Author Topic: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?  (Read 6258 times)

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Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
« Reply #30 on: November 17, 2018, 09:40:02 PM »

Offline Erik

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“Too big for her britches” is perfect. Similar to fair weather fan, my general go to move when that happens is putting my dog on her back and staring into her eyes. 5 seconds of struggling from that position and she’s submissive again. She usually walks away looking sad and then comes back to me and licks my hand. My friends think that I’m really strange, but it’s a very similar move to what “mother dog” does when her pups get out of line.

Another tip is to never lose a “physical game” with your dog: Tug of war with a sock, etc.  I usually give her a fighting chance amd then pull it hard for the win. Never let your dog enter a room before you. Never let your dog get on top of you. Never sleep on a lower surface than your dog. If the dog sleeps on your bed (I don’t recommend it, make sure it’s at the foot). I know that it sounds like harsh and people love their dogs, but I’m telling you they look for signs of weakness to takeover your spot in the pack. The more you let the dog think it’s more important than you, the more corrections you have to make. Also if the dog thinks that it is the head of the house pack, the dog will challenge humans elsewhere in public.

I always watch in amazement as I see dogs walking their humans - pulling their leash, especially if it’s a big dog. I don’t go anywhere near those animals as they are dangerous.

Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
« Reply #31 on: November 17, 2018, 09:47:19 PM »

Offline Ogaju

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Erik, may I ask where and how you learned so  much about dogs your posts are very enlightening. I will start watching for dogs that walk their owners.

Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
« Reply #32 on: November 17, 2018, 09:54:52 PM »

Offline Erik

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I got in over my head as a first time owner with a really stubborn breed. After making so many mistakes, I just spent months of research. There’s a ton of resources on the internet.

At the end of the day, if you can not control your dog, it can die: getting off leash, not listening to you and either biting someone or getting hit by a car. I just had to commit the time to make sure that I wouldn’t let down my dog. They need you.

Re: I hit my roommate's dog, and I feel awful, what should I do?
« Reply #33 on: November 17, 2018, 11:46:48 PM »

Offline nickagneta

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I have a hundred pound Rottie who is absolutely terrified by the threat of being flicked in the nose. It’s pretty funny.  No actual contact necessary when she is getting too big for her britches.
Yeah, as most old timers here know, I have had boxers for the last 20 years. One of the most athletic dogs with one of the most powerful bites. They get mistaken for pit bulls all the time by people who aren't dog people.

But all three of those dogs would flinch just from getting a mean look from anyone in my family, even the kids when they were young. But man, they were protective of the people they knew when people they didn't know acted the least bit threatening.

But I trained them and exercised them very well and every day. Every day was a new learning lesson for them for the first 5 years of their lives. And, in the house around not only the direct family but also the extended family, they were just 80 pound lap dogs. Athletic goofy loving piles of muscular mush. But it was all in the training, which to be honest, is less about training the dog and more about training the owners.