Best dog care & health books according to redditors
We found 62 Reddit comments discussing the best dog care & health books. We ranked the 12 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 62 Reddit comments discussing the best dog care & health books. We ranked the 12 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
>and he told me that our dog was an alpha at the shelter
This is also extremely concerning to me. Alpha/dominance doesn't exist in this way. The dog doesn't think "he can do whatever he wants" because he's "the boss". He's a scared and abused dog who doesn't respond to commands he doesn't know. That's not him being a boss. That's the people around him being idiots when it comes to dealing with a dog like this.
>so it makes me hesitant to say that we are necessarily at fault for (maybe naively) thinking he was just going to be a happy go lucky dog who wasn't going to give us any "issues."
I don't know why you'd think this, knowing his back story. He has been abused. Abused dogs have issues, ESPECIALLY with people who repeatedly ignore their warnings and push them past their comfort zone. Which you've done, over and over, with this dog.
>I think I'd like to maybe keep him for at least another week and see if the situation ends if we try to coax him to move without physically moving him, by using treats or other means.
I think that's... Well, I don't know what to think about that. I think you and your boyfriend have significant gaps in your knowledge of "problem" dogs, which makes another bite incident more likely. But if you're really going to give it an honest effort, then here's what I can tell you:
There's probably more, but that's a good starting point. You need to make sure that you're 100% committed to making this work, and believe me, it's going to take a lot of work. One thing you definitely need to understand - this dog now has a bite history, and will have a bite history for the rest of his life. You could go three years down the road without another sign of aggression, and you should STILL never physically pick him up or move him, because he IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE a bite risk. You can absolutely work through, manage, and improve these behaviors. But you always need to remember that these triggers won't ever completely go away, and they need to be respected always.
Edited to be a little kinder in my wording.
You cannot safely have them out together until they are assessed by a trained behaviorist. Ideally a vet behaviorist (a person who has basically double credentials - not some tool who calls themselves a 'dog whisperer' after a year of 'working with dogs'. Someone who went to school to be a vet and also study animal behavior.), but a professional force free trainer who is experienced in aggression would work.
Remind you girlfriend of the vet bill you've already paid and ask her how many more just like that she wants to experience. Also, the blood and stress of more fights. If you try to just put them back together that will happen again. Guaranteed. Even if they seem fine when separated, if you won't know how to see the warning signs (and the bark/snap your lab did was probably the 10th or so signal...) and how to deescalate the situation (6 minute fight, water hose, human bitten, huge gashes...) then you should absolutely 100% not try to put them together at all.
Ok, done with scolding. Here's some constructive help.
Taking them to the vet was the right thing to do. Your catahoula x limping is likely because of bruising, and the vet couldn't have done anything about that. Treat her like you would if you got a bad leg bruise - rest, ice (if she'll let you), light exercise the next few days, and if the vet gave you any pain meds for her go ahead and use those as recommended. (NEVER use aspirin or tylenol, or any other OTC human medication on a dog unless your vet has specifically cleared it for the dog you are considering dosing right then.)
Ok, why this happened. Some people have mentioned possible dog aggression, IMO that's not likely. When I have seen cases like this (which I unfortunately have, and not uncommonly) it's often same sex dogs, although not always, and the younger dog is at or nearly a year old.
This happens because your older girl has been playing queen of the house and being a bit bossy. The pup has been a bit rude, but has gotten a 'puppy license' (aka - toddlers don't have to follow the same rules as adults). Now, her puppy license has run out and the older dog is saying "No. Stop that. You're an adult, you know the rules and this is MINE."
That doesn't make either girl right. In fact, they're both a bit wrong, IMO. Your younger girl was probably being a real PITA for a while before she got a serious warning, but your lab escalated things too far.
To have any chance of fixing things a few concrete steps need to be taken.
If you can get some of those things started then you can buy yourselves some time to save up for a behaviorist or experienced trainer to work with. The biggest thing is not allowing a repeat event to happen. Behavior is like a big rock on top of a hill, the more it rolls the more it will roll, so if you are very careful and don't allow another fight it'll be easier to fix in the long term. The more fights they have the harder it will be to eventually have them together and loose.
I know this will be a lot of work and stress for both you and your SO, but if you really focus on this and work through it you could be in a much better place in as short a time as a year. Both dogs with you, happier, healthier, and with you having a much stronger understanding of their behavior.
If you don't put that time and effort in then you could easily end up rehoming your catahoula.
Here's some reading and videos to get you started on working with your girls:
https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Terms-Dogs-Calming-Signals/dp/1929242360/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496795912&sr=8-1&keywords=calming+signals+on+talking+terms+with+dogs
https://www.amazon.com/Other-End-Leash-What-Around/dp/034544678X/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=034544678X&pd_rd_r=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW&pd_rd_w=SAA8r&pd_rd_wg=F8B3N&psc=1&refRID=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW
https://www.amazon.com/Cautious-Canine-How-Conquer-Their-Fears/dp/1891767003/ref=pd_sim_14_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1891767003&pd_rd_r=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW&pd_rd_w=LkE4D&pd_rd_wg=F8B3N&psc=1&refRID=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW
https://www.amazon.com/Canine-Body-Language-Photographic-Interpreting/dp/1929242352/ref=pd_sim_14_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1929242352&pd_rd_r=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW&pd_rd_w=LkE4D&pd_rd_wg=F8B3N&psc=1&refRID=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW
https://www.amazon.com/Feisty-Fido-Help-Leash-Reactive-Dog/dp/1891767070/ref=pd_sim_14_7?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1891767070&pd_rd_r=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW&pd_rd_w=LkE4D&pd_rd_wg=F8B3N&psc=1&refRID=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW
https://www.amazon.com/Fired-Up-Frantic-Freaked-Out/dp/0985934921/ref=pd_sim_14_8?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0985934921&pd_rd_r=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW&pd_rd_w=LkE4D&pd_rd_wg=F8B3N&psc=1&refRID=AC0HWHZD1Z3G43JS30NW
https://www.amazon.com/Click-Calm-Healing-Aggressive-Clicker/dp/1890948209/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1890948209&pd_rd_r=EFPYPPBXNZD3A5JB9205&pd_rd_w=A0y3X&pd_rd_wg=HP5o5&psc=1&refRID=EFPYPPBXNZD3A5JB9205
https://www.amazon.com/Behavior-Adjustment-Training-2-0-Frustration/dp/1617811742/ref=pd_sim_14_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1617811742&pd_rd_r=EFPYPPBXNZD3A5JB9205&pd_rd_w=A0y3X&pd_rd_wg=HP5o5&psc=1&refRID=EFPYPPBXNZD3A5JB9205
https://www.amazon.com/Control-Unleashed-Creating-Focused-Confident/dp/B000UCF53A/ref=pd_sim_14_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000UCF53A&pd_rd_r=EFPYPPBXNZD3A5JB9205&pd_rd_w=A0y3X&pd_rd_wg=HP5o5&psc=1&refRID=EFPYPPBXNZD3A5JB9205
https://saveabull.com/crate-and-rotate/
https://imperfectdog.com/2016/01/12/imperfect-dog-introductions-crate-rotate/
http://www.thedoggeek.com/2014/08/crate-and-rotate.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDeAKj2etMs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJgod6CO8jU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nyt2WLdQGs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU-WolM6cgg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnBPlub1Jgs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=255hotAlI5o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6De7kEmOV1Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cGDYI-s-cQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_7dl4c-IrM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bg_gGguwzg
There is not short fix for this. Unfortunately. You'll need to understand thresholds and your dog really well to make your life immensely less stressful. Further resources below.
Resources:
Dominance/alpha/pack leader training has been thoroughly debunked. Anyone claiming that you need to dominate your dog (including that scam artist Cesar Millan) is practicing outdated and potentially harmful methods. You can read this article for more information on that.
I would recommend reading books by Sophia Yin and Patricia McConnell. They are force-free and reputable dog trainers.
Without seeing her, it's hard to say if it's just nipping due to wanting to play, or actual aggression. If it's actual aggression--this is extremely concerning. It's far from normal for a 4 month puppy to be biting due to aggression and it would be best for you to get professional help ASAP. It's the type of thing that needs to get nipped in the bud now. A puppy this young showing aggression usually means the puppy is going to grow up with extreme aggression issues, and no one wants a dog that is going to attack people or other dogs.
If it's nipping due to play, you just need better management and you need to find a trainer that can show you what to do. Dogs will learn what they are allowed to do. If you let her jump on you, she will learn to jump on you. If you let her chew on the furniture, she will learn to chew on the furniture. You have to stop her before she even starts. Usually that means crate training, never leaving her unsupervised, or using tethers and baby gates to keep her confined.
Do not use the kennel as a punishment for bad behavior--it's not meant to be a place for time out. That's why shes running from it. Feed her her meals and throw cookies in it instead to get her to go in.
Have you taken her to any training classes? What breed is she? She sounds like she could be bored too. Dogs will also start biting and becoming destructive if they are bored.
go to /r/puppy101
You want the first book here AND at least one of the ones below it.
Find a professional trainer.
read these books
https://www.amazon.com/Other-End-Leash-What-Around/dp/034544678X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493118755&sr=8-1&keywords=the+other+end+of+the+leash
https://www.amazon.com/Puppy-Primer-Patricia-B-McConnell/dp/1891767135/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1891767135&pd_rd_r=7N0P07Z9RS4ZMC1V66HN&pd_rd_w=xNvL7&pd_rd_wg=SBke8&psc=1&refRID=7N0P07Z9RS4ZMC1V66HN
https://www.amazon.com/How-Behave-Your-Dog-Behaves/dp/0793806445/ref=pd_sim_14_17?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0793806445&pd_rd_r=3KP15JN1XZES6G1V3P2X&pd_rd_w=Q4t6t&pd_rd_wg=l6l7o&psc=1&refRID=3KP15JN1XZES6G1V3P2X
https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Puppy-Days-Start-Right/dp/0964151871/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493118982&sr=1-1&keywords=perfect+puppy
> I've tried putting him in front of his mess and giving him a stern "no."
This means absolutely nothing to him. You got some great replies here, and I'd also recommend picking up a couple books on puppy/dog behavior - "Perfect Puppy in 7 Days" and "How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves" or checking out some Kikopup or Zak George videos on YouTube or reading the wiki linked in the sidebar from start to finish (depending on how you prefer to learn). There's a lot of basic knowledge you need to gain to understand how to best work with him.
I suggest the main thing you need to do is to train your dog to sit as a way to say please. You want to reach the stage where she will automatically sit when she wants something you've got.
To train her, start by using tasty treats: microwaved chicken breast cut up into tiny pieces is cheap and easy, you can also keep something like cat kibble in your pocket. Learn how to use a treat as a lure: hold the treat tightly under your thumb, against the tips of your fingers, then put the treat at the dog's nose and move the treat very slightly away from her encouraging her to follow a couple of steps, and then release the treat. Next, train her to sit using a treat as a lure: the hand motion becomes the SIT hand signal (I use a signal that looks like doing up a zipper) and add the verbal cue 'sit'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksBLKi6lj1s
Practice in lots of short sessions throughout the day, and reward her well if she ever decides to sit spontaneously. This should only take a day or two for your dog to be able to sit without a lure, with just the hand gesture and the word SIT. From this point on, keep the treats hidden until she is sitting, and then reward her well - she should soon get the idea that sitting is a great idea, and will probably start to do it happily when there is nothing else exciting going on. Over time you can transition from treats to 'life rewards': ask her to sit before you give her anything she wants: a toy, throw of the ball, attention and pats, a walk, food, water, etc.
I recommend you get a couple of baby gates for the house: put one at the door to the kitchen, or wherever you prepare her food. This will protect you and will be a really useful training tool. Once the baby gate is installed, before you get out her food, use a treat to lure her to the other side of the gate. Shut the gate. Ask for a sit. Whenever she starts to bark, stop what you are doing, and ask for a sit. The first few times, you can reward the sit with a treat. After a few session she should get the idea that barking stops you from preparing her food! Ask for a sit, when she does say say GOOD and keep preparing the food. When the food is ready, put it down on the floor, ask for a sit (if she has trouble focusing on anything but the food bowl in front of her, you might need to be patient.... or even use a piece of chicken as a lure, just for the first time in this extra difficult situation), and then open the baby gate, at the same time as you release her with a word such as OK or FREE. After a few weeks of doing this you should find that she will automatically sit when she sees food being put down for her.
Another good time to practice this is when you come home and she's keen to say hi. If she is not crated while you are out, set up a baby gate so she can see you come in the door but can't reach you. When you are inside and have shut the door, ask her for a sit before you go and say hi.
If you keep practicing this in a range of different places (not just where there are baby gates!) you will probably be able to do away with the baby gates after a few months. You will also find that if you consistently ask her to sit before she gets something she wants you won't need to use the treats to reward the sit for very long!
Additional tips:
Good luck to you and the family!
When you physically hit your dog, you're teaching it to fear you. Dogs react to fear with flight or fight. She's changing from the flight response to the fight response, and it will only get worse.
This is really wonderful dog-training book. See if you can find it in your library, but even if not, it's worth owning:
http://www.amazon.com/Other-End-Leash-Patricia-McConnell/dp/0345446798/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1314597449&sr=1-2
The surrender form says he doesn't get along with kids and was surrendered for growling at the home owner. That would typically disqualify him from placement in a home with small children. Have you thought about this, and did the shelter know you have a 5mo when they approved his placement with you? That's a precarious situation for a dog who is known to not do well with children.
The surrender form has no checks yes/no for animals. It's possible the previous owner kept him isolated from other animals (which means he probably doesn't get along with them) or that they didn't want to answer (which means he probably doesn't get along with them). If you want to introduce him to other animals, do it one animal at a time in a controlled situation under the supervision of an experienced trainer.
Advice in general for training--focus on positive reinforcement training to teach and reward the behaviors you DO like, hire a trainer for individual lessons revolving around dog-child interactions, learn to read nuances of dog body language so you know when he's uncomfortable, heavily manage interactions between him and your soon-to-be-toddler using gates, crates, pens, and active supervision (for example, child isn't allowed even near the dog's crate/bed for the next few years), stay away from dog parks altogether (they typically do more harm than good for remedial socialization), live by "better safe than sorry" because even though he seems sweet when you met him he'll be stressed due to these big changes in his life, and his temperament will change over time for at least a couple of months after you bring him home.
Advice on food brands--look for brands that use specific named ingredients that you understand and can picture as an ingredient in your mind (e.g. chicken meal, chicken liver, brown rice; NOT meat and bone meal). Look for a named meat as the first ingredient. Look for an AAFCO statement on the food that says the food is good for either adult maintenance or all life stages. I rotate between all flavors of Farmina ND Pumpkin (dry), Orijen (dry), and Science Diet Healthy Cuisine (canned), and am very happy with all three. Do your own research and ask your own vet--people online tend to have very strong opinions about dog diets, so take everything you read with a grain of salt.
Advice on treat brands--just use regular dog food mixed with some pieces of plain boiled meat and keep it refrigerated in between uses. Meat is cheaper, healthier, and more motivating than commercially available "dog training treats".
Advice on behaviors to train--teach "settle" first, which means dog goes to specific bed/crate/spot in a safe quiet area, lies down, and stays put--he'll need that in order to stay out of the baby's area, and it will help keep him away from (esp male or children since he's not comfortable with them) visitors at the door. In the beginning focus on capturing (i.e. noticing and rewarding) any good or neutral behaviors he does on his own. For example, if you see him lay down in an appropriate spot like a dog bed, praise him and toss him a piece of food. If he looks at you when you speak, praise him and toss him a piece of food. If you walk past him and he just lays there quietly, praise him and toss him a piece of food. If the baby cries and he does anything non-threatening, praise him and toss him a piece of food. Over and over and over again for the first couple of weeks, reward any behaviors you see that you want to continue. That will give you a nice foundation of trust and good behavior to build upon in training.
Resources:
You might be interested in the book "Click to Calm" - it's about training reactive dogs with clicker training.
Whew, ok, lots to unpack here.
First question: does your dad know you're about to give him a GSD puppy? You're signing him up for a pretty big 2 year commitment here (and that's just the puppy phase), so please make sure he's 100% on board with the idea of raising a landshark demon spawn before bringing it home.
Secondly, breed standard puts an adult GSD somewhere in the neighborhood of 24" tall and 60-80lb. This can vary widlly based on sex, line, and breeding quality. My poorly-bred GSD male is 29" tall and a scrawny 85lb. I've also seen some pretty petite females come through my rescue.
On the subject of lines, do you know what kind of GSD you're getting? There are various working and show lines, and the personality and structure of your GSD can come out all over the map. If you don't know the answer from talking to your breeder, run away, because you're not getting a well-bred dog. Poorly-bred GSDs are health and temperament nightmares.
Thirdly, the breed standard calls for a confident but aloof personality, but again, temperaments may vary depending on lines and breeding quality. GSDs need to be socialized thoroughly but carefully to lock in that confident-but-also-aloof sweet spot. Flooding your puppy with tons of new people and places will create a fearful adult, but so will keeping your dog locked up. I have seen lots of success using a puppy-led gentle exposure technique. Take your dog to lots of places, but don't make the novelty into a big deal. Don't force your puppy to interact with every person and dog you see, and call it a day if your puppy seems overwhelmed or scared. A puppy builds confidence by exploring on its own, you're just there to moderate the experience and make sure it's a positive one. I can't recommend a group obedience class enough for young GSDs...learning to focus in a controlled environment around other dogs is a valuable asset for future life skills. Consider finding a local trainer that does group positive reinforcement based training, or at least very positive-leaning balanced training. Avoid anyone who mentioned "alpha" or "pack leader" because that school of thought is outdated and disproven (but is holding on forever in GSD breed circles for some reason). Also avoid anyone who wants to put a prong or choke collar on your dog without evaluating their behavior first.
Honestly, if I were you I'd stop and do a little more research before bringing home a GSD. They're a little more of a "lifestyle breed" than your average family pet, and will find and exploit any weakness in your dog-owning abilities. Read some books (recommendations here: 1 2 3 4), talk to your dad, take a good look at your breeder, maybe find a local trainer with a good positive puppy class, and try again with a little more information under your belt.
We love Jan Fennell: http://www.amazon.com/Dog-Listener-Communicate-Willing-Cooperation/dp/0060199539
And The Other End of the Leash is an invaluable book for any animal lover: http://www.amazon.com/Other-End-Leash-What-Around/dp/034544678X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1314422999&sr=1-1
OH! And any Karen Pryor clicker training books!
The Other End of the Leash
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0345446798
It's not so much a training book, as one that will get you thinking about how your dog thinks, why your dog does what they do, and how to change your behavior, so you can change your dog's behavior.
Since you only brought her home today, I wouldn't judge her ability to understand where to potty quite yet. I definitely don't think she has a psychological problem. She's in a brand new home with brand new people and has absolutely no clue what's happening to her. Even dogs that were previously perfectly house trained for years tend to have accidents in the house after being in a shelter or rehomed. With a little decompression time, you'll be surprised at how much more of her personality you discover.
Since she's new to your home, you're going to want to introduce her to your home by slowly increasing her access to your space. Dogs won't potty in what they think is their home/hangout spot. You can start with a crate and work outwards. Whenever she isn't crated, having her tethered to you or closely monitored while tethered to furniture is a great start, too.
I'll link a couple of Zak George videos, too. It's way easier to explain techniques through video links. He's got great positive training tips, especially for dogs that are essentially blank slates. If you want to delve deeper, I'd read How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves or The Perfect Puppy in 7 Days, both by Sophia Yin.
Zak George on House Training
Zak George on Crate Training
Good luck! Congratulations on your new addition!
For starters, buy this book: https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Puppy-Days-Start-Right/dp/0964151871
Then, after reading that, buy this book: https://www.amazon.com/How-Behave-Your-Dog-Behaves/dp/0793806445
Don't take the puppy before it is 8 weeks old. The day after you get the puppy, bring it to the vet for first exam and to make sure it gets up to date on dewormings and vaccines. Talk to vet about when to neuter (studies are showing these days that large dogs should wait for 18 months) and if they can do a gastropexy at the time of that surgery (google it if you don't know what that is). Listen to your vet about medical stuff, not your neighbor.
Good move on the desensitization method. Just really try to get your own timing right, and work hard on her "look" behavior, strengthening it by first working on it in a low- to no-distraction environment, and then increasing distractions/things she's reactive to. If you have some people you trust to help you out, ask them to be your guinea pigs so you can work with her in a controlled environment while she's on a leash as they walk by or ride a bike by. That way you can predict what they're going to do (because you asked them what and what not to do), so it will cause less stress for you while desensitizing her.
Here are some relevant resources that may help you:
Across a Threshold Whole Dog Journal, April 2013
Click to Calm, a Karen Pryor clicker book
Feisty Fido: Help for the Leash-Reactive Dog by Patricia McConnell
Behavior Adjustment Training by Grisha Stewart
Clicker Training 'Look At That' LAT Game, a youtube video
I highly recommend speaking with a certified trainer/behaviorist if you are worried about physical harm. Someone who is experienced in understanding dog body language could help you better understand when and why the aggression occurs, and especially how to alter this behavior.
For working on your own, the trainers we worked with highly suggested clicker training (here is an easy to follow book) and this book for clicker training to work on rehabilitation of aggressive dogs. We have a 90lb pit bull mix who was unresponsive to most other methods and the positive reinforcement and ability to "mark" desired behaviors immediately as with this training style really opened up a lot of doors for us. "Clicking with Your Dog" is laid out nicely with short sessions designed for shorter attention spans, and has suggestions for how to build up to each desired command from smaller ones. There is also a section with a sample daily schedule to show how you can work training into your daily routine, which is nice for people with busy schedules or those who don't prioritize devoting blocks of time to training. Training helped build a strong relationship with our dog and made him more of a family member; spending time training your dog could help you to feel a bond with your dog and not just like a guy whose job is to walk her.
Stop petting him. It's either bothering him, or overstimulating him, or both.
When playing, redirect.
Growl barking- yes, ignore, if he nips you remove yourself from the room or, if you can, make yourself a 'pillar of boring' and act like he didn't even do anything. It might get worse before it gets better, but if he's not getting a reaction, he may stop doing it. (Since the attention seems to be what he's after).
The key to this is to try to figure out what he's telling you. He doesn't know how to use his mouth appropriately and he doesn't know how to get your attention appropriately. So, what can you do to fix those situations.
Set him up for success. Training. I would suggest How to Behave so Your Dog Behaves by Sophia Yin.
My recommendations - Great for all levels:
Puppy Start Right
Plenty in Life is Free - Kathy Sdao
Click to Calm - Emma Parsons
I think it's a combination. The junkyard dog doesn't sound well-socialized, so there's going to be some conflict as they establish boundaries. But you keeping your dog on a tight leash because you think there might be a problem is also going to cause some conflict, because that likely tells your dog that there's something to worry about (because he picks up on your fear) and that he can't escape (because his leash is suddenly tightened) so he's more likely to react like a cornered animal (ie. aggression) rather than normal socializing. It's very possible that there was originally some tension, but you escalate it by freaking out.
I'm not trying to be hard on you. I have an aggressive dog so totally understand. But seriously, clutching up on the leash when you see a scary dog is the worst thing you can do. I recommend Click to Calm as a starting point, as well as the links /u/KillerDog posted about why dominance theory isn't really applicable to dogs. IME with fear aggression (which sounds like is likely the case with your dog), "dominating" the dog can exacerbate the situation.
Honestly, I know you said finding a trainer isn't a realistic option - but it is the only way you are going to get real advice to help you figure this out. People on Reddit cannot see what's actually going on by a paragraph or two description of the problem. I've seen individuals read a ton of books to fix behavioral issues on their own though. It will take you a lot of research, but that's your best bet, if you don't want to find a trainer. Start here: http://www.amazon.com/Click-Calm-Healing-Aggressive-Clicker/dp/1890948209
Professional training is great, and being muzzle trained is also great - it sounds like you're doing everything right so far! I'd recommend getting a thorough checkup with your vet - it's always good to rule out the possibility that there may be an underlying physical cause contributing to bad behavior.
Our trainer highly recommends Karen Pryor's training methods, so I'm reading this book and it seems good: https://www.amazon.com/Click-Calm-Healing-Aggressive-Clicker/dp/1890948209
https://smile.amazon.com/Perfect-Puppy-Days-Start-Right-ebook/dp/B005FR0OEA
https://smile.amazon.com/How-Behave-Your-Dog-Behaves/dp/0793806445
Sophia Yin suggests making your dog work for their food. My dog no longer gets food in a bowl, it all comes from my hand. I measure it out at the beginning of the day and he only gets it during training. It's greatly increased his drive to work for food.
Oh gosh yes!
The Thinking Dog For clicker training and general stuff
Click to Calm Is great for dogs with aggression and behavioral issues.
Do Over Dogs is a must have for doggie foster parents
Shaping Sucess for raising a performance puppy (this one is a bit controversial but I think it has a lot of good things to say. A bit intense for most pet dogs)
I've heard Control unleashed is amazing but have never read it.
Most videos I have are agility based. So not much general training wise. I'd say Crate Games though is a must own for any dog trainer
Here's something super neat! It's like netflix but just for dog training videos! It's called http://www.bowwowflix.com/ . If you're serious about it but on a budget I'd check it out.
Buy him Sophia Yin's book. It breaks down proper dog training in really easy to understand examples. It sounds like the training methods he's using are out of date and honestly a overbearing.
Here's what Dr. Sophia Yin says:
> At any point when Fido’s predictably lying down with the hand signal, add the cue word “Down” right before you give the hand signal. Make sure you say the cue distinctly but in a happy voice. Also, make sure you say the cue word before you give the hand signal that he already knows. If you present the two at the same time, a phenomenon called blocking may occur, in which he fails to learn the verbal cue because the visual cue (which he already knows) is more salient. That is, he will have no reason to learn the verbal cue because he already knows the hand signal.
> On the other hand, if you present the verbal cue first, then it will predict that the visual cue is coming. Once you present the verbal cue prior to the visual cue enough times and follow with a reward, he’ll respond to “Down” by lying down. You can test whether he’s lying down due to the verbal cue or whether he’s going on a visual cue by standing perfectly still with no body gestures and uttering the cue “Down.” If he lies down on a vocal cue while you’re otherwise perfectly still, then he knows that “Down” means lie down.
> If you taught down by just waiting for Rover to lie down and then rewarding the good behavior, then you can teach the verbal or visual cue by giving it right before you know he’s going to lie down. After many pairings, he will understand that these cues mean that he should lie down.
I'm a big fan of the book "click to calm", its written for aggressive dogs but I've found it invaluable dealing with any kind of fearful or nervous dog.
http://www.amazon.com/Click-Calm-Healing-Aggressive-Clicker/dp/1890948209
Get this... It's a QUICK read and it will change her mind...
I agree with all of this, OP.
I also recommend getting the book How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves. It gives a lot of good information about how dogs learn and how you can best get the behavioral outcomes you're looking for. Without beating. Or perfume.
First, it sounds like your dog is frightened by other dogs, at least in certain situations. For this reason, I would avoid the dog park. Maybe he is fine sometimes, but other times (when he nips at other dogs) he clearly feels threatened. Forcing him to have these scary interactions will just make him more frightened of some dogs. Further, when a dog acts aggressively like that it can spur an aggressive response from the other dog. This is never a good thing but can be extremely dangerous for a very small dog. A large breed dog could kill a small dog in seconds, do not expect other people to not bring dog-aggressive dogs to a dog park when you yourself are bringing a dog that acts aggressively to other dogs.
Now that that is out of the way: Generally the way your dog acts on leash is called leash-reactivity and it is pretty common. Dogs might be fine with other dogs off leash but when they are on leash they can act crazy or aggressively. Some dogs are just really excited by other dogs, other dogs feel trapped by the leash and are scared so they try to scare off the other dogs first (or warn the other dogs to stay away).
My first advice is to not let him get close enough to actually touch other dogs. In fact, I would try to keep him far enough away so that he is under control. The distance can be comically far- like you have to cross to the other side of the street or make a huge arc around another dog because your dog is acting crazy. I know it seems like your dog really wants to get close to the other dog- but in reality a) letting him drag you to the dog is rewarding bad behavior and b) more importantly, being too close to the dog is what is setting him off in the first place and getting closer will make it worse.
Practice sits, practice stays, practice downs, make sure doggie gets lots of exercise, all of this will improve his self control (which means he will be calmer in general).
Second, teach him that other dogs are a GOOD thing by rewarding him when they are around. Ideally when they are extremely far away and he is being calm (but even if he is barking at them but stops to take a treat it is okay to reward- he is focused on you and not barking for 1 second while taking the treat and that is rewardable behavior).
Third, desensitize him to other dogs by repeating step two as often as possible in a controlled situation. As your dog improves and stops reacting so harshly you can very slowly decrease the distance between him and other dogs. It is a slow process (I mean it will take months and months).
My dog has had the same problems in the past, he never nipped at other dogs but barks/lunges/pulls towards them and at the dog park he would alpha-roll other dogs (this is more of a bark and a look thing, he didn't actually touch these dogs). We stopped dog parking, started obedience classing, and now he can ignore 90% of dogs (but other reactive dogs still cause him to react). There are a lot of resources about this if you are interested:
http://www.amazon.com/Feisty-Fido-Help-Leash-Reactive-Dog/dp/1891767070
http://empoweredanimals.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdraNF2hcgA
http://www.amazon.com/Click-Calm-Healing-Aggressive-Clicker/dp/1890948209
I can't recommend The Other End of the Leash enough.
His training methods are based on outdated, inaccurate ideas about dog behaviour.
Try The Other End of the Leash for a great book by a animal behaviorist that explains more modern understandings of dog behaviour and how human should interact with them.
http://www.amazon.com/Off-Good-Start-Manual-Raising/dp/1580622178/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407525880&sr=1-2&keywords=off+to+a+good+start
Read this book:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553346156/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Followed and BINGO potty training success!
crate training is what works. it teaches them what it feels like to hold it. i suggest this book for your next dog.
Also, there are some suggestions they are intimating their owners as dogs are social animals and are trying to fit in the pack.
If I can find the research I'll post it.
FYi I highly recommend the book How to Speak Dog http://www.amazon.com/How-Speak-Dog-Mastering-Communication/dp/0684865343
http://www.amazon.com/Hound-Health-Handbook-Definitive-Keeping/dp/076112795X
This book is written by a vet, it is a great reference. Any symptom that your dog has, it covers and will let you know what the true emergencies are. It also has practical dog raising advice.
We have gotten Hugo back in to classes - he went through a full Puppy Kindergarten when we first got him (despite the fear issues, we persisted, though I wish now that we'd better understood what was going on), and then in the last month or so we've started doing more advanced obedience training. My hope is to start him on Canine Good Citizen training in a couple of months (around when he turns 1), not a bad outcome for a dog who was initially too scared to even let people approach.
Based only on my experience, I would say that it makes sense to wait a couple of months before you get her into a group training environment - but I'm not a pro. I would suggest finding a trainer in your area who has experience with shy/fearful/aggressive dogs. (I add aggressive only because the three are often very closely linked, and it may help with Google.) Find someone who uses positive reinforcement training -- "dominance theory" training has a tendency to backfire with fearful dogs, and can actually cause aggression issues down the road. Have that person do a one-on-one session with you, and ask them to evaluate whether it makes sense to jump into a group training environment.
Regardless, I would absolutely start doing training on your own.
I've found Training Positive to be a good resource - his YouTube channel hasn't been updated in a long time, but I think he does a really solid job of breaking training down into tiny steps, and explaining well how to teach each of them on the way toward the intended behavior. This video covers the basic of obedience training - how to lure with food, how to mark the behavior that you want, how to lure into a position, how to introduce verbal cues, and so on from there. I should note that it actually covers weeks of work, but it also has a few small digressions that explain the why as well as the what, and that can be helpful. He has other videos that talk about specific behaviors in more details, and there are a bunch of other, similar videos out there that walk through more specific parts of the process (teaching sit, teaching down, etc). Others may work better for you.
Do a paired choice preference assessment (Like this or like this) to figure out what treats your dog REALLY likes, and make sure you always have some of those high-value treats around. They'll help with training.
At this point, Hugo hasn't eaten breakfast or dinner from his bowl in about 4 months. They're just 10-15 minute training sessions. "Sit" - perform the action, get a couple of kibble. "Down" - perform the action, get a couple of kibble. "Stay" - get a couple of kibble every 5-10 seconds, with the delay between rewards lengthening as we go. And so on. Every bite of food is an opportunity to ask for a behavior, take advantage of them.
My experience with Hugo is that working for his food makes him extremely happy. He loves being asked to perform. And, it makes him more comfortable with other situations. If we're somewhere and he starts to get nervous, I take him aside and have him do "puppy pushups" - Sit, Down, Sit, Down, Sit, Down, ... - until he calms down. He forgets about whatever is making him scared, and focuses on doing the thing that will get him treats.
It takes so much time, but it's so worth it!
She's such a cute dog! Do you know anything about her background, breed, age, etc?
[Edit - forgot to mention two books that I really appreciated: The First 100 Days With Your Puppy and Click to Calm]
There’s a book, “dogs can sign too”, which tries to get you to teach your dogs to sign. Either me or my dogs are too stupid, however.
https://www.amazon.com/Dogs-Can-Sign-Too-Breakthrough/dp/1587613530
https://www.amazon.com/How-Behave-Your-Dog-Behaves/dp/0793806445
https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Shoot-Dog-Teaching-Training/dp/0553380397
https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Listener-Communicate-Willing-Cooperation-ebook/dp/B000FC1R8W
https://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup
http://www.amazon.com/Doral-Publishings-Hands--Dog-Care-ebook/dp/B00820PDX4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418085577&sr=8-1&keywords=hands+on+dog+care
Most of my other suggestions are already posted. This book is a good first aid book, and has pretty direct instructions on when to not panic vs. when to see a vet now/today/tomorrow/this week/etc.