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SDC Talk! Archived
Messages
November 1 to December 6, 2000
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From: Judy Bergemann
Date: 12/5/00
Time: 11:31:24 AM
Remote Name: 64.33.128.3
Mike,
I couldn't disagree with you more! I do not believe it's any more natural for dogs to fight than it is for you to slug everyone in the face that you disagree with. (You don't, do you?)
This goes to the core of the attitudinal issue I brought up. I don't believe aggression is natural and it is absolutely never tolerated in our dog yard...from pups to raised adults or purchased dogs. Our dogs know it from the time they're old enough to hear. Because they "know" it's not acceptable a firm "Hey" usually stops anything right now.
If we have a pup behaving agressively, we're in the pen, in his face with a firm off the ground shake. Everytime. It's not allowed...period. If it persists, then it's time for them to be tied up.
Are there unpredictable circumstances, you bet. Are there shades of aggression...like the older dog who's an expert at telling a youngster to knock it off, sure. But we also monitor the older teacher for acceptable limits.
Perhaps, as in so many things, our expectations are met. I don't claim to be an expert...just been around these dogs a long time and have specific expectations on acceptable behavior. There are only two things we never allow...fighting and chewing lines and harnesses. The dogs seem to grasp these two limitations.
To lighten this up a bit...we used to have a fabulous hound/setter/husky cross who was overcome with excitement nipping at every hookup his entire life. He knew he couldn't bite the line or his lifetime running partner (his brother) so he used to grab the rearend of the nearest person. Never broke skin, but it was a hard nip...we got used to working around him...but we ran out of helpers at races very quickly. Or those wonderful people who helped us regularly learned to fade away from that spot in the line. So "stuff" happens.
I do agree that we can take opportunity to discuss reasonable ways to limit aggression.
Judy