I have a 2 year old dominate female with trust and fear aggression problems. She was raised with me and my G/F down in FL where there was no family around and wasn't socialized very well after the 8 month period when we moved out into gods country. From 8 months on she started developing dominant issues.

The problem that I am trying to correct now is when friends come over, she has to be muzzled, although she has never bitten anyone and had the chance I am not willing to push that issue.

What happens when people come over she will bark aggressively at them in the cage and then I have to calm her down, which she listens and in a matter of minutes calms down. I had some people over today and tried to work with her a bit today with the muzzle on and told the people just no eye contact, and no interaction.

She walked around with her ears down for about ten minutes, low growls in general not at anyone specific ( at this point I corrected her on the growls with a "bad" and a tap with my finger and she quieted down), smelling the two kids and two adults. She sat next to one of the women next to the back door away from me because I won't let her sit near me and look for comfort and just sat there with her ears perked up and looking at everyone. This went on for about a half hour she would just watch people and she relaxed with no out bursts, laid down and relaxed.

She was hanging out next to G/F sister so much relaxed with muzzle on that I said go ahead and give her a light stroke, bad idea, she freaked on her barking aggressively and lunged towards her, I had to once again correct that with a "bad" and a two finger tap in the side and call her away and near me and downed her. I probably showed have had her prong on her with a leash for the correction process, but, should a, would a, could a, at this point. I have bought Eds DVD on the dominant and aggressive dog, ordered today.

Any ideas on people who have had to deal with this type of situation before on ways that I can get her to trust people who come in my house. I need to teach her that the people who I let in are ok. I just don't know how to do this. Thanks for any advise.

 Quote: Joe Chevrier

.........I probably showed have had her prong on her with a leash for the correction process, but, should a, would a, could a, at this point. I have bought Eds DVD on the dominant and aggressive dog, ordered today.

You've got the right idea. No nagging corrections here, a good firm POP is required to gain respect. Leash is absolutely needed to help in timing with your correction, and it is another safety measure. A muzzle can still hurt. Keep this up with better consistency and you will be well on your way to success.

Ed's advice is priceless, you'll be very happy with your dvd. Good luck!

It sounds like maybe you are moving too fast or expecting her to learn or do to much at this point. I would start out with her muzzled in a down stay next to my leg when around other people I am not sure the benefit of letting her wander around others, but only to confirm her suspicions and make her more weary. She needs to learn to control herself, be obedient and curb her fears/aggression while near your before leaving the protection of the pack leader.
You mention that you don't allow her to sit near you for her comfort. Why not? Isn't that what pack leaders are for? You are not approving of her aggression by letting her sit comforted near you. This is how she will builds confidence to wander out unafraid among other people. When you "abandon" her to be around the others then expect her not to defend herself or be submissive, it's easy to see why this is not working.
You should not nurture her fears by "comforting" her when she is aggressive, but praising her when she is behaving. This is very important to her progress. Calming her down in her cage while others are over is the wrong way to approach the situation. You are cornering her in her territory (her crate/den) and then verbally calming her which is percieved as praise usually and nurtures her fear/aggression. If she is in her crate, she needs to be put in before the others get there and put put of sight. Put here in a nearby room so she can hear the voices and smell the smells, but don't comfort her, calm her or bother her. If she is asleep or chewing calmly, go in and reward her with praise or a treat. Then calmly leave and let her be.
You also can't just expect her to figure it out by corrections alone or she associate correction with the situation, making it worse. Add some significant praise and reinforcement when she is calm & submissive.
Letting your sister pet her was pushing the envelope. She needs to end on a good note to improve and feel more comfortable. Every setback she has from another scary incident is more detrimental to her training and progress. Don't push her. Dogs dont need to be friendly with everyone or like everyone, but they need to be submissive, calm and safe. I think a realistic goal for her is to just tolerate others for now. No petting, no treats, not anything that an be perceived as a threat. After a couple times of her being completely relaxed in the room at your side, maybe falling asleep, not reacting out of fear and not growling would be a victory for her.
Though you say your dog is dominant, she sound like her behavior is more fear based in this situation.
Take baby steps, reward the good, prevent aggression form surfacing, and correct appropriatly. I know some more members will have some good advice too. Good Luck!

Alison Voore

I have (had) a fearful dog who has made great strides. Disclaimer, my dog was NEVER aggressive, he would just tremble, pant, and try to run away and/or hide.

Alison's advice is great. Try to find ways to PRAISE the dog, not correct her. And allow her to be near you. You should IGNORE fearful behaviour like trembling, pawing at you, panting, PRAISE calm behaviour and CORRECT growling, posturing and aggression.

My dog, however, never acted "calm" so if your dog is like mine, following the above advice and Alison's advice might be difficult.

A way to get around this is to ask the dog to follow a command for which you can praise her. Example: sit or down.

The dog is nervous because she doesn't know what to do and what to expect. By following commands then being praised for her compliance, she can be sure she is doing what is expected and the fear will dissipate.

PATIENCE. It took my fearful, unsocialized (neglect case) dog, following the above plan consistently, 4 months at least, to see any improvement and after fostering him for 9 months, he is about 95% improved. So don't expect your dog to be civil overnight.

Good luck!

 Quote: alison voore

You mention that you don't allow her to sit near you for her comfort. Why not? Isn't that what pack leaders are for? You are not approving of her aggression by letting her sit comforted near you

I should have restated that, I don't say anything to get her away from me like "go" when she comes near me for comfort I just simply step a few steps away from her if she leans up against me. I almost look at that as she is looking for comfort by coming near me with her ears down and I am not going to praise for that.

Yesterday she stood near the sliding glass door next to my sister in law and was relaxed, before I had my bone brain moment of thinking that it may be ok for a stroke on the back.


"If she is in her crate, she needs to be put in before the others get there and put of sight. Put here in a nearby room so she can hear the voices and smell the smells, but don't comfort her, calm her or bother her. If she is asleep or chewing calmly, go in and reward her with praise or a treat. Then calmly leave and let her be."

I don't praise her in the crate; I quiet her by using my word of choice which is "hey" when I use that with her she knows I mean business. This settles her down from her aggressive barking. At no time do I tell her its ok or good girl, unless I see her with her ears perked up and calm. I do praise this state while in the cage or out of the cage. I never praise mouthy ness, excited behavior or anxiety ( i.e. walking in through the door and first contact excitement) I ignore this until she settles completely down. Her cage is placed in line with the front door so she can see it, I can move the cage, but at this time I cannot put it in another room out of site of people coming over.

 Quote: angela burrell

Alison's advice is great. Try to find ways to PRAISE the dog, not correct her. And allow her to be near you. You should IGNORE fearful behaviour like trembling, pawing at you, panting, PRAISE calm behaviour and CORRECT growling, posturing and aggression.

I agree with Angela and Alice. I hope you didn't take my first post about corrections the wrong way. Joe is taking the right "no touch, no talk, no eye contact" attitude with guests and attempting to praise the calm behavior as was suggested. I believe Joe is going through a learning curve and discovering his dogs limits. Everyone has expanded on the subject quite well. Excellent Advice! Praise is more important than correction.

I just saw that when it was required to CORRECT for growling, posturing and aggression, Joe wasn't always in a good position to do so and a finger tap to the nose does not seem like a firm NO correction for such a serious offense as aggression. This just appeared to be the weakest link in Joe's chain. Overall, Joe's on the right track.

Joe, if this is in fact a fear biter, sorry about your dog.People in the house is rough for a fearful dog to handle. You should probably step back even more by going off the property and socilizing her from long distances and do tons of obedience with her, let her see people but not to close, know what i mean? For now and maybe forever if people come in the house, put her away, that's overload for a fearful dog. Slooowly work at closer contact, you might never achieve being able to have company over with her out of the crate, so for now, just put her up when you have company. Every other behaviour can be dealt with but fear is by far the worse. I wish you good luck with her,
AL

 Quote: al curbow

Joe, if this is in fact a fear biter, sorry about your dog.People in the house is rough for a fearful dog to handle. You should probably step back even more by going off the property and socilizing her from long distances and do tons of obedience with her, let her see people but not to close, know what i mean? For now and maybe forever if people come in the house, put her away, that's overload for a fearful dog. Slooowly work at closer contact, you might never achieve being able to have company over with her out of the crate, so for now, just put her up when you have company. Every other behaviour can be dealt with but fear is by far the worse. I wish you good luck with her,
AL

Al,
She isn’t a “fear biter” she has never bitten anyone, although she has had the chance, At this point rite now I don’t know what it would take to get her to that point, I know she would bite a stranger if they were to try and take a bone or food bowl. Which a family member or stranger would never be in a position to be able to do this anyway. When people come over she has a muzzle on or in the cage if I am not there. So I have all the protective measures in place at the moment except for a balanced dog.

“You should probably step back even more by going off the property and socilizing her from long distances and do tons of obedience with her, let her see people but not to close, know what i mean?”

This is great advice, since I have moved back to NJ from FL I continue my walks with her every night, which she is exposed to minimal stuff at night. I get home from work about 3:30 so usually I play ball with her in the back yard, do some training incorporated with play. ( I.E. have her in a sit stay, down, and kick the ball and give her a release command on and off lead, I will also take the ball and roll it rite by her, over her, around her, she knows the basic commands spot on such as sit, stay, down, come, leave it, stand,) Which she follows to the tee, rarely does she break the stay and grab the ball, and if she does she knows the "leave it" command very well and listens 99% of the time, so we will correct her, grab the ball and go back and do it again.

I have woods near my house where I ride my dirt bike at and we went walking back there today for the first time, usually when we walk she isn't allowed to smell the ground and track (Which she loves to do), urinate, or scrap and mark territory. She has high prey drive, loves to track, and overall just loves to work. Anyway, we went back there today and I let her track, she was tracking fresh dear prints, another dog, and just experienced some ducks in a lake. I am working on the more exposure thing and letting her do work everyday.

What are your specific goals for your dog? "I want my dog to be calm and comfortable around other people" & " I want my dog to enjoy being around other people" are two very different things. One is a friendly dog and one is not. Do you want people to be able to love up and pet/play with your dog? (I don't know if it is a realistic goal-plus, I'm not sure why you would want your dog to want to do this anyway. I don't let other people pet my dogs.) the other goal is for your dog to be aloof, non- aggressive and basically ignore all other people, but to be comfortable in their presence, not fearful. Don't expect her to pet by people, that's a whole other issue to her. I'd define your goal very specifically and examine what that contains in detail. Work on that before trying to do more. It will be easier for you and her.

There are some dogs who, by some traumatic event during a critical period, will never be friendly to people out of the pack. EVER. Would it be possible for you to accept her as one of these dogs (after more training to no avail) and just contain her when others are over?

You say she is dominant- what signs of dominance does she show? The sitting at your side, leaning with her ears down is a sign of submission (with some fear with her)and not dominance. She should be treated aloof during this time, not praised or discouraged from doing this.