Robert Forto

canine aggression

Give a Dog a Bone, Just Dont Take it Away!

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By Robert Forto

As a canine behaviorist at Alaska Dog Works I see a lot of dog problems. I deal primarily with canine aggression and nothing can be more frightening than a dog that is possessive. I had a client whose dog was so aggressive if disrupted their entire family’s lifestyle.

The client approached me about two years ago and to this day I will never in my life forget this case: The family consisted of two adult females, two pre-teen girls and two Shiba Inus. One of the Shibas was great but the other was Cujo from You-Know-Where. This Shiba, lets call him Max was so food aggressive that the family literally had to run upstairs and close the door while he ate. When feeding time came around the family set in motion one of the most elaborate and scary displays I have ever seen.

First they would lock the dogs in the laundry room and one of the adults would prepare the food while Max became more agitated and began to bite and attack the other dog. Once the food was prepared the lady would open the laundry room door with a string attached to the handle and hold a broom to ward off Max. Max would run at the lady full blast with its teeth barring while she fought off the dog with the broom as she fled upstairs with the rest of the family.

Max did not return to the bowl to eat, instead he would run around the house like the Tasmanian Devil and proceed to tear up anything he could; couch pillows, shoes, chair legs, everything, within minutes.

Max eventually went over to his bowl and ate his food and would calm down. This whole ritual would take about a half an hour. I observed the incident from the deck through the sliding glass doors. I can honestly say that I have never seen a dog more dangerous in my life. Before the feeding exercise Max appeared to be the perfect family pet laying at our feet while we talked and complied a history for the evaluation.

I never heard back from that family and I attempted calling them back several times to no avail.

Possessiveness

Protecting valued assets is an important part of survival in the wild. While I agree that Canis Familiaris (the family dog) is far from being a “wild” animal they are still intrinsically wired that way deep inside their brains. In the wild, a dog that does not protect its valued assets is more likely to starve to death than one that does. Since possessiveness is normal behavior the owner should not punish the dog for it, instead we need to train the dog to think that good things happen when they give their valuables to us humans.

Some simple exercises to work on possessiveness are (not to be used with the example with a dog like Max, but maybe a dog that wont give up his ball, or looks at you “funny” when you take his bone, etc.):

1. Allow the dog to greet guests only when he is sitting. This is one of the tests in the AKC CGC Test, Accepting a Friendly Stranger.

2. Teach the dog “Give it or Drop it” and “Take it.”

3. Teach food bowl exercises (except with a dog like Max, of course) where you can take up the food bowl while your dog sits, you can put your hand in the bowl while he eats, etc.

If you have any questions on canine training or behavior, please give us a call at Alaska Dog Works at 907-841-1686

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Robert Forto is the host of The Dog Works Radio  Show and is the training director of Alaska Dog Works. Robert Forto can be reached through his website at www.alaskadogworks.com

Overview on Aggression Seminar held at Denver Dog Works

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Overview Aggression Seminar held at Denver Dog Works

This past weekend Robert Forto canine behaviorist, aggression expert held an aggression seminar.  The students in the class quickly learned that human ideals and labeling put dogs into categories that are not necessarily correct once the situation and the behaviors are observed.

For instance, many dogs are labeled as having fear aggression when the fear itself is not being identified and could be that the dog has never been exposed to whatever is making it appear fearful.  There are four critical periods that puppies go through and should be exposed to certain social situations at specific times of their young lives to ensure that they mature into well-balanced dogs no matter what their breed or intended use.

Forto, had quite a few examples of dogs with varying degrees and types of aggression, all of these dogs it was found in their detailed history reports lacked proper socialization and exposure in the first year of life.

One of the dogs, a Visla; a breed which is timid in nature was fearful of the new situation but literally looking her owner right in the eye for direction and when it wasn’t there she would use defensive flight/fight drives to stave off the danger of the unfamiliar situation. Sudden movements, looking too long, even lying by Forto’s feet and him slightly moving got a reaction from this Visla.  After the seminar was finished this dog learned some confidence by Dr. Forto teaching her handler to watch her dog and read her signals, become the leader she is asking you to be in her life.

Another dog who peaked my interest during the seminar was an eight year old Golden Retriever who during the second critical period of his life or five months of age, watched his canine mother attack and nearly kill a Jack Russell Terrier who wouldn’t leave them alone.  He watched his canine mother attack three other times in the first year of his life.  He was also “sheltered” from social situations involving other dogs, people, and places.  Forto had this beautiful Golden Retriever who is undergoing a lengthy board and train to take part in the seminar.  The dog reacted differently to male handlers than female handlers, but for the most part reacted in a calm non-aggressive fashion when the handlers remained calm and assertive utilizing his obedience training as a positive foundation and to redirect his energy toward what he viewed as a threat.

I encourage every dog owner, doggie day care staff member, dog park frequenter, dog trainer, or just observers to take this seminar.  It is an afternoon that will change your outlook on dog behavior and how we force human emotions onto our dogs inappropriately.  For more information visit Alaska Dog Works or become fans of theirs on Facebook where they post events all the time.

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Robert Forto is the host of The Dog Works Radio Show and is the training director of Alaska Dog Works. Robert Forto can be reached through his website at www.alaskadogworks.com

Expert Witness For Canine Aggression Cases

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By Robert Forto

Attorneys may be uncertain about the benefits of retaining an expert in animal behavior in dog bites cases, or how such an expert can help. This is understandable: In Colorado, and in many other states, the law specifies strict liability for injuries caused by a dog bite. Thus, when only damages are contested, the animal behavior expert’s role may be limited. However, if liability is contested, then having an animal behavior expert on your side may mean the difference between winning and losing.

Ten areas in which the opinions of an animal behavior expert can help the dog bite attorney:

1. Whether provocation was a factor in causing the dog to bite;

2. Breed identification and behavioral proclivities of different breeds;

3. The side effects of drugs and how they impact aggressive responding and the safety and reliability of dog training equipment;

4. The behavioral capabilities of the dog at the time the incident happened;

5. The dangerous or vicious nature of the dog in question;

6. The care and maintenance of a dog and how these factors influence behavior;

7. Was the incident foreseeable to the dog owner, or a landlord?

8. How alleged gross misconduct of an owner impacts a dog’s behavior.

9. Identification of the dog which did the biting when multiple dogs are involved in an incident

10. Reconstruct how the incident must have happened for the purposes of discounting or supporting testimony in the case.

Robert Forto is a qualified expert for both plaintiff and defense counsel in canine behavior, aggression, bites and other pet related attacks. Forto has over 19 years direct hands-on experience as a canine behaviorist and trainer, lecture, columnist and educator.

Forto has conducted numerous seminars on the evaluation, assessment and investigation of pet related injuries for attorneys, in-house training programs, home owners associations and city councils. Forto is available to lecture to consumer attorney organizations, insurance firms, trial lawyers and city governments, municipalities, shelter organizations, non-profits, among others.  Forto has developed a course on the subject and his articles have been published in numerous publications nationally and internationally.

You can follow Forto on Twitter and Facebook and listen a weekly radio show, Dog Works Radio

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Robert Forto is the host of The Dog Works Radio Show and is the training director of Alaska Dog Works. Robert Forto can be reached through his website at www.alaskadogworks.com