Aggressive Behavior???

[tlyates1]

I previously had a pyr - which I lost a few years ago, so I am familiar with them.

I actually hadn't planned to get one - but I was looking at pictures on the computer and found one at a high kill shelter in my area. I fell in love with the pic they had and went the next day to visit him. The shelter was pretty bad!! I received various stories about his age, why he was there, so I really don't know any for sure details about his past. But I am guessing it wasn't very good.

I have had Logan about 3 weeks, and he has warmed up greatly with me and the other family members. He is very affectionate with me, and enjoys being petted and loved. I am really happy with him - and feel he is happy here, since he shows me affection and appears happy to see me.

During the 3 days he was at the shelter - he bit the end of his tail, actually pretty bad - from chasing his tail, which the shelter told me was because he saw his tail too close to his food.???? He did growl at me around his food bowl, a day or too after I got him, because I picked up a few pieces out of the floor and offered them to him - I haven't pushed the issue with him again. He does fine with dog treats - and is actually gentle taking them from my hand, so I don't really worry much about this, and figure he was in a new place - and he is fine when I put his food in the bowl.

He seems just a little bit jumpy once in a while now, but this has calmed down too since he has been here.

But I took him to a friends house to play with her dog and this didn't go very well at all. Logan was ready to fight, and wanted no part of the other dog.
Is this something that can gradually be fixed? I didn't have this problem with my other pyr (of course he was a pup when I got him)

The shelter told me on the phone he was about 1, then when I went to adopt him they told me between 1 and 2? He was originally a turn in, and then they told me he was a stray that had been picked up 2 other times? I don't know what the truth really is and maybe they don't either. They told me he was also very rowdy. I don't see this aspect either. He went the day after I got him to the groomers, because he was matted on the back of his legs, and his backside was pretty bad. The groomer told me they would probably need to shave his backside, and legs, depending on how he did. He did very good, no muzzle, and ended up not having to be shaved. He loves for me to brush him, and craves attention. Now he can be rowdy playing with my husband, but too me thats normal.

I guess I am really just concerned if he can be trained to get along with other dogs, or if I should just accept the fact he didn't want too?

[risestar]

Sounds like you have some work to do in the area of socialization and also establish you place. The fact that ANY aggression to you, even latent is bad and must be curbed immediately. Since a little older, it will take more time and you will have to approach it more carefully. You must establish that you are in control and do this by placing and removing food. If aggression is shown, show your disapproval and immediately remove the food for the night. The next day do it again until there is no aggression. Then do this will toys or other objects your dog favors. With our dogs, you could literally get down on your hands and knees when they are eating and push your face into the food bowl and they will step back until you are finished. There is no aggression there in regards to humans.

Once you have that licked, you can move onto dog-dog aggression which is completely different, and can usually be minimized through aggressive socialization around other dogs, in control and on leash of course. There is instinctive dominance there that you may not be able to cure, but make better. Many dogs do no like being forced into strange dog situations, but will gradually accept regular dogs as one of the pack, once the pecking order has been established