My dog, (who used to be friendly to everyone), has been teased by a co-worker. Now he is very protective. What can I do to make him friendly again?

Question

I have a two-year-old Australian cattle dog that was given to me as an adult at one and a half years of age. He was such a loving dog when I got him, he liked everyone. I am a construction worker and took him to work with me to socialize him. He stayed in the back of the truck all day long and never got out as long as he could see me. He was a dog for everyone. Children use to play with him all day long.

    This guy at work started teasing him because he said he looks like he would bite. I didn't know he was teasing him, but guys would tell me he was. I confronted him about it and he denied it. I brushed it off, but I took the guys statements more seriously when I saw Zeke's attitude changing.

    Now he no longer let's people come up to the truck. I could not ride him and the fellows in the truck together anymore. He will not even let them get in. He has turned into a biter, and I want my original dog back. I think he is a very good dog, but I am no expert. Zeke use to ride on the backhoe with me and would stay right beside me lying down on the tractor floor while I would dig holes and ditches, and he would never move unless someone came near the tractor. He will also retrieve all that I throw for him. He does some agility work and a lot of other things. Now he is so aggressive that I leave him at home or when I take him out in public I have to put a muzzle on him, and he hates it the whole time out he fights the muzzle trying to get it off. I want my love all people dog back. Can you help me to get him back? Also he has turned into a dog fighter and would like to know how to stop this behavior also.

    Thank you so very much for any information that I can use or try to solve my problem, Sal

Accepted Answer

I would get the dog neutered. This may work, it may not - but it must be done to see if it helps mellow him out. Most of the time on an adult dog it does not have a lot of effect.

Then you need to do a lot of obedience work with the dog. Do what I show in my Basic Dog Obedience video. The more obedience you have on a dog the safer it is, it also makes the dog look at the handler as his pack leader - often this takes some of the fight out of a dog. In a true pack, the pack leader is the one who determines who fights and when.

Then I would go out and buy cheap hot dogs. I would get friends to walk by the truck and toss the dog pieces of hot dogs. Make people into hot dog machines. Over time see if the dog will allow them to approach and pet for a hot dog. Do this every where.

I would also resist the urge to have the dog become protective of your home by barking at the door etc etc. He sounds like a dog that will be there if needed without any training.

The bottom line is that all of these things may not work. But they are your best hope.

Maybe you would also want your dog to meet this guy that did the teasing after work some day before getting neutered and the transformation begins. Sounds like he needs an attitude adjustment right along with the dog.