Blue Lacy Aggressive Behavior Questions...

[Deer Tracks]

"Everyone else just needs to stay away in my opinion."

Sorry, but I want to be in control of my dogs' behavior. A dog out of control is a liability.

[jpbruni]

He is just protecting the animal from anyone but you. You are the reason he is tracking and he wants to be sure YOU know he is doing his part. Everyone else just needs to stay away in my opinion.

Correct on the YOU part, everyone else staying away = Recipe for Disaster.

There should be no reason 5 people could not be with you on a tracking job. The dog is doing his job and trying to please you, but that should have nothing to do with his behavior toward your friends. That is a control issue, not a behavior issue.

If you just avoid the inevitable, the dog will end up biting someone someday and then you could have a lawsuit. Train the dog right and you will never have a problem.

J.P.

[Kdog]

Good read...I'm glad I found out about this before I purchased any kind of animal for tracking should I ever decide to.. Think I'll stick with labs, Jack Russells or dachsunds.

Not about a lacy, but thought it was worth mentioning my Lab's bad behavior and how it was corrected. I got Lola when she was 14 months old. Real hyper dog. When she got around my 2 and 5 year old nephews she would growl and bark. All while backing away and trying to get behind me. She was obviously afraid, and not really protecting me. I never had a chance to work through this issue because my nephews were too afraid (the dog is 80lbs). Well my wife and I were in the process of having a 2 and 3 year old placed with us for adoption. Obviously I was concerned with good reason. When we got the kiddos I introduced them to Lola with me holding them. Eventually they got down with the dog. Lola went from fearful to overexuberant wanting to play with the kids. The dog knocking the kids over was now my worry. I used an E-collar to break my dog from unitentionally trampling the kids. I was hesitant to do this because I was worried she would become afraid of them, and we would be back where we started. However, she learned quickly to "be careful" around them. The kids can pet her, throw sand on her, just about anything they want to and Lola just wags her tail. She has never once barked at them or been agressive. Now around my nephews she is fine, and is great around other kids as well.

Smart - by the way I have read that you have a Lab already. Why wouldn't you just train her to track?

[holepuncher]

Correct on the YOU part, everyone else staying away = Recipe for Disaster.

There should be no reason 5 people could not be with you on a tracking job. The dog is doing his job and trying to please you, but that should have nothing to do with his behavior toward your friends. That is a control issue, not a behavior issue.

If you just avoid the inevitable, the dog will end up biting someone someday and then you could have a lawsuit. Train the dog right and you will never have a problem.

J.P.

I meant that all he has to do is pull his dog off the carcas, at that point the dog should have no problems with noone. 5 people and a dog on a blood trail? Why?

[jpbruni]

I was speaking hypothetically Holepuncher, but hey, the way bloodtrails go; especially a tough one, the more eyes, ears and noses the better!

J.P.

[Dusty Britches]

How well socialized was your pup when he was 3-7 months old? Did you intentionally get him around lots of people and dogs during that time or did he just stay at home?

You might also want to read the book called Mine! A Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs. I got it on DogWise.com for about $10. Most of it has to do with food aggression, but the final chapters deal with other types of guarding.

[qzilla]

He is well socialized and has been since a pup. He has always run around free around and inside our lodge where there can be upwards of 20 people. We never had an issue.

I think he is just at the age where he is testing his limits somewhat and trying to see where he stands.

Like I keep saying I have total control over him, he obeys immediately to any Commanders I give him.

The one thing I am going to change is that after I pull him off an animal I am going to tie him to the tree instead of letting him just hang out. I think this will establish a more defined line of when I take ownership of it.

Most of the stuff I have mentioned is not a huge deal for me. it just totally bugged me out when he nipped at my wife. Not sure if he just had a dumb moment or what.

Just to put it in perspective my 3 yr old can control him and command him to fetch, sit, shake, here, down, drop, hold etc and he is ok with it.

We are on he way down right now and I am pretty certain he will get more excersize as I have a 9yr old with me that plans on doing some shooting! So I am positive we will get to do a little more work!!!

Also on the positive reinforcement side, he gets tons! I always use treats anytime I am working with him. When we are tracking he gets a piece of fresh liver at the end as well.

[Smart]

Smart - by the way I have read that you have a Lab already. Why wouldn't you just train her to track?

I've thought about it a little but with Abby at almost seven years old, it'
s about time for another one to get a good head start when I have to retire her. She has a great nose in the dove field so I'm sure it could be done. I don't know...I might give it some more thought this offseason.

I can picture her runnin' the trail and getting to the animal and it still be alive. She'd look back at me like..."you gotta be shiaaattin me dad. How in the hail am I suppose to bring that thing back to you."

And likewise with a wounded pig, there would be a few barks and then "white lightnin' " haulin' arse" the opposite way. She's definitely a lover and not a fighter. She's hail on those feathers though......unless you want to talk about the 10-12lb wounded greater canada that spread its wings out, pecked her and started chasing "white lightnin" down.

[Dale Moser]

Give your wife an axe handle to tote around for a while, I bet it only takes once!

[Bones]

Your second post sure makes the situation sound a lot different than your first one did, Q.

I was under the assumption that he had shown TRUE human aggression towards your wife and others in a tracking party.

Given age, You should be fine with little work. Maybe just getting possessive, protective over game..........

Steve

[Cotton]

Just to put it in perspective my 3 yr old can control him and command him to fetch, sit, shake, here, down, drop, hold etc and he is ok with it.

Does your wife put him through these commands... if not that should correct the problem in post #22.

A dog out of control is a liability.

I didn’t see where any dog was “out of control”? Tracking is a primal instinct in dogs and to correct that instinct to guard the kill is to correct part of the natural tracking process. What makes one dog a better tracker over another is how close they are to this primal instinct and how it’s been developed. Prim example is the yote blood within the lacy breed that helps make them such a great tracker. I’ve found the least control I have to impose while tracking the better the dog tracks and develops. If that means warning the hunter to stay back then so be it, if he doesn’t listen then he has me to deal with before he ever gets to the dog. That’s why some handlers will not even allow the hunter along on the track and only take them to the deer after the dog has been put up.

IMO, a more stringent control takes place in all other situations and if the dog is not smart enough to know the difference then their tracking ability is a non issue anyways.

[Deer Tracks]

Does your wife put him through these comand... if not that should correct the problem in post #22.



I didn’t see where any dog was “out of control”? Tracking is a primal instinct in dogs and to correct that instinct to guard the kill is to correct part of the natural tracking process. What makes one dog a better tracker over another is how close they are to this primal instinct and how it’s been developed. Prim example is the yote blood within the lacy breed that helps make them such a great tracker. I’ve found the least control I have to impose while tracking the better the dog tracks and develops. If that means warning the hunter to stay back then so be it, if he doesn’t listen then he has me to deal with before he ever gets to the dog. That’s why some handlers will not even allow the hunter along on the track and only take them to the deer after the dog has been put up.

IMO, a more stringent control takes place in all other situations and if the dog is not smart enough to know the difference then their tracking ability is a non issue anyways. J

Cotton, I didn't mean to suggest that Q's dog is out of control. Any behavior problem in a dog should not be ignored and the owner should take responsibility for his dog. Not that Q is ignoring the problem or being irresponsible.
For example, if a dog has fear aggression toward humans, actions should be taken to correct the dog. Simply warning other people to stay away accomplishes nothing. It's not an effective solution to the problem.
I guess we can agree to disagree, as usual, but I want a firm handle on my dog. I want to be able to call him or her out of any situation.

[holepuncher]

Does your wife put him through these commands... if not that should correct the problem in post #22.



I didn’t see where any dog was “out of control”? Tracking is a primal instinct in dogs and to correct that instinct to guard the kill is to correct part of the natural tracking process. What makes one dog a better tracker over another is how close they are to this primal instinct and how it’s been developed. Prim example is the yote blood within the lacy breed that helps make them such a great tracker. I’ve found the least control I have to impose while tracking the better the dog tracks and develops. If that means warning the hunter to stay back then so be it, if he doesn’t listen then he has me to deal with before he ever gets to the dog. That’s why some handlers will not even allow the hunter along on the track and only take them to the deer after the dog has been put up.

IMO, a more stringent control takes place in all other situations and if the dog is not smart enough to know the difference then their tracking ability is a non issue anyways.

I feel the way Cotton does about this.

[holepuncher]

I was speaking hypothetically Holepuncher, but hey, the way bloodtrails go; especially a tough one, the more eyes, ears and noses the better!

J.P.

I understand, but in reality the fewer people the better, experienced trackers will tell you that. There is enough confusion anyway especially in Texas where most of the tracks start @ a feeder that has dozens if not more scent trails add cattle and the dog has enough issues to deal with. Thats why I don't start my dog until I locate blood away from the feeder. My point being that you shouldn't punish a tracking dog that is doing exactly what you want them to do. and being aggressive at the carcas is just part of it. I was warned about this behavior by Kevin_B when I picked up my pup.My dog tracks for me and only for me, she gets aggressive if my other dog gets in my lap.

[Cotton]

My apologies then but I actually thought you were responding to holepuncher and my warning to the hunter. I guess you were after reading your edit and yes we will have to agree to disagree once again.

While I don't encourage aggression at the kill I won't discourage it either unlike at the food dish.