Flawed dog

I call him this with nothing but love in my heart. You see, we have had this odd, particular dog in our lives for three years now and it has grown more and more apparent that he is not like most other dogs. We've noticed he struggles with communicating. He often gives mixed signals, growling while wagging his tail. We also noticed, and the woman at the dog rescue mentioned, that he didn't like his head to be touched. In fact, it became obvious that he preferred not to be touched at all. And don't even think about touching his feet. That contact will always be answered with growling and snarls. During the rainy season, we had to dry his feet off with a towel every time he came inside. He never got used to it. 

Late that first summer we had him, we signed up for dog training. The most research we did about the trainer was to read reviews from others who had gone to his classes. It didn't take long for me to realize that this was not the kind of obedience training either of us supported. For the first part of the first class, we learned how to 'pop a leash'. That's right, if Albie did something wrong while walking, we were shown how to jerk his leash sharply enough to 'pop' it. This was supposed to startle the dog more than hurt him. My hackles went up. Then the trainer told the students they were to purchase what he called 'throw chains'. These somewhat light-weight links (4 or 5 in length) were to be thrown at the dog when they did something in the house they weren't supposed to do. "Not at their head," he assured us. "Never throw it at their head. Aim for anywhere behind the shoulders." A low growl began at the back of my throat. Really?!? I should throw things at a dog who all ready has issues and whose trust I'm desperately trying to win?!? I still didn't say anything. Next, we learned to walk with our dogs. 'Don't forget to give that leash a pop when you see them doing something wrong!' As I walked with Albie next to the commandant 'trainer', Albie did what he so often did as a puppy, reached down to pick up a leaf to carry while he walked. It didn't have to be a leaf. A stick or pine cone worked just as well. He just wanted something he could carry with pride. The trainer told me I should have popped his leash for that behavior. Okay, that was just about all I could take. Why would I correct my dog for doing something that I found to be adorable? When Kevin and I got home, we both agreed we weren't comfortable with the things we learned or the objects we were supposed to use to curb Albie's bad behavior. I haven't mentioned the throw can, have I? If we found the chain wasn't getting the point across, we were told to use a can with 10 or so coins taped inside. If there was any doubt, it was eliminated the next day. Despite my reservations, I took Albie for a walk to practice as I was asked to do. After several 'pops', Albie grew very agitated. I reached down toward him and he bit at me. It wasn't hard, but it was obvious he was stressed out and did it as a reaction to said stress. I walked into the apartment, crying, and Kevin immediately knew we couldn't continue with this form of training. 
I began researching and found out it is called averse dog training. I also found several blogs written by people who had dogs similar in temperament as Albie who had come to the same realization, averse training does not work well with dogs who are borderline aggressive. I hated to admit it, but that was what he was. Having no real knowledge of what his early life was like, I began reading every book I could find on dog behavior. And I found quite a few really good ones. I learned that most studies say that taking a puppy from the litter should not happen before 12 weeks. Puppies learn a lot from both their mother and the litter about how to behave in certain circumstances. And they continue to do so well after eight weeks old. Studies also recommend waiting to spay or neuter your dog until they are closer to a year old. Dogs, depending upon the breed, aren't fully mature until atleast one year old and waiting can help with attitude. 
These studies actually helped me see a little better into what was going on in Albie's mind. As I said in an earlier post, he was found abandoned at a laundromat when he was no more than 6 weeks old. We have no idea how long he was there or what his life was like wherever he came from. What was obvious to us was that he wanted to trust us, but some fear lingered inside him that made it difficult; thereby, making his behavior erratic and sometimes unpredictable.
Probably one of the most fascinating things I learned was how dogs became domesticated. New research has shown that, though dogs did come from wolves, present-day wolves are very far removed from domesticated dogs. Scientists believe that a particular inclination had to be present within certain wolves 10,000 years ago for them to seek out humans for food, protection, and companionship. Most wolves at that time did not do this. This particular wolf bloodline then evolved into domesticated beings. 
I'd like to say that, after three long years, we have no problems; alas, I cannot. Albie still doesn't like his feet being touched or towels in general being used on him. Though he has learned to allow us to pet him, he sometimes still growls. The one thing that has changed for the better is I no longer think that my dog hates me. I don't blame myself or him for what is happening. I have worked really hard at earning his trust, as has my boyfriend, and we can honestly say Albie has come a long way toward being the good boy we know he wants to be.

If you are interested in reading about dog behavior, I strongly recommend the following books:
Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know by Alexandra Horowitz 
Dog Sense by John Bradshaw  
Through a Dog's Eyes by Jennifer Arnold