May 23, 2011
Our new dog has started to snap at people at the park and new people coming into our home. Would you recommend more training or should we find her a more appropriate home?
Full Question:
Hi Cindy,I would really appreciate your input on a concern we have about our 4 month old GSD puppy. We purchased her from a breeder who breeds working line GSDs. She is crated every night, exercised twice a day and I have been working with her on basic dog obedience. We have a 6 year old lab that she plays with. We have tried to socialize her but she has started to snap at people at the park and new people coming into our home. We have a 3 year old son and we are very concerned that she will not be a safe dog to have around our sons friends let alone any new person she comes in contact with. I am willing to put in the time and effort that is required to train her but my husband is concerned that she will never be trust worthy and is ready to return her to the breeder. I understand from the FAQ section of your website that we need to train her to do the down/stay, to go to her crate and stay (with distractions/corrections). We have also been working on pack and rank corrections. I have ordered your DVDs on Basic Dog Obedience and Establishing Pack Structure with the Family Pet. Would you recommend to proceed with the obedience training or do you think that this is a situation where we need to find her a more appropriate home?
Thank you for your time.
Anya
Cindy's Answer:
The videos you chose are good and will help a lot. In the meantime, I'd do some reading on our website.
I think you need to offer your puppy more structure and leadership as well as learn what socialization really means. I don't put my dogs and puppies in the situation where they feel the need to snap. This is usually a fear response, someone is getting too much in their space or making them uncomfortable. I teach my puppy that if they follow my leadership, I will keep them safe from things that make them uncomfortable by asking people to ignore my puppy. I don't know why everyone thinks they need to touch a dog that isn't a member of their family. I get many emails from people who start "protecting" their puppy from scary experiences only to have the pups confidence and curiosity grow once they understand the humans in their family won't let anyone barge into their space.
You can read this to get our definition of socializing.
I'd read the article Ed wrote on The Groundwork to Becoming your Puppy's Pack Leader.
I would also recommend this 3 part video series on fear periods in dogs, it explains how to condition the dog to things that make it nervous.
I hope this helps.
Cindy Rhodes
I think you need to offer your puppy more structure and leadership as well as learn what socialization really means. I don't put my dogs and puppies in the situation where they feel the need to snap. This is usually a fear response, someone is getting too much in their space or making them uncomfortable. I teach my puppy that if they follow my leadership, I will keep them safe from things that make them uncomfortable by asking people to ignore my puppy. I don't know why everyone thinks they need to touch a dog that isn't a member of their family. I get many emails from people who start "protecting" their puppy from scary experiences only to have the pups confidence and curiosity grow once they understand the humans in their family won't let anyone barge into their space.
You can read this to get our definition of socializing.
I'd read the article Ed wrote on The Groundwork to Becoming your Puppy's Pack Leader.
I would also recommend this 3 part video series on fear periods in dogs, it explains how to condition the dog to things that make it nervous.
I hope this helps.
Cindy Rhodes
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