How to help a dog overcome fear / aggression

ladyt25

ladyt25

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Ok, so some of you may know i got myself a little rescue dog just over 2 weeks ago. She is (now) about 10 mths old. I knew when I got her she had some issues with other dogs when she's on the lead but, when off she's generally ok. My parents look after her in the day so she gets to socialise with their two dogs and she is loving having a good play with their younger dog. I am working on the dog socialisation and when out on walks am asking people with their dogs if she's allowed to say "hello". So far this is going ok and I think she's improving.

However, what the Dogs Trust possibly didn't know is she seems to have a fear of men as well as other dogs and essentially barks in fear at them. I am not 100% sure what is the best way to deal with it. She did it with my dad to start with and he just ignored her and now she knows him she is fine. The thing is, igt's ok when you have time for her to get to know someone but strange men out on a walk is another issue - what is the best way to deal with it?

I know it is very very early days but I don't want her fear - she barks and basically wants to move away but on the lead she can't - to turn in to her snapping if she feels pressured. My parents have a xmas eve party every year (we're talking friends and kids etc) and i was going to just try tell everyone to ignore her and not try to stroke her, just let her come to them. Is that the right approach? She is actually a very cuddly dog, desperate for affection and very attached to me now so i hope she will improve in time. Should I remove her from the situation (party) if she seems to be getting too stressed? Thing is I can't shut her away as then she'll bark and stress if i've left!!!

Any tips would be gratefully received!!!
 
Just don't let her next to abdul at the party - they'll scare each other! :eek:

Maybe socialise her with as many of the men you know who'll be there and go from there - can ask mum and dad to help?
 
On the lead? She might be alright if loose in the house, maybe we can move their beds to a safe place she can retreat to if needed? Maybe bring her round here one evening to meet the OH so she can do that first in an ok place?
 
I'd try and get her to a good training class or consult someone who will come and assess her who can spot exactly what the triggers are and recommend a course of action which will suit her as an individual dog, some dogs can't take any pressure at all and it has to be all positive, some dogs actually need and respect a firmer hand and it is not something that can be easily advised over the internet without seeing the dog.
There are trainers out there who are somewhere in the middle of whale music and patchouli oil, and wiring the dog up to the mains!

Does she be interested in a food or ball? Some dogs can be trained to focus on an item which takes the pressure away from the thing they fear. It's not ideal but it is better than the dog being on edge all the time.

TBH at this early stage the party might blow her brains a bit until you sort it, again, some dogs need chucked in at the deep end, some can't handle it, but that's just IMO.

If you're not 100% sure, she will not be 100% sure of the messages you are trying to send her, if that makes sense, which is why someone else needs to look at the situation with a fresh pair of eyes.
 
Well, I have just booked myself in to a training session/assessment the first week of Jan. I suspect she is Kelpie x and funnily the woman I have spoken to has Kelpies so has said that isn't unusual behaviour for them. I actually think she will be ok at the party as will be off the lead. So far she seems to be fine once she's met someone once and that's it, she recognises them and doesn't bark. I just think if she feels overfaced that;s when she might not know what to do with herself.

Currently i tend to just call her away and tell the person she is scared of/making a fuss about to ignore her and that seems to work. I haven't told her off or anything like that as have found mainly if you make high pitched 'happy' sounds she snaps out of her barking 'zone' as it were. I think plenty of treats and toys will be on the agenda - hopefully the food aout may distract her aswell. I find it quite sad as she is very people orientated really but her last owner was a bloke and I think he was rather heavy handed with her by the sounds of it.
 
Great news you found a trainer with experience of the breed.
For the party I suggest you take along a collapsible/canvas crate or make sure there is a small, dark area where she escape to if she needs to.
 
Yeah, if she is what i think she is or part of anyway, then i think that'll help. There are plenty of spaces at my parents for her to escape to - the other dogs tend get bored after the initial excitement of people coming and go to their beds after a bit so i hope she may follow suit to some degree. It's by no means a crazy party but it will be the most people she's met at once. Think I'm just going to have to be on alert initially to be on alert for signs of stress.

Thanks for you help anyway. In some ways I think it may help her sort of being thrown in and seeing us and her doggie pals treating is as normal.
 
Sounds just like my dog. He wasn't a rescue, but was still a basket case with strangers, particularly men. Would become very aggressive because he was frightened. He's small, but people didn't react well to those needle-like teeth. Dog training classes, meeting lots of people and, ultimately, time have turned him into a not exactly chilled, but a well mannered mutt, who still spends too much time worrying about things!
The party sounds quite a lot to deal with for you and your dog. Any chance he could spend the evening somewhere else? If not, maybe a bedroom he could hide in (my favourite tactic at parties - I'd be there with him!) Best of luck
 
madmav said:
Sounds just like my dog. He wasn't a rescue, but was still a basket case with strangers, particularly men. Would become very aggressive because he was frightened. He's small, but people didn't react well to those needle-like teeth. Dog training classes, meeting lots of people and, ultimately, time have turned him into a not exactly chilled, but a well mannered mutt, who still spends too much time worrying about things!
The party sounds quite a lot to deal with for you and your dog. Any chance he could spend the evening somewhere else? If not, maybe a bedroom he could hide in (my favourite tactic at parties - I'd be there with him!) Best of luck
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I am staying at my parents for xmas eve so can't really put her elsewhere but there are plenty of places for her to get away from people. It isn't a raucous party by any means - just people coming for drinks and some nibbles really but a fair few are men. She does actually like people really and seems fine with women, it's just men but she has met a few since being at my parents in the day and, after the initial nervous barking she calms down if they just ignore her basically. I'd don't think she'd snap but am aware there's a fine line between the scared barking and her feeling under pressure that would turn that in to a snap reaction. I am hoping as she's still young that with some socialisation and meeting more people she will improve. I think she may always be wary of strange men but that isn't a huge issue as such.
 
My kelpie was fearful of everything, and I had her from a pup. She was like a border collie, very uptight and a bit of a stresshead but OK once she knew you. She used to hide under furniture and bite people as they went past. First time I was um...in bed...with my now husband she leapt up from under the bed and bit his ankle! Oops!
Anyway, I can't see why your dog - who is gorgeous btw - has to attend the party? Surely she would be better off shut in your bedroom or in your car or something. Certainly it would have been something mine would have absolutely hated.
 
Clodagh - I don't think she's that extreme, it just is evident when she feels a bit stressed and is worse if she's on the lead as i guess she feels she can't run away then. She would not be able to be shut in a room or anywhere really as she likes to know where I am so that would just make her worse if she knew people were there but she couldn't see what was going on. I think she wants to mingle as it were but then there's some deep seated fear that sometimes just gets her. I think as there's enough space for her to get away she'll be fine. To be honest I am more concerned when we're walking as sometimes she takes exception to some men and barks at them incessantly - I think I should just ignore it and try distract her with food etc but when she's in that 'zone' it's quite hard!
 
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