Sadie, at 11 months old was a beautiful looking German shepherd. Having had no real exposure to life Sadie did not cope well, she growled and barked at all people, dogs, cats - the typical response of an under exposed dog. Hoping she would grow out of it her owner kept her away from situations where she would meet others, and as Sadie grew, so did the extent of the problem, she became increasingly unmanageable.
A behaviour consultation was required as it was essential to trigger Sadie's aggression in a controlled environment. By triggering the aggression it is possible to apply different techniques to determine what makes the dog give up this strategy and adopt an alternative. The most important aspect of aggression is that it is purely a strategy, a learned behaviour, which can be unlearned. In this case a Spray Commander collar was used to remove the reward Sadie was getting from being aggressive towards strangers (Sadie became aggressive, strangers understandably backed off and Sadie felt rewarded as the stranger no longer posed a threat).
The Spray Commander is a collar with a box on the front containing an odourless gas, which when activated by a remote control squirts a puff of air under the dogs chin. Using this collar meant Mrs Taylor did not have to directly get involved with Sadie when she was being aggressive.
This is extremely important as owners often fuel this type of aggression just by being there and telling the dog to stop, or pulling back on the lead. This owner interaction often gives incorrect signals to the dog and increases the defensive / offensive behaviour. By using the spray commander collar Mrs Taylor could carry on as if nothing had happened when Sadie became aggressive, consequently Sadie learned that it was her behaviour causing the spray from the collar.
Sadie had to make some quick adjustments to her behaviour when we applied this technique. Over time Sadie learnt that aggression no longer worked and she began to cope by staying close to her 'mum' when strangers were near. Sadie attended rehabilitation classes at WitsEnd and progressed well.
Her confidence has grown over time and she now enjoys treats and the odd fuss from those she once would not let near her.