Training a people fear aggressive dog

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Ranyhyn

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Sid is a little reticent about strangers, as I guess most good sheps are. However I do love my walks and would relish the ability to let him off the lead to play.

I have been thinking about how we would get over his issues. I was thinking of starting with a stooge stranger, someone known to me and not frightened of dogs. To come up to us in the park/field etc and then on approach, getting Sid to sit, concerntrate on me, when he ignores the stranger I will reward and when he reacts I will ignore and make him sit again. Hopefully graduating to off the lead practise with the same method. I guess I'll never truly cure his socialisation problems, being a 4 year old dog, but if I can take his focus off and make him concerntrate on me, hopefully we will be able to have enjoyable walks for him.

Apparently his basic commands are very good and he is very good off the lead anyway (without unknown people around)

How does that sound to you more shep savvy people?
 
Where does it say he is going to bite anyone? I wasn't aware I wrote that. Oh hang on, I didn't. No dog of mine will be biting anyone and if they do, it'll be a person who was quite aware that that was a possible outcome, ergo no big problem.
 
Depends how bad he is, but you could even start a step back, and just have the stranger walking around at a distance without actuallyapproaching.

Other things to try could involve going to places where people will be coming and going, for example outside supermarkets. Park yourselves up in a place where people won't walk past too close, but will be coming and going, and get his focus onto you. That would probably be a slightly later stage though.

Get the focus command trained first, and stay calm and neutral. If he is fear aggressive, you need to make sure that you are not heightening that fear. If he's into toys take one along and squeak it to get his attention off the people, then reward.

:)
 
He's mouthy more than anything, I'm getting the impression its almost more 'pressure aggressive' than anything, rather than fear aggressive. Might be the wrong term. The emphasis is on time and continuity with him, he's had a series of serious upheavals which have obviously unsettled him and while not a danger, he still needs his aggression towards people controlled until I am sure of him. I guess what is starting out as barking could well escalate if I'm not ontop of it, so I guess I'm working on prevention, rather than cure :D
 
I would advise to take your time, and let him get settled in and work with his recall and assess how he reacts when you are simply out walking and others are doing their own things around you, I woud be suprised if he literally ran up to others, they usually only show fear when they are you are approached otherwsie they will ignore their sorrounding if no threat is upon them, recall is usually no problem with shepherds they are bright and loyal dogs and tend not to stray away from their master as such, it may be he is jsut a little warey of some strange people, is he in kennels? or in a home environmet I only say this because most sheps show fear or what looks like true aggression behind bars, but once out they are fine, otherwise when socialising him, it's always best to allow him to come round in his own time and not allow people to approach him as such, so if your are in the park for instance, and you can interact with a stooge:D simply stand and talk, wit them not giving any eye contact to him or approaching him directly, and get them to bend dow and fuss your terriers, same goes for in the house, and get them to offers treats to your littsle one, this is usally a good encourager to get the other dogs interest as dogs are naturally inquisitive given the time to explore.
If he is a guarder in the house, when people call, firstly place him in the kitchen area and let your guests in and ask them to be seated before you let him enter, this way the whole entering situation is deflated and said person is seaed in a less threatening manor, he will either bark, or jsut sniff around the person a little eratically or come and sit beside you, either way as the person not to call his name or try to pet him, do this via treats when he is calm and relaxed, by throwing them in his direction.
Once inside their teritory, it's usally pretty easy to make friends with a shepherd:D aslong as the entering is handled calmly, he should get used to the coming and going of people, they are alot like rotts in the guarding sense, they are happy to go and approach, but dont like their space invaded by strangers, more so men, the bigger the space for greeting the better and the calmer the better.
Try and get sme basic training and all your commands in place so if you need to, you dont need to panic and grapple to get him restrained should he take dislike, instead you can call him off calmly, sheps again are pretty easy to train.
If he shows interest in balls, frizbys and the likes of, thats also a good way to get him used to people, you can easy con a shep into being your friend with the objects they assosiatie with a positive, their lead:rolleyes: or favourite toy.
 
I would also try and get booked into a good breed-specific training class.

Socialisation around people, dogs, bikes, cars etc is part of good basic training at such classes :)
It also takes place, initially in a sterile environment, so you don't have to practice with 'strangers'. Sharon, who's details I have PM'd you, could recommend something.

Agree, get his focus sorted first then everything else will be much easier. That gobbing and mouthing comes through anxiety, lack of confidence etc and once he has leadership, a firm hand and has his brain and body engaged suitably, should stop.
 
Thanks both, the good thing is, my terriers are very friendly and non confrontational, so hopefully he will take a positive influence from them!
 
No worries. Personally I enjoy the support that the class offers.
I have been in sheps a long time and thought I knew a lot, but going it alone was not easy (and I made mistakes) and a fresh pair of eyes really helps.
 
Sorry I had to cut that reply short as I had a call come though, I will search for decent local classes, but they would have to be close, as someone would need to take the terriers for me while I work with the GSD (his name isnt staying lol) but otherwise there is a generic training class where there is one trainer who is an ex police trainer - so he may have a good insight into the breed too?
 
Ditto what the others have said. Don't pressure him by making him sit and have people approach him just let him get used to people being about in different circumstances. Sharon is the best person to tell you of good local training classes, it really is worth travelling a bit to the right one. There are a few all breed classes here that are a total waste of time:(. An ex police dog handler might be okay, but some of them actually don't have a huge amount of knowledge I'm afraid in my experience.
 
MurphysMinder said:
Ditto what the others have said. Don't pressure him by making him sit and have people approach him just let him get used to people being about in different circumstances. Sharon is the best person to tell you of good local training classes, it really is worth travelling a bit to the right one. There are a few all breed classes here that are a total waste of time:(. An ex police dog handler might be okay, but some of them actually don't have a huge amount of knowledge I'm afraid in my experience.
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Agree, a static dog can get more tense around new situations, it is best to keep moving and go past things.

For instance, part of the socialisation classes we do (it is also a section of the basic obedience qualification and goes right up to the highest level - even the most fearsome protection dogs have to be sociable in normal situations) is to walk at heel in and out of a group and then sit opposite one, shake hands, 'blah blah, that's a nice dog' and walk on.
(Sorry, he looks a sight, miserable weather and he was roaching because he wanted to shoot on ahead and mug people for treats :p but was being held back by the invisible heel line)
This kind of exercise would be very common at a breed specific class.
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I travel about 45 mins to my class and it is the best thing I have ever done.
 
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Breed specific training is a good idea.
I was watching a 'its me or the dog' programme, with a nervous aggressive dog. And they basically took the dog out for walks where its comfortable, and passers by would walk past throwing pieces of chicken to the dog. So he learnt they wernt a threat, basically they kept narrowing the gaps, within the dogs comfort zone, until the dog was happy taking treats from peoples hands. And then when the dog could see a person and not react the owner would praise and treat, with food or fuss, to decrease the food dependency

So its basically slow desentization, but it made sence to me, if you've got enough people that can help you
 
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