fear aggression. opinions please

Toffee44

Toffee44

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Before I start I have a walk booked in 1 - 1 with behavourist but would like your opinions first please.

Basically when introduced to dogs Teal tends to go tail between legs and hides behind me. OR runs up barking, hackles up and tail up, tends to do a lap Nd come back never physically attacked but full pelt lab can't be nice for owners. He had one contact when dig went for him he came straight back to me. And in the pub garden a bitch went for him he snapped back, was on lead.

I went to socialisation classes where he was top class made friends with a spaniel etc. Trainer made out I was making deal of nothing. So why cant I go on a walk without him running off at other dog. If I see other dog I can call to heel and he will growl/hide behind but stay with me. Sometimes I put him on lead sometimes I don't. I reward him if he passes with no reaction or try to distract with sqeeky ball if he's reactive ie growling. But unless I see other dog first be normally runs up mouthy until I call him. I have purposefully met up with friends and dogs, introduced in lead and although he won't go off playing and sticks with me he's not bothered by them. He does play with Dylan but this behaviour has literally been in last few weeks. Dylan is my 24 el old pup. He has started growling at people too especially non dog savvy ones. He's only mouth but I don't want it going further. He will go up barking to people who come into office etc but then comes back to me. It's almost as if he's not secure and needs his word in first. He's not been abused etc I have only had him since Feb, last month he has been hourly stints alone but Hes got much better with help from Kong :) before even for 10min he howled. Wondering if this may add to dog/problem. My friend ran them out as I was working and owed me a favour she said Teal wasn't bothered she just walked in. Also I have knocked Windows when coming home from work and to be honest unless you break into the garden while they are in the garden they are useless guard dogs. So think its more of a personal thing than guarding? Sorry v confused and lost here. Want to learn and solve problem which I think will solve. Also apologies as on phone so your eyes and brain prob hurt from bad grammar.

What would you guys suggest
 
TBH it sounds like quite a complex issue (not to worry you, it's quite common, in terms of being bolshy on one hand, sensitive on the other - my dog has been known to bark and lunge at other dogs sometimes, and shake and sit on my feet at other times...takes careful management and reaction/body language on my part - which I think will definitely be a solution for you if he is fine when you are not there/when you are relaxed in a safe environment at training class) and not something that can be 'diagnosed' over the internet, so I hope the trainer can help, he or she will see with their own eyes what the issues are :) good luck x
 
Darcy 2yr Dobe sister to Diesel(He is very confident & friendly) is frightened of other dogs she dosnt know and Im afraid it will escalate into fear agression.

When meeting dogs she dosnt know she will bark but tail between legs and at the first opportunity will sniff said dogs bottom. This has always been friends dogs and when she has got confident she will be calm with the other dog and is now good friends with all my friends dogs of both sexes.

At our last completed training course there were 6 other dogs including her friend but she freaked out at the 2 12week puppies and would just shut her eyes and hoped they wouldnt come near her. During the lessons she just ignored the other dogs and behaved beautifully heeling off lead as well as other exercises.

At our new training class there are about 12 dogs including her friend and Darcy was quite vocal to start with but I kept her moving and she did some good exercises. She did a good sit stay for over a minute but the minute another dog lunged towards her she was running away. I feel like Im flooding her and when she shuts her eyes its like shes trying to pretend its not happening.

I spoke to the trainer about her after the class and said I had been told about her behaviour by Dobermann Welfare. The trainer said it was quite common with a confident sibling and that clicker training got good results. As this class is working towards bronze citizen it wont really cover her problems which Im working to overcome.

So if anyone has had this problem and has overcome it I would be grateful for any advice. As I see it it could develop into dog aggression so not dissimilar to Toffees post.
 
I have a male weimeraner in at the moment (a clients dog) he is the same, all mouth and growley but very scared/insecure.
He barked at the male in the house for months before stopping and still sometimes he barks at him randomly, their behaviourist said (block his view):confused: stand infront of him. (this made him more anxious)
and never worked but he did calm down eventually as they ignored his behaviour.
In mine when he does it, I remove him from the room aslong as he barks, he can remain in the room aslong as he is quiet, I alsk all to ignore him and allow him to do the approaching and fuss the bitch instead, he has now began to approach people in mine, inc my sisters boyfriend who he barked and growled at non stop.
Using the removal technique with him works best, because the remobal is quick and minimal fuss and he desperatley want to remain in the room (he is very sociable and loving) to those he is secure with, it took 5 mins to get him to realise is he lay quiet he remained in, which was enough time for him to also begin to realise that no one was staring, trying to touch him or aknowledging him (no threat) he then began to approach and even took crisps:rolleyes: and got fussed.
I dont allow these behaviour types to approach barking, be it outside or in a room (they will then deem this acceptoble behaviour), inside remove a dog to another room and allow people to enter then let the dog in, you are then invitin the do into the space and not someone invadin theirs and them feel like they have to go on the offensive with the weim) it works very well. Outside he is recalled with the promise on his frisbee being thrown and we can then pass the threat in a positive manor and without him thinking it's acceptible to charge folk. In the filed tonight he ignored everyone, he would not approach them (no big deal) but the main thing was he remained calm and focused on play without having to go on his lead.
There is a huge variation of fear aggression and it's triggers, and the way in which it's dealt with can minimalise the dogs reaction for sure even though the dog may never be (100%), in regard to handling, body language and trying to give confidence without over reacting, mollicuddling or trying to grabble the dog an also dealing with those the dog reacts too and their reactions.:D So def a 1 on 1 session so your trainer can see exactly what his rections may be based on and the best way forward.

With the Weim he has totally missed his socialisin period, he was kept by young kids who could not handle him, he was never walked from being a pup and kept in a crate in the kitchen when visitors came to the house.
He is now seeing and meeting folk of all shapes and sizes in an environment he has never seen them beofre and it's all very over whelming for him.
 
I think some of it is socialization and me. We went out last night with 4 other dogs and met lots of others and he was fine. But then I was relaxed. Trainer booked next week will keep you posted.
 
I wrote a huge long reply to this earlier and then lost it. :cross:

Anyway, Herman is like this with dogs (2yo neutered weim) - through lack of confidence despite trying really hard to socialise him with nice, friendly dogs and people. Out of 11 puppies, I know 3 others out of the same litter and they are all the same, despite very different upbringings.

What is working really well for us at the moment is in our training class, one of the trainers bring their dog (there are 4 dogs/3 trainers in our group, we call it remedial group :) ), we go outside and the trainer starts off with her dog on the other side of the car park. Herman is allowed to see the dog (stop and stare with his eyes bugged out :rolleyes: ) but as soon as he looks away, we run in the OPPOSITE direction, he gets loads of treats and a play with his toy. Then we carry on with what we were doing, Herman sees the dog, looks away etcetc. Trainer gradually moves closer to us and we finish by walking the dogs together, H in front (still not keen on this one) and H behind. The first time it took 45 minutes to be able to walk together, the second time it took 20 and last time it took 5minutes. If I think H is about to set off barking/leaping about then I just need to touch him somewhere & as soon as he looks at me then run off as if H had looked away with no prompting.

I was really sceptical but we've gone from 45minutes of leaping about and barking in a training session to having the 5 minutes outside then going in with the other 3 dogs (along with his new mate as confidence for him). We were also able to walk through the dogs on a loose lead, even with one of the others barking at him and out into the carpark where the next group ( 8 dogs) were waiting to come in without a murmour. Today before we went to the vets we had a little walk round, saw 3 dogs and was able to walk by them with all 4 paws on the floor and no shouting.

Once he's in the training group, if he sets off barking again then he goes into a cupboard (that sounds awful) without me for 10 seconds and then once he's silent he comes out again. Its working.

I don't dread lead walks anymore where I know there's going to be other dogs.
 
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