[Dailydrool] Dog fighting/resource guarding help needed

[Opal-Deitering, Gaylene]

It is a sad thing to have to ask for help of this nature, but I am calling on my drool family to assist with a fighting issue.  Otis is of my own breeding, and has been fighting with another dog in his home.  I believe that it is resource guarding type behavior, but he has many triggers.  His family has just surrendered their other dog because in attempting to fight with Otis she showed aggression to the owner,  but she has been temperament tested and passed so will be placed for adoption and not than p.t.s.  These are well loved and cared for dogs, and rather than being re-homed when this started a couple of years ago, the dogs were kept outside because they didn't fight there.  That recently changed, and after many bloody brawls one dog is sadly gone. We need to find a trainer who can work with a low income family with children to help Otis be re-integrated back into the house rather than being an outside dog most of the time.  The family has 2 small kids and a Chihuahua, and Otis growls at the small dog. (he is good with the children, but if he gets in a fight with the Chihuahua, he might endanger the children as well). They are trying to integrate him back into their house the right way but they are a low income family who can't afford expensive trainers, even though they have tried to negotiate with them for payment plans or other services.  These are good owners who are at the end of their rope.  Instead of trying to re-home Otis, they would prefer to work with him to have peace in their home.  Does anyone have a lead on low cost in-home training in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti MI area?  We are at the point that everything else hasn't worked.  This is a wonderful family who really has invested to their limit in Otis.  We don't want to try to rehome him, but if he becomes a danger to the kids or the other dog, I will have to ask for help with that as well.

Any suggestions can be made to me directly off list.  Thanks for your help. Gaylene

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