[Dailydrool] Alpha Roll

[alice]

Hi,

 

I usually just lurk and learn but I had to share this experience regarding
the alpha roll.  Like others have wisely said, this is not something you
should do unless you know what you are doing and are strong enough to follow
through, both physically and mentally and can do it without being angry and
frustrated.  I've been having a significant problem with my Bayley Ann
(better known as Bad Bayley) attacking the other dogs in my home if they get
too close to me or any other person she wants to own, especially if there's
food anywhere nearby.  She finally capped that off by challenging me for
possession of my chair.  Normally I pull her off by her collar (gently)
while saying the word off so she'll get the idea.  I told her "off" and she
wouldn't so I took hold of her collar to pull her off and she snarled and
snapped at me.  I knew I couldn't let her stay on the chair with that
behavior so I just kept pulling and she wound up sliding onto the floor on
her side and rolled to her back.  I figured, okay, I've accidentally alpha
rolled her, I have to go all the way with it (largely because she would have
bitten me if I'd let go then) so I held her down until she stopped fighting,
which took quite awhile.  The next time she jumped another dog I alpha
rolled her deliberately and held her down until she got calm.  Last night
she jumped at Jolene again and I yelled (in my extremely loud mean voice)
"Bayley, stop!"  She (unbelievably) did stop, then ran over to me and rolled
on her back!  I'm thinking "Oh cr*p!  I can't put my hand around her throat
and yell at her because she did what I wanted but I can't really praise her
either because she did try to attack Jolene-now what"?  So I put my hand on
her chest and gave her a two-second dirty look, then gave her a belly rub
while trying so hard not to laugh.  And people think bassets are stupid.  

 

Tonight I was able to have Jolene on my lap without gating Bayley in the
kitchen first.  Apart from a lot of loud sighs and several "Obviously nobody
really loves *me*" whines she did well.  I would never have risked alpha
rolling her on purpose but the accidental one did work out for me, luckily.
It's scary and potentially dangerous and I hope I never have to do it again.
I still have big scratches on my arms from her nails clawing me and her
teeth scraping me while she fought me that first time.  She's the funniest
dog I've ever had, the first one to do the basset 500 in the house, she sort
of arooos and wooooo wooooos at me when she wants something, and I've had to
move all the dining room chairs out of the room because she will use them as
a springboard to jump onto the dining room table if they are anywhere near
enough.  She can get the trash out of an outside type garbage can to about
halfway down-I've totally given up trying to pretend I'm civilized, which,
until Bayley, worked to keep bassets out of my trash-without even knocking
it over and for such a tiny basset she's one heck of a counter cruiser.  And
she gets herself out of trouble by dancing around with a big doggie grin
when she gets caught.  

 

Alice, rescued by Bitsy, Bayley Ann DeBasset, fosters Fred, Jasper and
Jolene, and the bridge crew, Jack, Bethany and the Amayzing Daisy May

 

 

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