Psycho Bully?

[LoveMyBullyBoy]

Does anyone else have a bully that has a 'trigger'? Like, something that makes him/her completely bonkers?

Gravy has two...
1) My Mom. When she comes over Gravy goes NUTS and will knock her on her butt if she's standing, or trying to walk in the door. He LOVES her and can't control himself. He's very obedient & listens well, but not when we're trying to keep him off my Mom. And the more she pets him, the worse he gets. He does eventually settle down, but if she leaves the room to go to the potty, or sneak out front to smoke, he starts all over like she's been gone for a month. He loves all people, and gets excited, but not to the extent he does with my Mom. And she always wears black pants to my house. Gravy is fawn & white so she leaves with a very obvious fur coating on her legs!
2) My son's powerwheel truck. If he gets in it & drives it around the yard, Gravy goes ape chasing it and trying to bite the tires. My son doesn't drive it very much, and when he does it's only a lap or two around the yard & he's done. But today he drove around for a long time b/c I was on the porch with the clippers grooming the Shih Tzu. And Gravy almost hyperventilated! It wasn't a hot day, but he just over did it I guess. I made my son park the truck & I called Gravy over to drink some water. Well then I noticed his mouth was bleeding from where he was trying to bite the tires! He looked like Jack Nicholson in the Shining... he had crazy face! I made him go in the house to settle & cool down. So no more truck chasing for him!!

It's just so strange that these things turn him from the most obedient, laid back, placid dog into a dog I've never met before!

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Well...everybody has their issues!! Gravys' are really pretty nice ones..I spose! Today ..while driving..there were 2 border collies in the back of a jeep. It was open and I could watch in amusement as one of the dogs was barking..growling AND biting the spare tire from the back seat! the poor guy driving was in a pickle..trying to stop his whacky dog..drive in a straight line AND keep the well behaved dog calm! Soooooo..theres plenty if crazy to go around!

 

[2BullyMama]

Oh yes... Banks goes bonkers over any type of light.. flashlight, laser, sun reflecting of a watch -- high pitch whine that comes out of her is ear piercing. Oh and of course, any type of food!

Nitshcke had a list... mostly words -- car, rides, by-bys, Dr. Rossi, Gayle, Sue, Amy, Basta, walk, Daddy --- he LOVED to play and all those related to play for him

 

[LoveMyBullyBoy]

Gravy's major trigger word is "GO"... but especially "You wanna go to school?". He knows that means we're taking the kids to, or picking them up from, school. Or when he sees the kids getting their shoes on, he knows what's up.

 

[speechmom53]

Tubs goes nuts when he knows he is going someplace with us and when people come over to our house. The only problem is, is that he doesn't just jump around and go nuts, but he also starts humping the air. I have no idea why he does this. He was neutered at 5 months old and this is the only time he does this!

 

[Vicaroo1000]

Bea - and now Bo, since she "taught him" this behavior - goes BERZERK over leaves blowing by. She's got a prey drive that is unmatched. KILL THE LEAF! Once she picks it up, she carries it in her mouth until she finds the NEXT leaf to kill. Oh it's a good time when they're off leash at the doggie area here, playing in the leaves but the problem is, they'll do it while ON leash too (working on this too believe me) and will go right out in front of a car - or a speeding train - to get a leaf that's blowing by.

Fall is hell. hahahahaha Not really.

The other leafy thing we do is I pick up big HUGE maple leaves and they run and jump to grab the stem from my hand and then take off with it. Then they try to get each other's leaf stems - because, don'tchaknow - YOUR LEAF is soooo much better than the one I have in my mouth, right? I'll be sad when they finally rake up all of the maple leaves in our doggie area!

<== yesterday's fun at the doggie play yard in our complex

 

[cowsmom]

sarah goes crazy for things with rubber wheels on them. lawnmowers bikes wheel barrels. doesnt matter she will try to eat it. she also hates my vacuum. she will try to tear the thing apart. not sure why but she dont like these things lol.

 

[Vicaroo1000]

[MENTION=3227]LoveMyBullyBoy[/MENTION] - I was thinking about Gravy and this thread earlier in the week. One of grandma's old work friends (before retirement) came over. Terrie hadn't seen Bea since she was a wee porky little pup and she'd only seen pictures of Bo. She came in the house, looked right at them and commenced with the high pitched, "Helloooo doggies! Ohmygod aren't you cute? Look at that face..." on and on. Both dogs went bonkers. It takes a good five minutes to calm them down to "reasonably delighted".

The next day, same friend arrives and the dogs seem to be ANTICIPATING the excitment Terrie brought with her before. I can see Bo's little stub wagging like mad and Bea looks like a wine barrel on crack; wiggling wiggling wiggling in anticipation of getting closer to "the target" - i.e. Terrie. This time though, she did as I asked and come through the door "No Touch. No Talk. No Eye Contact."

WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT MADE!

Oh they were still excited to see her but instead of the bonkers jumping and excitedly panting and "arguing" over who gets petted next, they both wiggled a bit and circled Terrie, waiting to be acknowledged. They both got some corrections - ignored completely - until their butts hit the ground at which time they got the attention they wanted. Oh sure. It was excruciating but I imagine this is going to get better the more they "practice" good greeting behavior. It has to. Bo is OUT OF CONTROL when greeting new people. He can literally DRAG ME to get to the "target" - and I have biceps of steel...no kidding...from dealing with these two.

Anyway, fun story of changing a super annoying behavior. We have a VERY long way to go !!! MILES to GO actually! Baby steps!

 

[Lindathedogsmaid]

first -- he is a typical bully when noises go off, and the pitch on the motorized toy is the cause, all 3 of mine at about a yr old were tormented by the neighbors huge toy truck(remote control) what I ended up doing was , turning the garden hose on and when he started it , I would use the nozzle, and when they got hyped up , I would quickly say LEAVE IT and squirt them in the face with the hose,(some dogs like the water, -but rarely to that extent right in the face) it doesn't need to be long , just sudden with the Leave it command! this is a must for learned commands, trust me , and inside the house use a spray bottle with water in it , and do the same, ( if he chases the vacuum or what ever)always with the command.soon -all you have to do is hold the bottle up and say leave it !!!!and they will recognize that bottle, you can then use it outside also.(I try to get bright color ones) but dogs need to be desensitized to the bad behavior, not restricted from it , its not fair to your kids, and god forbid he is out somewhere at age 5 and ahs this suddenly happen to someone else s child, as owners WE need to get them used to all things and every type of objects,, kids bikes,have someone bring a bike up to him while on leash, and let him smell the bike,(it is better if he knows the kid) let him smell it , and have the child roll slowly back and forth , stay calm and say Leave it , followed by Good leave it in a great tone of voice(the respond so well to voice tones) and do the same with skate boards, to move it Very slow, cause bullys love to kill skateboards) pop balloons,slam cupboards, have small children , scream sharply ,(while you are close by ,with a leash on )also have the child dart around while you and the dog calmly sit , and keep saying leave it , and treat immediately after EVERY command followed, if commands are given 9while you are calm) and they are followed, always for the first few months- give that circus cookie(the are a safe and healthy enough treat) NOW as soon as you can, they will remember it next time.
in summery -- outside, use the hose, inside use the water bottle, but keep up this work on these type issues, and they will be nothing soon, But by all means get your dog used to everything , so that they are not surrendered to a rescue at the age of 4 to 6 cause they are not socialized with all things, and meet and greet strangers away from home , give out those circus cookies to strangers to treat your dog. dogs remember that strangers might have a treat, after the first year, your dog will mind you , and love everybody. let me know after a month or so how these things are working.

 

[Lindathedogsmaid]

mine always loved the leaves so much that I raked them into the corner of my yard, just to watch them jump and play, Lisa our moderator watched this behavior too , when she was at my place about 10 years ago. it is a good memory.
oh and watch them try to catch snow flakes !!! LOL!!!

 

[Sarah]

@Vicaroo1000 Brooklyn is the SAME with leaves! But only when they are blowing. If she was any bigger she'd probably pull my arm out of the socket. I'll be walking her and all of a sudden she'll take off and yank the leash to get a leaf blowing along the tar. Crazy dog.

 

[JeannieCO]

Toads, Wilson saw his first toad while camping this summer. He went biserk.

 

[Fontanafox]

Well the only trigger BabyGirl has is her daddy. My husband had part of his foot amputated (diabetes related) so he moves about slowly and he's become a "careful" walker. Whenever he comes into the family room I have to hold her back till he gets close to his lazy boy chair and then she literally shoves him in as he's trying to sit. Then she stands up on him demanding love and kisses. She's a shorty so she even sticks her tongue out trying to reach and lick his face. This only goes on for a couple of minutes but it's a little embarrassing.