sometimes aggressive black mouth cur

by Mike
(Elkhart Indiana)

We inherited/rescued what was supposed to have been a rhodesian ridgeback/mastiff from our son who thought it was a good idea to get a "house dog" while in college. After doing some research on the dog (from previous records), I found that he (Kujo) has been through 4 owners. He is now 2 years and 9 months old. After he nipped at the dog groomer, we decided to take him to a local dog trainer. Previous to this, at his college home, he had never bitten anyone, but really had no rules or training - he could basically do what he wanted there. When we went to the trainer, we left him in the car per the trainers request. As we walked back out there with the trainer, the dog went ballistic. Barking growling and showing his teeth. Sounded beyond viscous. As he looked at him though, he was fairly certain it wasn't a ridgeback. We went in and he pulled up pics of a black mouthed cur, and he looks exactly like one. So I am assuming that is what he is, and possibly mixed with a mastiff. He is a big boy at a very trim and muscular 85 pounds. So basically before the groomer bite and this incident at the trainer, he had not really shown much in the way of aggression. This trainer didn't want to work with me so I went to another trainer and got out of the car with Kujo on a leash while the trainer came out to greet us. Other than being very excited he was not aggressive at all. He gave me some tips on walking him and basic commands which I have done religiously. Sit, walk, stay - all the basic commands he does well when it's just here at home or walking around the neighborhood. The aggression comes in whenever someone walks past us or we stop to talk. If I hold him back from what I hope is him greeting someone, he gets extremely aggressive towards that person. He will also do the same towards other dogs. I use a pinch collar when walking him and will pull back enough when he does this to get a yelp, at which time he will look back at me as if he were going to bite me, but never does. Here at home, when people come in, he will greet them excitedly and never has he acted aggressive then. He liked to jump up on people when we first got hime here, but we have succeeded in calming that down. If someone should happen to knock on the the door though, he goes ballistic and is very had to settle down. I guess to sum this up, how do I get him to be more relaxed around people when they first come into contact with him? I personally feel that by restraining him in any fashion is what seems to trigger his aggression. We do have another dog, an english bulldog, that at first was an issue for both of them but now they put up with each other pretty well. The only time they get into it is because of object aggression on occasion, and the bulldog will sometimes get a little ornery with him. A firm "NO" usually stops any confrontation. Otherwise Kujo is a great, loving, playful big baby that just wants to be a giant lap dog.