[Episode 10] Can Aggressive Dogs Be Trained | A Pit Bull Case Study

 

My dog just bit someone! What should I do? Can I train him? What if the training doesn’t work? Will I have to give him away? Will I have to put him down? 

If you own an aggressive dog, hopefully you’ve never experienced the fear that comes with your dog biting a person. But, if you’re worried that your dog will bite someone, then I bet you’ve been searching the internet hoping to figure out “can aggressive dogs be trained?” Well look no further!

In this episode of the Naughty Dog Podcast, you’ll learn: 

• How an aggressive Pit Bull changed how I saw dogs that lunge and bark 
• How Blue went from an aggressive dog to a calm, happy, and confident dog
• If positive reinforcement training can work for your aggressive dogs

Leave me a comment, or send me a DM on instagram @allabouttrainingdogs, if you need help with your dog. 

 

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IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN

• Blue’s Story | An Aggressive Pitbull
• Why I Thought He Couldn’t Be Helped 
• Changing How I Approach Aggressive Dogs
• How The Reactive Rehab Method was born from Blue’s Success

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Can aggressive dogs be trained? Blue’s Story

Blue was one of my first really aggressive dog cases after starting my own business. Before I had my dog training business, I worked at a dog day care training dogs through the Board and Train Program. We worked with several “aggressive” dogs but it’s completely different in a facility. At the daycare, we controlled the environment and could use gates and barriers so that we were protected. Once the dog trusted us, then we wouldn’t need the barrier. With Blue and my own business, I didn’t have the luxeriy of barriers. I was on my own. 

Before going for the consultation, I had Blue’s owner fill out a questionnaire, and unlike most people, she was surprisingly very honest. I knew going in on evaluation day, that Blue had already bit two people. And his owner was scared that she was going to have to get rid of Blue, move, or put him down if the training didn’t work. 

So, before meeting Blue, I tied a waist leash on his owner, and had her bring him out. He immediately started snarling, growling, barking, and lunging at me. I’m pretty sure he wanted to eat me. 

 

 

“This isn’t going to work”

After my first encounter with Blue, I got in my car and thought to myself, “This isn’t going to work.” He was extremely aggressive. 

Would this even be worth the money for her? If this doesn’t work, she’s going to have to make a choice. I could get seriously injured attempting to train this dog.

I thought, how can I help her and Blue when I couldn’t even be 30 feet away without Blue doing crazy. But, I wrote out the training plan, only I changed how I had worked with aggressive dogs at the daycare facility. I added some behaviors and steps that we did use. It was experiement to see if it would help Blue advance quicker. But, Blue completely changed my point of view.

But, I’m not going to give away his entire backstory here. Tune in to this episode of the Naughty Dog Podcast, where I talk about how:

1. I created a new program to address Blue’s behavior
2. How I assisted in training Blue from a safe 40ft distance
3. Blue’s huge success story

 

 

Changing my mindset

Blue changed my perspective completely. From that success story forward, I learned to never judge a dog based on their bark, lunge, snap or growl. 

Surprisingly, it is these dogs that I tend to have the greatest success with. They tend to be the ones that shock you in the process. So if you think that too much has happened and your dog cannot change, then it is you that needs to change. 

 

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EPISODE BREAKDOWN

3:30 – 8:30 –  An honest owner

8:35 – 11:50 – My first impression of Blue

12:00 – 17:30 –  “This isn’t going to work” | Changing procedures

17:45 – 25:45 –  Blue’s success

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