# Help! 5 month old puppy. Fear aggression.



## CorinnaCrackles (Mar 25, 2018)

I am super new here. Just signed up for an account now so apologies if I am not posting in the right place. 

My puppy has always been shy. When we brought her home she took time warming to us. The woman who bred the Gsds was a lovely woman who still asks for photos now. 

Since she was so shy we wanted to constantly get her to be around people and dogs. She LUUUURVED dogs but she never warmed to people . She would always run away or cower. 

It was impossible to get her to enjoy pets from strangers. I would take her out everywhere with me and bring treats but she would take the treat and then hide away. 

Now she is older that fear has turned into fear aggression. She will bark and lunge aggressively at people. I felt like I did everything I can. I asked the woman we got her from.what the parents were like. She did admit the Mother was pretty shy with people.

She is so loveable with people once she gets to know them. She is now loving on 5 people in total including my husband and I.

It's not great but atleast she does warm to people once she spends time. 

Anyway. It's gotten to the point where I am scared to go out with her for a walk. She is getting bigger and bigger everyday. She is great on leash when people aren't around...stays right by my side. But as soon as there is someone walking past she gets so scared and pulls then backs away. Barks and lunges. Then hides behind me. 

It is absolutely unacceptable behaviour and I am trying really hard since having her I get up at 4.30 every morning to train with her. My husband works nights so she is never on her own. She spends 4 hours in the day in her crate when my husband is sleeping. And spends about 6 to 8 hours in the crate at night.

I have no idea what I am doing wrong. I have worked so hard with her since she was a puppy. 

Does anyone have any tips? 

It's frustrating because I am constantly stressed when we are out and as much as I tell people she is fearful please don't look at her or pet her. People think they know best and find her adorable so go down to look at her...this is when she starts barking.

She is amazing with other dogs and just wants to play. People are the problem...she thinks everyone is out to get her and me.

Please help. She is such a sweetheart and I will never give up on her.

Thanks everyone.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Stop forcing strangers on her. By doing so, you helped to cause the fear aggression.

Teach her obedience. Her focus should be on you. Get a trainer, a good one not a cookie pusher, to help you.


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## DaBai (Aug 13, 2017)

Yeah definitely get a trainer. One thing you can do for now while searching for a trainer is to keep her at a safe distance with strangers so that she won't react, and every time she looks at strangers and does not react click your clicker or give a verbal marker and then give her a treat. GL.


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## CorinnaCrackles (Mar 25, 2018)

Thanks both. I was told if she is shy as a very young puppy to introduce her people more...i didn't mean to cause it. ? I will just continue to work with a trainer. 

Thanks


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Your dog is afraid, and it's probably genetic. When I walk Shadow and we need to pass people, I simply ask them to pass on the side away from her and I keep walking.
I walk the dogs on my left so as we approach people I gesture and say "to my right please" while moving over. This stops the "dogs like me" group from touching the dog and provides a buffer between the dog and what it fears. It also gives me room to maneuver should the dog decide to pitch a fit, and if you keep walking you can use your leg to push the dog back if it tries for a lunge. 

But yes, find a trainer.


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

What Jax said^^^^.Flooding her with what makes her anxious only makes it worse.It will take time and practice to learn how to block the well meaning strangers and convince your girl she is safe.If you have trouble finding a private trainer experienced with these issues a regular obedience class can help.She can learn how to focus on you and be close to other people that won't stare and try to pet her.
My boy is fearful of strangers also and being in a controlled environment helped both of us relax and gain confidence.Most people are unbelievers when I explain he is afraid of being touched because he's so calm now.He very casually keeps about a three foot distance from people and ignores them.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

CorinnaCrackles said:


> Thanks both. I was told if she is shy as a very young puppy to introduce her people more...i didn't mean to cause it. ? I will just continue to work with a trainer.
> 
> Thanks


I didn't mean to make you feel bad  there has been this idea pushed that socializing means immersing a puppy in other dogs and people. That's not your fault. It's just the information that is out there now. 

But at 5 months, it's definitely early enough to get a handle on it. You'll never have a social butterfly. You will always have to stop the well meaning people like the clerk at Tractor Supply that grabbed my dog's jaw last night to give him a treat. Your dog would have bitten her. I would have bitten her!!!

But you can be your puppy's advocate 

First, you really up your obedience. Having structure for her so she always knows what is expected of her is going to be vital. Fearful dogs thrive on structure and rules. Next, you'll need to shut down the reaction.

Get a good balanced trainer that knows when to tell the dog NO and when to reward.

If you can give us your general area, maybe we can help you find that trainer.


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## CorinnaCrackles (Mar 25, 2018)

This is really helpful. Yeah you didn't make me feel bad. I am just at the point where I am really stressed about the whole thing. 

I actually just got a trainer who is really great. When she takes her out she doesn't bark...she's calmer than I. I know I get myself worked up.

I am in Asheville NC. Originally from the UK. I've always wanted a German shepherd. And I finally had the time for one.

I think it may be genetic because the lady we got her from who I texted recently did say the Mother was shy. I may be repeating myself...

Thanks for all your help everyone. It's good to hear that you can get to a point where you get them to just ignore others. I just hate the way that everyone assumes they know what they are doing and look at her and smile at her....bearing your teeth and looking at my pup is only going to make her feel worse. 

Yeah I have recently accepted she is not going to be a crowd pleaser or social butterfly as you say. Ive only ever had really friendly dogs so it's been a strange new thing for me. She is also my first puppy. 

It's honestly just nice to hear other people have gone through the same thing...

Some days when we have a bad day. I just want a hug because it stresses me out so much.

This community is great. Thanks. Any other tips would be great. I appreciate it all. We work together like atleast 6 hours a day solidly training...

What would you guys suggest for having people over? Is it possible? We are very into hosting but for a long time we haven't just because we have been worried about Xena.

That's her name btw haha.

Cheers


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

Xena might be comfortable alone and away from guests altogether or she may be fine behind a gate in another room where she can observe but not interact.Insist that your guests completely ignore her.My guy goes behind a gate until the guests are settled and he's chill.Then he's free to find a spot out of the main drag and is happy to be close but not the center of attention.Young children make him nervous so when we have little ones visiting he goes in his outdoor kennel.


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## dogbyte (Apr 5, 2002)

You might look at Leerburg.com. Super articles, free videos and question and answer section. Search fear aggression, socialization. I had a little female GSD like this. Saw it in her at 10-12 weeks. I taught hr to look to me. Regretfully she got an untreatable motor neuron disease and left our sides before she was 3. She did earn her schutzhund BH and her AKC CD. Was a super little tracker. So they can be very happy without being a social butterfly.


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## CorinnaCrackles (Mar 25, 2018)

That's a great idea dogma. A gate where she can look but feel safe. She's a curious little thing but as soon as someone turns to her it's terrible. 

I am so sorry to hear that dogbyte. RIP. But that's awesome to know she did all that training. I wanted to do that before I got her but thought it would be impossible with her personality and fear.

You guys make me feel so much better about this. Thank you...sometimes I feel totally alone with this. Such inspirational dog owners. 

I can't thank you enough


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## CometDog (Aug 22, 2017)

My little pit was terrified of people. He is getting so much better at 13 months old now. Our strategy has been to not flood him, as others mentioned here. The HARDEST part is getting people to please ignore him. They mean well, say things like "oh but all dogs like me". We started with controlled environments and small crowds. You just have to practice being firm and calm with people who approach your dog. Any anxiety goes right down the leash. 

My GSD isnt afraid of people, but he does not seek attention from strangers when we are out. He will regard with curiosity, but pretty much has zero interest and does NOT like when people walk up on him and start loving on him as if they know him. He will let them know too..with a booming bark right in their face. He only will do that if they start touching him and bending over him. So I have become really good at telling people NO!, and when we are caught off guard I tell him to sit, come to heel, lay down..whatever will work in that moment to keep him from hyperfocusing on the stranger molesting him. Strong basic obedience and focus on you can head off so many problems. It is the foundation for everything. If you can get a dog to the point where they watch you on command, it will really help navigate things if/when the environment gets beyond your control.


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

Do not beat yourself up, you have done nothing wrong! There are some things I’m sure your trainer will show you to help the situation....Good Luck!


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## Evohog (Jul 18, 2017)

You've gotten good advice already.

1. get a *balanced* trainer
2. work on obedience
3. don't flood her with people
4. separate from visitors so she feels safe, maybe even a crate in the same room.
5. tell visitors to ignore her
6.*don't give up! Accept her for who she is and live accordingly*


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## Sweet Stella (Feb 7, 2018)

Just get her to exist around people for now, don't force them on her, have them ignore her.

Make sure you're not praising or comforting her when she is acting anxious as that feeds the anxiety and exacerbates the issue, instead you'll want to correct her when she acts that way. Nothing crazy, just a simple confident correction to snap her out of that state. 

When you notice she is in a calm and relaxed state, then you can reward her, but don't overdo it. 

Work slow and consistent and build up her confidence. Also, start drilling obedience every day.


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