Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hello - I'm a first time dog owner. I've had my dog for about 2 and a half months. He's a really sweet dog (well, to me, anyway). The first few months I've had him, he's been generally friendly, sociable with other dogs, and ok with people. Lately, he seems to be becoming "mean"...he's snapped at a few people, and today, he tried to bite another dog (and it seemed to be without warning. They were sniffing each other, wagging tails, and then he just "snapped". Maybe I was too friendly with the other dog ). He's still very sweet and loving to me. Is this something I should be concerned about? Is it a territory thing? I've always had cats, so some "dog behaviors" are new to me.
Sounds like he's becoming more confident and his true personality is emerging. Not every dog is social with strangers and other dogs. It's who they are. You can get a professional dog trainer to help with this if possible. Otherwise, I'd keep him away from people he doesn't know and other dogs as well unless you want a law suit.
My dog is the most loving animal I've ever known, but if he's on a leash sniffing another dog and the other dog even twitches he'll go into attack mode. He's scared he's going to be attacked so that's how he reacts. Once he knows the other dog, no problem at all.
He's a mix of pretty much every sort of "Outdoor dog" there is. Labrador Retriever, Border Collie, Beagle, Plott Hound, Australian Cattle Dog, and 12% "Mixed Breed".
I don't want people to be afraid of my dog because of his behavior. Is there anything I can do? I'm also thinking the trainer is a good idea; he seems to be very easy to train. I've taught him 5 commands since I've had him, and he knew about 6 before I adopted him.
Last edited by grneyedmustang; 06-29-2017 at 08:43 PM..
Take him to a Obedience Class. that away he will learn to listen & pay attention to You. & You will learn how to correct behavours Before the snapping & Fighting start.
He's a mix of pretty much every sort of "Outdoor dog" there is. Labrador Retriever, Border Collie, Beagle, Plott Hound, Australian Cattle Dog, and 12% "Mixed Breed".
I don't want people to be afraid of my dog because of his behavior. Is there anything I can do? I'm also thinking the trainer is a good idea; he seems to be very easy to train. I've taught him 5 commands since I've had him, and he knew about 6 before I adopted him.
Lab retriever cattle dog should be a serving herding dog. Is your dog trying to herd you? Does your dog have anything to herd?
I would separate the dog from other dogs and teach socialization.
If you are afraid that the dog will bite, buy a muzzle.
The first command is 'sit'. How could a dog who responds to five or six commands attack?
Say 'sit' and expect the dog to obey.
He's a mix of pretty much every sort of "Outdoor dog" there is. Labrador Retriever, Border Collie, Beagle, Plott Hound, Australian Cattle Dog, and 12% "Mixed Breed".
I don't want people to be afraid of my dog because of his behavior. Is there anything I can do? I'm also thinking the trainer is a good idea; he seems to be very easy to train. I've taught him 5 commands since I've had him, and he knew about 6 before I adopted him.
Please do seek out an experienced, qualified trainer. Most should allow you to observe a class. As someone new to owning a dog, your mix has some strong drives that a good trainer should be able to help you understand. You may want to watch videos and read about body language as it is quite likely your dog was sending signals before he snapped. Are you aware that a wagging tail does not always indicate a dog is happy? Please try to deal with this asap, you do not want a dog that bites and fights other dogs.
He's a mix of pretty much every sort of "Outdoor dog" there is. Labrador Retriever, Border Collie, Beagle, Plott Hound, Australian Cattle Dog, and 12% "Mixed Breed".
I don't want people to be afraid of my dog because of his behavior. Is there anything I can do? I'm also thinking the trainer is a good idea; he seems to be very easy to train. I've taught him 5 commands since I've had him, and he knew about 6 before I adopted him.
Quote:
Originally Posted by grneyedmustang
Hello - I'm a first time dog owner. I've had my dog for about 2 and a half months. He's a really sweet dog (well, to me, anyway). The first few months I've had him, he's been generally friendly, sociable with other dogs, and ok with people. Lately, he seems to be becoming "mean"...he's snapped at a few people, and today, he tried to bite another dog (and it seemed to be without warning.
I don't want my dog to be afraid of people. I fixed that for you. This is what your statement looks like when you act as your dog's advocate.
Your dog is telling you that he isn't comfortable; dogs have a limited number of ways to communicate; these snaps are his way of saying that something about that encounter is stressful. We don't know what is triggering that behavior. It could be that it is the proximity to unknown people and/or dogs, or something else entirely.
Not all dogs want to meet other dogs or other people. You can let him sniff and say a quick hello to other dogs/people, but then end the greeting on a happy note before he becomes uncomfortable to snap.
Please understand that you do NOT need to let other people pet your dog and similarly he does NOT need to greet every dog you see. It is perfectly acceptable- and for him probably preferable- for you to simply keep walking. He is not a plush toy for everyone to pet; he clearly is not comfortable with this contact, so it is your responsibility to protect your dog from situations he is very clearly telling you he can't handle.
It is critical that you not use any leash corrections or harsh tone of voice during any meetings. Dogs make connections between events and any type of correction will be connected to the person or dog; thus dog begins to think- dogs and people mean that I get in trouble so I better be proactive and bark or lunge to keep these people/dogs away.
Other gentle techniques for taking charge of this type of situation:
The key is to keep your body between anything else, whether dog, person, or anything else that makes your dog uneasy.
If you feel you need to do a greeting with someone else, place your body between the greeting dog/person and reach your hand out first, then allow your dog to touch noses/sniff butt, then leave.
Place your body between your dog and the approaching dog/person and walk in a curving path around them. Once you are past them, stop and let your dog watch them leave.
If you continue putting your dog into situations he isn't comfortable with it is likely the behavior will escalate. Please step up and be your dog's advocate and protect him from situations he can't handle. He should be your first priority; you can't be afraid to tell people that no they can't pet your dog or no my dog doesn't want to meet your dog.
If you want to work on this behavior productively, enroll in a basic obedience class with a certified dog trainer who is CPDT-KA certified. The designation will show as Mary Smith CPDT-KA. You can find a CPDT certified trainer through the following link or just look through lists of trainers in your area who have that certification.
Yeah, all of what 12paw said. Find yourself a good trainer who uses positive methods (not leash pops or shock collars or dominance rolls or any of that stuff) and don't be afraid to tell people not to pet your dog when you're out and about.
I would also consider dog sports as well as obedience. Beginning agility classes helped me to develop a very strong bond with both of my dogs. They were more confident out and about, and it taught them to look to me in new situations rather than just reacting.
And if your dog remains reactive, nosework is a great activity to do together.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
). He's still very sweet and loving to me. Is this something I should be concerned about? Is it a territory thing? I've always had cats, so some "dog behaviors" are new to me.
