes, get rid of the dog.

It's my parents dog. I have my own dog, who behaves really well, the collie even growls at him.

I had a collie/lab mix for 16 years growing up. Best dog I've ever encountered. They are playful and full of energy all the time. Do look into obedience classes. Do take him out to the dog park to expend energy. Do NOT hit him or take out your frustrations on him.

 

Totally agree with the statement that there is no such thing as bad dogs; just bad owners.

I'm not even his owner, he is my parents dog. I have my own dog, he behaves really well. So, I just don't understand why he acts like this. He is 8 years old, my dog is 3 but doesn't act like him.

Is it your parents dog? Don't antagonize him, give him treats or play ball outside. Be nice to him and speak calmly. Pet him, take him for walks and feed him. Your anger/angst/hostility exacerbates the situation.

Yes, he is their dog. Thanks for the tips, I'll try some of those out.

Research dog trainers in your area for help in dealing with the dog. It's a quality of life investment and well worth the assessment from an expert.

Alright. I'll try this

It's your parents' job to get him to an obedience class, then. They should have done it long ago. Does the dog growls at them, too?

Sound like your parents are not getting him enough exercise .

There are no bad dogs, only bad owners.

 

You didn't train him properly and now you're blaming the dog? Get the dog some training. Dogs need discipline and routine. You've allowed him to become the pack leader and he's putting you in your place.

 

To everyone suggesting she get rid of the dog: that's pretty cruel. You're going to dump an untrained dog at a shelter?? It will never get adopted. This is the owners fault for being too lazy or ignorant to train their dog.

He isn't even my dog. My parents bought him in 2012. I have my own dog though, I trained on my own. The collie is 8 years old. My dog is 3, mine used to act just like him but I got him to stop. I tried it with the collie, nothing has worked with him so far.

It's your parents' job to get him to an obedience class, then. They should have done it long ago. Does the dog growls at them, too?

He only growls at them once in a while, he is just growling at me and my dog most of the time though.

The dog does not need training as much as you do.

 

I have had Australian Shepherds all my life and they are wound up tight and ready to go all the time.

 

First off are you a woman or a man? Women have a harder time being the Alpha and need to put a little more effort in than a man does.

 

So the dog growls at you? When? When you come home? When you get near his food? When you get near your spouse? You need to be more clear on when this happens.

 

Obedience training is only as good as the pet owner so perhaps you should look into some reading material before you plop down a bunch of money. Google "Sit Stay Fetch" I have recommended it to several people and it has helped them a lot. Even though I am very experienced with training dogs I still go back to it occasionally.

 

It could be territorial growling and biting but without more info it is hard to say.

 

The dog needs you so don't give up on him. I must also note that there are occasionally dogs that cannot be handled by certain types of people or simply cannot be broken from destructive behaviors. I had a mix my dad brought home once that started killing our live stock and hard as I tried I could not break him of it.

 

Lost

He is actually my parents dog, they are the ones who got him. He is 8 years old. You see, I have my own dog too, he is 3. My dog used to act like this, but I worked with him and got him to stop. I have tried with the collie but nothing has worked so far. He growls at me, my dog and people that come over.

Sound like your parents are not getting him enough exercise .

They take him on a few walks a week. I've tried playing fetch with him, he doesn't seem interested in playing. He never brings his toys back.

They take him on a few walks a week. I've tried playing fetch with him, he doesn't seem interested in playing. He never brings his toys back.

He needs to be walked at least twice a day, every single day. A few times a week is neglecting the dog. So yes, a dog who is cooped up in a house or just limited to exercise in the back yard is going to get cranky and start developing issues. You would too. It's like sitting in jail - no real stimulation. Dogs require a lot of active care. They need to walk, sniff, see/meet other dogs, exercise physically and mentally. Since he is 8 years old, he might not be all that interested in playing, but daily routine walks are a must for his mental well being. It's also how you and the dog connect.

Also walking the dog is not just so he does the nature's call. Yes, it's for that too. But in addition to letting him do the sniff/mark/socialize, walks also need to include structure where he needs to "work" as in heel, follow where you lead, change paces with you, sit, stay, etc.

I see the picture clearer now.

Your family is a pack where there is an order to the dogs that live in that pack. Your dog has found it's place and is comfortable being below you on the ladder where the collie is still trying to assert it's place. When a dog doesn't know where it stands in the pack they act up and show aggression. Time to show him who is boss.

Take him for walks with a check collar on. Not the type with teeth that dig into the dogs throat, use the type that is half chain half regular collar material and adjust it so it can squeeze tight but not choke the dog. Then begin walking him and make him stay at heel at your side by snapping the leash and saying HEEL and pulling him back to your side. Do not let him wonder and stay consistent. Next you should start feeding him and only let him eat when you say he can. Make him sit and wait until you feel he is ready and then tell him he can eat.

For now any aggressive behavior has to be corrected immediately by you. He needs to know that you will not allow such behavior towards you in any way. If he growls at you at all it needs to be corrected. Never let it go. I suggest you read up on how to correct this behavior as it is to much info to type here.

Be consistent and firm but don't physically harm the dog.

Lost

What you describe isn't easily fixed at obedience training classes, it needs to be fixed at home in his environment.

^^^^^This above, this is the best advice you've gotten on this issue. I have several large dogs, I've had to do exactly this and it is a pack order in the environment thing.

I do get my dogs trained, but at the end of the day my home environment is where that training gets tested and enforced. I'm a small female, so I must have absolute alpha control of my dogs while at the same time never becoming aggressive or hurting them. If I do so then one of them will likely simply take that as a "challenge" for leadership and yeah, I can't hold my own against a full-grown dog that weighs as much or more than I do.

The above tips are excellent ones for establishing dominance within your own pack so to speak, because collies aren't typically that aggressive. They're a working breed, and that means they usually know how to "work" with others and if this one doesn't some proper training and clearly establishing his place in his "pack" will help. He probably feels insecure to a degree, and an insecure dog can quickly become a mean one vying for a higher position and status.

Follow the above tips lostandhurt gave you, they're spot on.