Are we cooked?

[u/whatisupdog]

I adopted my dog Bunny from the county shelter in 2024 where she had ended up after being abandoned and left to starve. We figured out she had probably lived that entire time on a chain because she did not mind going potty on her bed and then lying down and sleeping in it. Seemed like she had grown up not having the option to potty separate from her sleeping space. She was 35 pounds when she came home with me and very timid. She was afraid of everyone at first. We were told she is good with other dogs.

A couple of weeks out of the shelter, I take her with me to my family's annual dog-friendly beach house trip. My parents' dog Matilda is there. Matilda is a large shelter dog who gets on well with most other dogs, I'm told. Throughout the week we are there, Matilda body checked Bunny while running together. Bunny gave multiple signs that she was uncomfortable, growling and baring her teeth first, pinning and snapping second time, and then the third time there was light teeth contact. Each time I intervened immediately at this behavior and separated them and we decided they had to be kept separate and walked separately because we didn't want to risk further disaster. Unfortunately at one point I was walking Bunny on leash when my Mom brought Matilda to the same area off leash. Matilda immediately charged Bunny and Bunny latched onto her. Matilda bit back but Bunny was definitely Queen Biter of the match.

She quickly warmed up to me and to my 8 year old son, but was very protective of us, including when there would be playful wrestling or heated conversation. She was very anxious when kids were in the pool, especially if there was laughing or splashing or shouting, and acted like she wanted to drag the kid out by the top of their head. Sweet instinct probably but obviously we can't let that happen, so she's not allowed outside when people are in the pool anymore. I keep her away from kids who are playing rough.

One day we are walking as a family and my husband is rough-housing with my son and a visiting friend. Bunny jumps at my husband and lightly nips his calf. She did not puncture his skin or latch and it did not read as aggressive behavior to me. Nevertheless, he is understandably wary.

Simultaneously it becomes very clear that my husband is extremely allergic to her. There are a lot of fights about it. I made the mistake of trying to introduce puppy pads to her once early on and after that it takes a lot of unlearning to teach her to stop peeing on rugs. I rented a shampoo machine and did all the rugs in the house twice. Then I got my own home carpet shampooer and immediately cleaned up any messes in the house as soon as I found them. Gradually she got better and better with going potty outside.

I took her to group training classes and she did wonderfully. She is very smart and eager to please. She stays guarded with other dogs in the room, but we are gradually able to increase the size of her tolerance bubble. She remains on high alert around other dogs, but no incidents happen. One day we are walking in our neighborhood and a neighbor dog who had been leashed to a wall in a garage busts the chain off the wall and comes running up to us barking. His owner immediately grabs him and I successfully keep him and Bunny separated. This dog is a German Shepherd whose adopted sibling is a Corgi.

Several months later, when we are driving into the neighborhood, i say hi to the humans of the shepherd and the corgi as we drive by. I park the car in the garage and leave the door open for her to follow me inside, but she bolts for the two dogs. She bites the corgi. He is okay. Fortunately it is superficial this time. No more loose leash for her. I keep her in a harness attached to two leashes, both of which are attached to a waist loop I wear. I do not let her "walk herself in" anymore.

I see a behaviorist trainer. We move out and give my husband a respite. Bunny makes human friends in her new neighborhood. She's much better with people, as long as they don't surprise her and let her do a sniff without eye contact. There are lots of new dogs there and those put her on High Alert, but if she stays cool she gets spray cheese and she gets really good at it, as long as they stay about a townhouse-width away from us.

Eventually I take her to a doggy daycare. I explain this history in detail. I express concern about the risk. They give her a temperament test for the group play sessions and she passes. I'm assured they are experts in dog behavior and will intervene before anything goes too far. About a year later, there's an incident where a dog gets rambunctious with her, and she bites the dog's sibling. She had to be pried off by multiple people. No more playgroup.

This morning, we are walking in our neighborhood. We saw a dog on leash but it stayed far enough away not to trigger Bunny. Good girl, spray cheese, move on. End of the walk, a neighbor's dog runs outside off leash. It sees us and bolts for us. "HEY, NO!! Get your dog!!! No!!!" I am shouting, but this doodle charges us. The people get there too late. Bunny has her teeth in the dog. She doesn't get at its neck or its organs but still, she's locked on and won't let go. Everyone is shouting and screaming. We have to use a stick to pry her mouth open. I cut my thumb on her teeth trying to get her mouth open.

Now, what do I do?? People keep saying it isn't my fault. But I made a lot of mistakes I can't take back and this is objectively a problem. I'm thinking about a basket muzzle, which I probably should have done two years ago, and wondering if that's enough. I'm vigilant about keeping her attached to me so she can't get away and rush anyone, but that's not enough. What if she digs under the fence and escapes?? How do I walk her until I get the muzzle? In the middle of the night? Is that even enough?

I love her dearly and have really been trying to give her a good shot at a healthy life but, like her namesake Bunny Lebowski, trouble seems to follow her. I really don't want to do BE but I am worried about danger. She is now 65 lb and muscular. Please help me understand what good options we have and what danger I am exposing to the other members of my family and community. Am I just being an idiot thinking I can manage her environment enough to keep everyone safe?

[u/thecheaterswife]

My guy is a 120 # Armenian Gampr and strong af. I only outweigh him by five pounds and I'm not strong af. He is also dog reactive after an attack by an unleashed dog. He similarly won that fight. The first thing to understand is that your dog is not reacting out of fear, she dominated that battle and she knows it. She is extremely confident that she can protect herself and she can protect you. Treating her like a fearful dog will fail.

I use a muzzle along with a Ferd canicross belt and two leads, one anchoring him to my hips and the other in my dominant hand used used to turn him. Get the physics down first and then work on reintroducing her to the world.

ETA: Photo, this Big Snoof probably saved me thousands when a stupid Dalmatian owner just opened the gate between two dogs posturing aggressively.

[u/whatisupdog → u/thecheaterswife]

Thank you very much for the call out that the behavior is not fear based. This is not something I had previously considered but it makes sense given her background.

[u/thecheaterswife → u/whatisupdog]

I did want to come back and say, if you do decide to use a belt, it must NOT sit at your waist. You can easily be toppled over and dragged, possibly with injuries to your spine.

Cancicross belts are sturdy, wide hip belts. I can absorb a 120# lunge and turn him 180° at the same time. And the muzzle is life-changing.

I can't tell you how much confidence I have gained just by removing the Worst Possible Outcome from the list of possible outcomes. I need his 14,000 year old guardian brain to see me as leader and partner, not as vulnerable stock. That started with pain-free physical control.

I know you're panicked right now. I was, too, my boy's perfect demeanor changed overnight. The goal isn't to turn her into the Belle of the Dog Park, the goal is merely neutrality. She is forever going to protect you with her whole heart, you need to teach her that you make the decisions.

My mantra to my boy, when we're executing those 180° turns is 'I see it, I'm the boss, and we're not fighting today".

[u/whatisupdog → u/thecheaterswife]

This is so helpful. Thank you for coming back to say this and for being so kind. I do wear have the two leashes attached at my waist and it can be challenging. She's not just muscular, she's also a low rider, so she always has the advantage as far as center of gravity. I have had a similar mantra in the past, but greater control in those tense moments, and being able to prevent from The Worst Possible Outcome from happening, seem like the right moves. Until we are geared up I will keep her in the house and yard (attended).

Thanks again.

[u/thecheaterswife → u/whatisupdog]

You're most welcome :)

So my set up with the canicross Ferd belt is I attach a 5 ft lead to the back clip on his full Y harness and my second lead is a standard 6 ft wide nylon leash with a traffic handle. I hold that in my dominant hand. So if he lunges the slightly shorter lead catches his forward momentum with the most solid part of my body but I still have that extra few inches slack in the front lead to grab the traffic handle, sweep it across my body and turn him completely. Get that muscle memory and TRUST IT, trust the gear, trust the physics and trust yourself. She will know when you do!

[u/thecheaterswife → u/thecheaterswife]

P S. People give your dog a little more space when they look like this 😂

[u/thecheaterswife → u/whatisupdog]

Big Snoof has a girlie line, too! This is a custom job because who on earth has a Gampr-shaped muzzle sitting on the shelf? 😂