May 18, 2011
Our puppy is afraid of other dogs. Two older dogs bit it. Our local instructor told us to squirt bitter apple in it's mouth if he screams.
Full Question:
Our puppy - Nitro (Male Sable) is terribly afraid of other dogs. Our Lasha Apso, 8 years old, has bitten him a few times, but he is not afraid of her. Our relative's small dog also bites him. Now when he goes around any dogs he starts screaming, his backhair goes up and he wants to run and hide. We did get your training video on puppies and I know it is important to socialize him. He loves people and has met many people. We were going to bring him to puppy class at A-1 Training in Brooklyn Park. The person there said we should spray his mouth with "Apple Bitter," have him on a leash and make him sit or lay down but not to tolerate his screaming. Do you have any ideas on what we can do? 
Ed's Answer:
Do not go to this puppy class.
This problem is one that you have created by allowing the puppy to be hurt by older mature dogs. I suggest that you read the article on my web site concerning dog parks. You will find the link off my table of contents.
The key with this article is not the dog park issue, but rather your responsibility as a pack leader to protect your puppy. You have failed in this responsibility. I suggest that you spend some time on my web site reading Q&A sections on puppies and training in general. What needs to be done now is to nurture this puppy when it shows fear of a large dog. You should not allow it around other adult dogs that you do not know. You should only allow it to be around dogs that are very friendly to puppies. It may be too late, the damage that has already been done will end up being translated into a dog aggressive animal as an adult. Whatever you do, do not follow the advice of the dummy in the puppy classes.
This problem is one that you have created by allowing the puppy to be hurt by older mature dogs. I suggest that you read the article on my web site concerning dog parks. You will find the link off my table of contents.
The key with this article is not the dog park issue, but rather your responsibility as a pack leader to protect your puppy. You have failed in this responsibility. I suggest that you spend some time on my web site reading Q&A sections on puppies and training in general. What needs to be done now is to nurture this puppy when it shows fear of a large dog. You should not allow it around other adult dogs that you do not know. You should only allow it to be around dogs that are very friendly to puppies. It may be too late, the damage that has already been done will end up being translated into a dog aggressive animal as an adult. Whatever you do, do not follow the advice of the dummy in the puppy classes.
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