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PNW Trainer/Behaviorist suggestions

1K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  ryanw 
#1 ·
Hello!

Hopefully I am not overstepping any rules asking for some trainer/ behaviorist recommendations! This is my first post as I registered about 10 minutes ago. I live in the Portland, OR area (more specifically, Vancouver, WA) I recently rescued my girl about a month ago. Her past is a bit of a mystery, but from the little I know it does NOT sound like it was very great. Sad stuff. As more rescues are.

I am looking for some recommendations with a trainer or behaviorist as my dobe has shown some fear aggression since bringing her home. When I picked her up, I was told she was a friendly dog with both people and animals. She had not shown aggression previously. However, it seems that since I brought her home that has changed some. She has started to show some possession guarding and high anxiety behaviors. (She was already returned once for destructive separation anxiety). I do trust the rescue I received her from, what is being done to encourage this behavior or if this is something that she has to work through with my help. I have done some work so far to ease her bad habits, but I want to do MORE and get on top of this before anything more significant develops. Especially since she has snapped at two people. No bites since it was all in defense/fear.

So again, I am looking for helpful recommendations in the Portland, Oregon area or Vancouver, WA area for any good trainers or behaviorists. Someone I can work with to better myself and my dog going forward. Not interested in a board and train. I want to be involved in the process.

Also, I have already taken her to a vet to check for medical reasons for behavior changes. She is healthy aside from the anti-anxiety meds that were prescribed.

I figured I would ask since tt seems there is a good population of people from the PNW! I was originally combing through this forum to find breeders in the area and do my due diligence before bringing a new pup home. A year later, I followed my heart and got a rescue instead.

Thank you any help and advice!
-Ryan
 
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#2 ·
Ryan,

I'm in Portland and give me a few days and I'll get back to you with some names and contact numbers for both trainers and behaviorists.

I have friends who are involved with Portland Obedience and who train with different trainers and there is at least one behaviorist we refer people to (I work for a vet clinic) who I thought was pretty good and I'm going in to take care of the clinic cats tomorrow and will look to see who we have cards for these days.

I will get back to you on it though.

Any idea what buttons might have been pushed to prompt the aggression? Just fear generally and someone too close for her comfort?

dobebug
 
#5 ·
Thank you very much for the help! Wow, I appreciate it. I will wait for your reply.

As far as triggers, in both cases she snapped when there was sudden movement towards her in addition to being in her space (more specifically, the person moved their hand above/over her head). One person was standing up from a sitting position after petting her, the other was someone reaching over her to grab something on a table behind her. She has also snapped at the vet tech when I took her in last week. She did eventually let them handle her, but I had to put the leashes on and all that. She is VERY slow to trust people.

Another reason she can get grouchy is with the other dog in the house which is not mine. He is a 3 year old labradoodle who was not socialized as a pup (never went to puppy classes or the like) and acts similar to a spoiled single child. They are completely fine together, but she prefers him at a distance. She will growl and lift her lip when around food/treats or he invades her space and she does not want him to. No resource guarding with people (that I have seen).

Overall, just a lot of anxiety and fear.


Bug will have good recommendations for you!

If she's been prescribed medication, is that through your regular vet, or through a board certified veterinary behaviorist? Often, veterinary behaviorists have recommendations for trainers they work with successfully. Some regular vets are skilled in the use of behavioral meds, and some aren't, so that's something to be aware of. Depending on her needs, you might need someone to work with you on more advanced levels of medication needs in the future, so that's something to keep in mind. There are a LOT of medications out there and they interact differently and can be modified, tweaked, increased or reduced based on how training goes. Each dog is different.
It was just a regular vet. I was not thrilled with the whole situation, honestly. She threw Prozac(fluoxetine) at me and basically told me good luck. Something like, “You have a wild card of a dog who shouldn’t be around anyone under 18. You have A LOT of work to do….but she is a sweetheart.”
So she is on 40mg/day at the moment. Had her there for 6 days now.


Hi Ryan and welcome from another local! (Yeah DT folks. Vancouver WA is basically a part of Portland. LOL).

So yeah, what Meadow Cat said ^^^. dobebug is hands down the most knowledgable Dobe person in our area and if anyone can answer your Dobe questions, she is the one. (I can usually be of some help also! Ha ha...)

So, please keep us updated. And, thank you so much for rescuing your girl.

John Lichtwardt
Portland OR
Thank you! Glad I am in good hands! So far everyone here seems very helpful.


- Ryan
 
#3 ·
Bug will have good recommendations for you!

If she's been prescribed medication, is that through your regular vet, or through a board certified veterinary behaviorist? Often, veterinary behaviorists have recommendations for trainers they work with successfully. Some regular vets are skilled in the use of behavioral meds, and some aren't, so that's something to be aware of. Depending on her needs, you might need someone to work with you on more advanced levels of medication needs in the future, so that's something to keep in mind. There are a LOT of medications out there and they interact differently and can be modified, tweaked, increased or reduced based on how training goes. Each dog is different.
 
#4 ·
Hi Ryan and welcome from another local! (Yeah DT folks. Vancouver WA is basically a part of Portland. LOL).

So yeah, what Meadow Cat said ^^^. dobebug is hands down the most knowledgable Dobe person in our area and if anyone can answer your Dobe questions, she is the one. (I can usually be of some help also! Ha ha...)

So, please keep us updated. And, thank you so much for rescuing your girl.

John Lichtwardt
Portland OR
 
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