Any ideas on this dog please post: I am working with a two year old Bouvier who is from show lines. I train lots of GSD, Mals, and others but not many Bouvs. The dog is very unpredictable and seems to be afraid of bigger dogs. Her first reaction to another dog is to bark fiercely and then jump at them. If they do not back away she runs and hides. The owner tells me that she hides in the house as the owner returns from work until the dog is absolutely sure that the "intruder" is the owner. The owner has another Bouv ( this dog's mother)that is really very normal.

I can not convince the owner to use some sort of tasty treat to make the dog believe people who come in the door are friendly and a good thing.

An example of her behavoir: I left our training room the other night to answer a phone call and when I came back the dog treated me like I was Jack the Ripper.The owner really thinks that the best thing is to force the dog to confront whatever the Monster is but I do not advocate that.

Is this normal for BOuvs? Does the dog what a screw loose??

She has never bitten anyone. Seems friendly most of the time. Her coat is very long and over her eyes. She is very obedient. Her owner is very concerned about this. The dog seems to have improved a little in the last few months. I am doing confidence builing stuff with her.

Thanks, Sally Hatten

Doesn't help, but why won't they try using food to make a positive experience?

Sally your first sentence said it all. What you described is a typical reaction from a dog with weak nerves and she is just as confused as you are. Unfortunately you can't train weak nerves you can only manage them and please understand she will bite somebody it's only a matter of when. You don't want to hear what I would suggest. Good luck you will need it. Norman

LEADERSHIP!!!! OBEDIENCE!!!! Hair out of her eyes! As Norman said it can be managed but the owner needs to be 110% dedicated to training.

If they are unable to make that commitment the least they need to do is use the appropriate tools to manage her behaviors. Crate, muzzle, long line...never off leash unless they are safely ensconced in their own back yard with her.

I would work to get her obedience rock solid and the owner capable of reading her body language before trying to desensitize her. I think desensitization in an unpredictable dog can be dangerous unless you have stacked the odds in your favor with a solid foundation in obedience and the ability to read your dog to avoid pushing too hard.

BTW this is an individual dog issue not a breed issue. A friend of mine has 2 autistic children who each have a Bouvier as their service dog. As you can imagine these dogs are very even tempered. Lucy did go through a protective period during her adolescence but it was worked out pretty easily.

Goodluck! It sounds like you may have your work cut out for you too

having grown up with Bouvs, I can tell you that these dogs, with the correct temperament, should be stable, but not outgoing to others. Of course in any breed, there will be individuals who lack confidence. The only way to increase confidence is to stop "trying" it. Allow the dog to watch goings on and move in on situations as the dog becomes comfortable. Focus work is also good. Some dogs will just never be comfortable with other dogs in their space. It would be good to know more about how the owner "is" around the dog. It sounds just from this small snippet, that maybe that owner is not very confident herself, or, if they are, that they have not built trust in the dog.

Dog doesn't really sound that unpredictable to me- rather, she's a dog who just doesn't have the tools in the box to handle herself.

Could be a neat dog to train, if you work it right. Perhaps that dog should live with you a while...

Maybe the owner should sell the dog...

 Quote: sally a hatten

Any ideas on this dog please post: I am working with a two year old Bouvier who is from show lines. I train lots of GSD, Mals, and others but not many Bouvs. The dog is very unpredictable and seems to be afraid of bigger dogs. Her first reaction to another dog is to bark fiercely and then jump at them. If they do not back away she runs and hides. The owner tells me that she hides in the house as the owner returns from work until the dog is absolutely sure that the "intruder" is the owner. The owner has another Bouv ( this dog's mother)that is really very normal.

I can not convince the owner to use some sort of tasty treat to make the dog believe people who come in the door are friendly and a good thing.

An example of her behavoir: I left our training room the other night to answer a phone call and when I came back the dog treated me like I was Jack the Ripper.The owner really thinks that the best thing is to force the dog to confront whatever the Monster is but I do not advocate that.

Is this normal for BOuvs? Does the dog what a screw loose??

She has never bitten anyone. Seems friendly most of the time. Her coat is very long and over her eyes. She is very obedient. Her owner is very concerned about this. The dog seems to have improved a little in the last few months. I am doing confidence builing stuff with her.

Thanks, Sally Hatten