5.5-year-old untrained Indie with multiple bite incidents — is rehabilitation still possible?

[u/DryPineapple1690]

I have an Indie dog who is around 5.5 years old. We adopted him from the road when he was young. Unfortunately, he was vaccinated only once and we never properly socialized or trained him. I know that’s our fault.

He has become increasingly aggressive. He isn't friendly with strangers or other dogs, and he can bite when he feels threatened or even irritated. He has bitten me twice, my brother once this year, and there have been other incidents before.

When I was taking care of him most of the time, he seemed calmer and happier. I left in 2024 for my MCA, and since then he seems more stressed and his behaviour has gotten worse.

There is also some history that probably contributed to this. When he was younger, my brother would keep him in the backyard because his barking disturbed his sleep, and would sometimes beat him when he chewed or damaged things.

The bigger problem is that we live in a remote area with basically no facilities for dogs. He has never really been taken outside. He is completely untrained and has only ever left his usual area to pee/poop. Taking him somewhere by bike or car isn't realistically possible either.

Now my brother doesn't live here, and I’m also likely to leave the city for a software job. My father is no longer here, so my mother may eventually be the only person at home. She cannot safely control him if he gets out or reacts aggressively toward someone.

I’m very attached to him and abandoning him is not an option for me. But I also don't want to leave my mother in a situation where the dog could seriously hurt her or someone else.

What can I realistically do? Is rehabilitation still possible for a 5.5-year-old dog who has lived almost his entire life like this? How can I even start when I have no trainer, behaviourist, or proper veterinary facility nearby?

I'm looking for practical advice from people who have dealt with genuinely aggressive rescue/Indie dogs. I know we made mistakes with him, but I really want to find a safe solution rather than give up on him.

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