Hi list! I have a two, almost three year old neutered rottie that is a rescue dog. He was sold as a puppy (don't know the age) from a schutzhund training/breeding establishment, advertizing german lines. He was returned (unknown what age, I think still under six months) as being shy. He has been worked on a sleeve (info from breeder) and they said he has a very hard bite. I got him at one and half years, as they couldn't sell him and as other pups were available, he remained in a dog run, not much training or exposure. He was given to rottie rescue, and I got him immediately from them. He was very uneasy being approached by strangers, just tried to avoid being "caught" in his run. To make a long story short, I've gotten him out in the public and he is adapting quite well. I see no signs of shyness when I am with him, but have heard that when he was restrained without me at the vet for xrays (hips and elbow check over) he really struggled and paniced. If I have him at the vet, he's fine. The only thing I notice is a slight distrust of men, that brings on a state of alert. I watch him closely and have desensitizd him fairly well with limited access to men who know what they're doing and don't feel uncomfortable with this type of work. I feel he is remembering his "sleeve" days and I would like to desensitize this some more. He is a wonderful cart driving dog, going well in close quarters with other people and dogs. Any place available where I could work him on this type of desensitizing? Am willing to "pay." Routine pet obedience people are a little uncomfortable with rotts, and I don't have enough people in and out of here to work at home. Am in the Southern California (Orange County) area.

You believe that the problems with males is from his training in Schutzhund bite work? The distrust comes from working male decoys?

I'm not so sure that your dog may be "programed" to alert to men because of bite work. Usually this has more to do with learned distrust from past male handlers or owners. But, if the dogs training was crap then the distrust could have been fostered in bite work. Either way I don't think that you can do anything more than what you are doing. JMO

Van Camp wrote:

You believe that the problems with males is from his training in Schutzhund bite work? The distrust comes from
working male decoys?

I think so. He focuses and wants to move on these people. If I let him, he sometimes wants to trot up quickly, and attempts to mouth the arm area. Of couse I check him, and allow him to sniff and meet the person. He does tend to be a little mouthy and I am working on discouraging this. But he does percieve children and women differently than men. He'll approach them in sniff mode, a little mouthing, a lot of attempting to lick and even some tail stump wagging!!! Not the same with men. I have never done protection work, but it sure looks like he is thinking that. He'll be pulling on the leash to try to approach. His alert is like he is intently checking him out, as if waiting for a signal. His body is a little tight, he is keening up for a move . I hope to get around some poeple that can help me work through this that know what they're doing. I don't think it would take long to redirect this, as he's responded quite well already. Just lacking some men "decoys" and experience in reorganizing his response <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />