Back in August I rescued a Laborador retriever/Mastiff mix from the pound. He had been severely neglected. His feet were caked in a fungus, a collar was embedded in his neck, he was emaciated and starved, and covered in ticks and fleas. Poor guy. They were definitely going to put him down. I spent about an hour with him before deciding to take him home. I wanted to make sure this guy was for me. After I had put some thought into it, I realized that I just couldn't stand the thought of such a neat soul going to waste. The next morning I went back to the pound and took him home with me. I named him Dunnigan. He seemed perfect; he was already housebroken and I didn't anticipate him having any problems. I got him cleaned up and as he started feeling better a bit more of his personality came out. One day I took him to the dog park and he was really excited and running around. I thought he was fine, but he was getting a little rough with some of the dogs. Then he pinned a huge rottweiler down on the ground and started snapping at him and growling. People standing around said they just needed to "fight it out" and establish their ground. But, Dunnigan didn't let up. Finally, I did the right thing and pulled him off. He had blood on his mouth, and we were asked to leave the dog park. I called a local training facility- I knew they weren't great for behavior problems- but I thought that maybe if he was socialized that the behavior would stop. I signed him up for a class. They gave me a clicker and told me to start praising him and giving him treats all day long for being "good"... and give him treats for "not attacking dogs." I started feeling guilty for correcting my dog in any way that wasn't how this training facility viewed as "positive." They didn't allow me to put a pinch collar on him and they didn't allow choke chains. Also, I wasn't sure that I could put one on him because of the collar that had been embedded in his neck when I got him. Even though that wound had healed, I was advised not to put a choke chain on him. This dog trainer at the training facility had me keep him on a "gentle leader": which is a collar that fits around the dog's nose so that whoever is walking the dog has better control of the head. Maybe, in some ways, I had some control over Dunnigan with the gentle leader- but he still thrashed around on the leash and pulled and growled when he saw another dog walk by. While we were staying at a friend's apartment he pulled himself away from me and chased a schnauzer into a woman's apartment. On another occassion he pulled me to a helping aid dog and attacked it and drew a little bit of blood. He was snarling and air biting at the dog and pulled and pulled but I couldn't get Dunnigan off of the other dog. Finally, I had to flip my dog, just to hold him back. On another occassion he charged his way into my house while a dog was there and attacked it. I couldn't get him off so I had to hit him with a broom three or four times before he let up. (Let's be aware that I was IN this "certain training facility" with Dunnigan at this time.) After four attacks in three months and constant thrashing on the leash, I was starting to feel like a horrible dog owner. I was becoming scared that Dunnigan was a liability to me. The trainer at this "training facility" said that it might take a year or so, but by using the clicker and continuing to praise and "redirect" my dog, or sit and make him "face his issue" that he would someday get better. Meanwhile, I wasn't allowed at my friend's apartment anymore because of Dunnigan's behavior. We weren't allowed to go to the dog park, because I was too scared of what he might do. We could barely go to any pet store. Dunnigan was slowly hindering my social life. I was referred to a "dog behaviorist" through this training facility, and she spent a few minutes with my dog and told me "this dog is fine; there is nothing wrong with this dog, he just needs some training." She didn't tell me what kind of training he needed. So, I continued to be frustrated and I continued to get bad information. I called the vet, I called the behaviorist, I called different training facilities. I felt like I had exhausted my resources and my only option was to take him back to the shelter; or have a vet go ahead and put him to sleep. I didn't want to be responsible for Dunnigan killing or hurting another dog. People right and left were telling me, "it's just a dog. You shouldn't have to live like this anymore." I started looking for a home for Dunnigan around Christmas time. I put up pictures and sent them to different organizations that I had gotten from the behaviorist. I had him tested as a narcotics dog for the K9 unit, by the "dog behaviorist". I called vets, and humane societies, and rescue groups. But, my dog was too hard to place because of his problem- and that was something I had to be honest about. One of the rescue groups got back to me and told me about Aaron, a dog behavior expert in my area. He came out to my home for nearly three hours working with my dog. He gave me a specific schedule for me and Dunnigan to follow and showed me simple corrections that I could use with him. By the end of the three hours I noticed a change in my dog and a change in myself. I knew I could bond with Dunnigan again, like I had that first day at the shelter when I knew he needed to come home with me. Within a week after meeting with Aaron, Dunnigan wasn't pulling on his leash. He wasn't putting his mouth on me anymore, and he was sleeping in his own bed. I had to fight with this establishment to get them to sell me a choke chain; but I got one. I taught Dunnigan to listen to me. Aaron showed me how to get rid of all the bad behaviors in Dunnigan by being his pack leader and keeping his mind moving forward. Dunnigan's mind is at ease now that he understands, as I understand, that I am the one that has the control in our relationship. His anxieties and all the garbage that was stored in his mind and stuck there has been unwinding. I have kept him and he is listening to me. He is doing wonderful.Plus, we have not had a single incident since we started working with Aaron's methods that I didn't feel like I could control.
Here are pictures of him and my new puppy Willa cuddling. She is only a pound and he is capable of fatally hurting her; but he is extremely gentle with her and gets down on her level to play. Dunnigan has turned out to be an exceptional dog and loves me more now because I've shown him discipline and leadership; I have not just bribed him into loving me. I have learned a great deal about personal strength, loyalty and devotion because he is in my life. I love him.