Is this: Dominance or Dominant Aggression??

[cathynu]

I have read the thread on Structure and Functionality with great interest, but haven't answered there because I am a total novice where this breed is concerned. I started my journey with the Doberman breed in February of 2010 with Rex who we bought from a breeder in south GA. My initial introduction to the breed was to say in the least daunting. From day 2 he was impossible and some of the character traits that emerged and that I was totally unfamiliar in any other dog I'd had was : Going down "bow" style in front of us and barking at us in an uncontrolled manner and not stopping. Running after us in the hallway and attacking us on our feet and ankels or putting both his front legs around us while attacking us on our feet. Attacking us in the fenced in back yard while off leash .... my husband would try to play frisbee with him and he'd stand and bark at him uncontrollably, then when my husband would try to put up the frisbees in the shed he'd run after my husband attacking him on the heels. We eventually discovered the water spray bottle and the attacks in the house have mostly been contained by using that - and although it still happens in the house it doesn't happen as often .... the back yard on the other hand we are still fair game to him and he will do it when one is carrying something heavy and he knows het can get his "shots" in. What has really brought this to the forefront again is the fact that I recently imported myself a bitch from overseas who has been a PURE joy in our home. She is well adjusted and socialised and has never done any of the unsociable nasty things that Rex has. The is eager to please, eager to learn, fearless and VERY loving, something poor Rex has never been. When we give him love and attention its as if that is a cue for him to attack and try and dominate us. We have also learned TO NEVER give him attention when he paws us or jumps up .... because whenever we did it was his cue to once again do bad things to us. I had to learn to be his alpha, which I have been able to implement with a certain amount of success, although that dog never stops challenging me - and he'll get to me when I'm tired or feeling unwell. What I have discovered is that Rex regards his leash as his master. When we have to grind his nails I have found I put him on the choke chain and leash and then my husband holds him while I grind the nails and that is the only way we are able to keep him still, I have also found the leash is the way we are able to introduce him to strangers without him trying to dominate them. To give you a good example: My mom visited us from South Africa last December and January this year and it took him the full 2 months of her visit for him to accept her as a pack member without him trying to dominate her all the time and push her around. We presently keep him and Lilly seperated because if we have them together he is a permanently trying to dominate her, lick or sniff her - initially I allowed a certain amount of "horse play" but afterwards realised it wasn't working because as she's growing the "play" is intensifying and I'm really affraid he hurts her. We are presently on vacation and both Rex and Lilly are with Rex's breeder in south Georgia - Lilly is playing and socializing with all her puppies and having a great time, Rex on the otherhand has suffered from anxiety seperation, hasn't eaten well, and showed aggression to one of the breeder's mellow bitches - so much so, that she won't allow him to run with anyone, as she's affraid someone gets hurt.

My question to the esteemed breeders and behavioural specialists - but especially Gail, Suzan and Von is: Is there something I can do to "break" this dominance and I use the word "break" for lack of better terminology knowledge. I really would like to breed Rex as he has great conformity, has NEVER bitten either of us aggressively, isn't food or toy aggressive, and has a nice nature on the leash ..... but to me is like a "street fighter" off the leash ..... we were able to train him to be nice on leash .... is there a way of training him to be nice off leash??? However having said this, should I not be able to sort out this matter Rex will be neutered as I refuse to breed a dog with serious behavioural problems .... As you all know with a TREMENDOUS amount of hard work I have been able to get him to conformation show and I have him Ch in both IABCA and UKC and have started working towards GCh in UKC ..... I have NEVER had any problems with him at dog shows - he knows exactly what to do on leash .... and behaves just like he needs to do in the ring and at the shows .... I'm also not sure whether its the fact that he's still in the hormonal phase that makes him like he is ... he will be 21 mo's old on Sept. 25 ..... Anyway, I trust I have made sense here, and look forward to your replies!!

[von Cosack]

The answers your looking for are within your own statement. Hes very good on leash!!! How have you trained him for exhibitions? On leash!! So how have you trained him for obediance?
What OB tasks does he know? sit, stay, stand etc.?? Your dog has already told you what works best for him, now you need a Method and some techniques. If you can answer my questions above I could suggest some exercises. Von

[cathynu]

His obedience training was also all done on leash. He knows the sit & stay, down and stay and leave it commands. He won't do drop it, and also is kinda tardy on the come, and plays silly buggers with me when I want to get him onto the leash, but I never take no for an answer - I get a hold of him and put on his choke chain and leash and then when we go out the front door to train in the street he knows he has to wait for me to go first before he can follow .... He will do regular obedience stuff ALL DAY LONG for treats .... but when it comes to doing it for "free" he decides whether he'll do it or not. I would really appreciate your input on this Von, as my husband is talking stuff that I don't even want to utter or think about ..... I LOVE this dog to the ends of the EARTH and have worked very hard with him .... I want to be able to keep my dog but at the same time achieve peace in our pack, as I know that although he doesn't show it, he loves me too ..... he wouldn't work for me if he didn't ..... and when he won't work for me, I make him .... that has been how I have managed to temper down most of the other behaviour problems there have been .... this time though, I need the help from people who are experts on the breed, as I have certainly exhausted what I know on him - Rex is my first Doberman, so I have no other experience to go on to be able to work effectively with him .... I refuse to put him out to "rescue" - he once again needs rescuing in our home ..... PLEASE I NEED HELP!!!

While re-reading my post an idea has suddenly entered my mind: I have done ALL of Rex's conformation training in the street in front of our house .... the reason for this being there are always neighbours, cars, kids on bikes and other interuptions going on .... which is good for concentration ..... However if I took him out in the fenced in back yard on leash and did some of the conformation training there .... might that not help with the dominance factor?