# What is going on with my dog?!



## maureen_mickel (Jul 17, 2011)

Ive had some pretty discouraging aggression issues with Celia lately. Maybe its just the age but i dont know, either way im going to try to put an end to it by using positive methods. She loves it when people come up to her and pet her, she totally melts into a little puppy with both children and adults! But just yesterday, i was walking her around my neighborhoods pond and stopped to talk to this lady, she had her dog in the yard. She was pretty fine with the other dog-did bark a few times, but not bad for a dog reactive dog. But then, some guy was walking around the pond in our direction, and se stopped looking at the dog and LUNGED for the man barking, growling, and snapping. Nobody got hurt though, I pulled on her harness back towards me and everything was fine. Later on during the walk, she saw more people walking towards or standing around and she had no problem and wanted togreet them in a friendly manner. Strange huh? She does get reactive if someone is running towards her or cycling towards her, were working on counter conditioning this and her dog aggression. But why the sudden fear towards people? I walk her each day and socialize her with many different people, she was a well-socialized puppy with people (not with dogs; she got attacked by a yorkie that is what started our dog aggression issues) is it just genetics? Phase? Adolesence? It would be a bit help to get some response. Also, what is the difference between fear reactivity and excited reactivity? It would be great if I could learn the difference to determine whats going on, this is my first dog, and I dont want to mess it up. She responds to cues pretty well, clicker training sure did pay off xD.


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Maybe the guy was.... Unsavory. Dogs can be very intuitive.


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## Mac's Mom (Jun 7, 2010)

DianaM said:


> Maybe the guy was.... Unsavory. Dogs can be very intuitive.


I totally agree. I've seen it with my own dogs.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

First thing that came to mind was that she got a bad vibe off this guy. I see others have thought the same thing.


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## maureen_mickel (Jul 17, 2011)

I forgot to mention, this isnt the first time this had happened and it happened again today. I was at the park and celiawas playing with some kids, she saw this guy that she alreadyknew and was usually ok with, ran up to him, barked with her hair standing, but didnt do anything to try to harmhim, just a warning. Luckily he was cool with her behavior, he loves her. Usually she is fine with anyone, this has been happening the past week though and its concerning me.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

Celia is growing up and is acting out. Sure, she'll be accepting of the petting and attentions of children and ladies, but she is going to run those men off. My suggestion is to stop this behavior before it gets worse. She need to learn manners. It would be better if people you met on your walks weren't allowed to pet her. When you want to talk to someone, have Celia sit by your side, but ask the other person not touch her, just explain she is in training. Insist that Celia hold the sit/stay while you talk briefly, then move on and praise Celia for being good. You can sit on the bench and have Celia on the down/stay - give her a treat for holding the down/stay. Have her walk on heel and curve around other people, being sure that you are between the other person and her. Celia will learn that she has to pay attention to you and that you are in charge, not her.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I agree with Mary Beth. 

You might want to have men only stand and talk with you and drop treats for the dog. Not if she is barking or lunging though. Progress to have her take the treat from men by having them open their hand and remind her to take it NICE or GENTLE. 

If she barks or lunges at a man, tell her EH! or NO! It sounds like she is too young to be totally acting out of protectiveness and without fear. Even if she is having fear, you can teach her not to lunge at people. Before she has a chance to bark and lunge tell her, "It's just a man, leave it." If she does, praise and treat mildly after you pass each other. You want for her to look at you to see if she needs to be afraid.

Build her confidence, and she will generally with some maturity become less fussed about men.


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## maureen_mickel (Jul 17, 2011)

selzer said:


> I agree with Mary Beth.
> 
> You might want to have men only stand and talk with you and drop treats for the dog. Not if she is barking or lunging though. Progress to have her take the treat from men by having them open their hand and remind her to take it NICE or GENTLE.
> 
> ...


Its not just men, she actualy LOVES men. This behavior has also been seen with women and children. It must be stopped, dontwant her to harm
nyone. I have a theory that I just thought up a few minutes ago, i feel tha she is afraid of people that dont say "Hi" to me or her. Thats all I can think of, so I plan on using classical-counter conditioning with anyone that she see walking towards her or behind her. Any thoughts on this theory and solution? I appreciare all the advice everyone, thank you and I will gladly look at it and try it.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Are you going through training classes. This is something you might really want to bring up and ask about. Other people with dogs your dog's general age may be struggling with a similar problem. And the trainer can see the dog, and how it interacts with you and with others around.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

maureen_mickel said:


> Its not just men, she actualy LOVES men. This behavior has also been seen with women and children. It must be stopped, dontwant her to harm
> nyone. I have a theory that I just thought up a few minutes ago, i feel tha she is afraid of people that dont say "Hi" to me or her. Thats all I can think of, so I plan on using classical-counter conditioning with anyone that she see walking towards her or behind her. Any thoughts on this theory and solution? I appreciare all the advice everyone, thank you and I will gladly look at it and try it.


How's it going? Is she getting worse? Or is she responding to your new method?


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

I don't have any answers, but wanted to chime in so I can get updates on this thread.  I"ve had similar issues just lately. Looks like our dogs are very close in age. (One month apart.)


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## maureen_mickel (Jul 17, 2011)

Mary Beth said:


> How's it going? Is she getting worse? Or is she responding to your new method?


Yes things are going pretty well actually. She hasnt lunged at anyone yet since ive been doing counter conditioning, must be the age i guess but i dont want it getting worse so im putting a stop to it in a positive way! My theory seems to be correct so far, she will only lunge at people that dont greet her so i go over to the side of the side walk and praise her + click and treat for looking calmly at them! Thanks for all the suggestions guys! Chelle, i sugest you do the same, ifyou wnt more info on it ill gladly send you some :]


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

Great news! Thanks for the update. I give you credit for working on the problem right away before it got worse or became a learned behavior. Congrats that you did it in a positive manner!


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## maureen_mickel (Jul 17, 2011)

*Update*

Hello there! I though i would give this a quick update. This behavior disappeared for a month, but it had resurfaced. She will do it on anyone, man, woman, or even a child. This behavior does not occur if we are at the metropark though, she has absolutely no problems there! Or at home, anyone who approaches she is extremely friendly to. But, for some reason, when i take around the neighborhood she will bark and lunge at certain peole, but not all of them. I will do the same training as i had before (CCC and desenzitation) but i will do it longer and will coninue to reward, last time i did it only until i never saw the behavior. Has anyone had this problem? It seems to be triggered even more if i pull her leash towards me (she has a headcollar, this seems to set her off so i try not to put any pressure on the leash) could this be caused by genes? she used to have a problem with dogs, but that has nearly disappeared due to CCC, but for some reason certain people seemto set her off. She is waled everyday and plays with kids and gets pet by adults every day. I suspect it just leash aggression towads people i just dont know how it was caused.


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

Have you tried a different type of collar? I know if you put a halti or any such contraption on any of my shepherds, they'd have become aggressive just for that. I think until you try out something else... I'd wonder if that wasn't the cause. What does your trainer say? If you haven't had her seen by a behaviorist, I'd say now is the time.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

I agree with Jag about the head halter. You may want to try a harness - the ones that the leash attaches to in the front like Gentle Leader, Sensation, Walk in Sync. When your dog pulls or lunges, you stop - the harness puts pressure on the dog's chest, she backs away from the pressure and turns to you - the second that happens - you turn or curve and she'll follow. That way you won't have to give any leash corrections. Since your dog seems to lunge only on the neighborhood walks, try to notice if it is only when people are approaching or if they are outside and suddenly come toward you. She could be seeing that as a threat and any leash corrections is causing her to associate the correction with the person. Also if she is on a loose leash and is walking ahead of you, then she is in charge, and so lunges and barks at the people she views as a threat. When you walk her around the neighborhood, keep her on heel and focused on you. Keep a postive picture in your mind of you and her walking calmly together so she doesn't pick up any nervous tension from you. Try to curve around when you see someone and be sure you are between the other person and your dog. Try to avoid narrow areas where other people must pass by very close. If you can't turn or curve when someone is coming, move to the side and have her sit, and be sure to stand between her and the person and do the counter conditioning that has worked in the past. For genetic issues, if you got her from a breeder, I suggest you contact the breeder.


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## maureen_mickel (Jul 17, 2011)

hi all :] As for the head collar making her aggressive, its not. Before i got the head collar i had a regular harness (and before that a front hook harness, it worked with regular leash pulling but not for lunging)and she was the same with the regular harness only her behavior was enforced since i couldn't stop her. but i can with the head collar, but when i try to get her away from looking at someone that is when she gets angry so i never put pressure on it anymore unless its an emergency situation. It stops lunging better than anything else and she is friendlier with dogs since i had gotten it. Its also easier to train her with it.


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

My suggestion then would be to go to a trainer/behaviorist ASAP. Your dog can be evaluated, and the trainer can give you instruction based on what he's seeing in your dog and help you better manage the behaviors.


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## Fraulein (Aug 30, 2012)

IS there anything that these people have in common, such as shiny material on clothes, hair up, color of hair, etc? A friend of mine had a sweet border collie mix that was great but than she started to get aggressive towards Asian people. It didn't matter if they were kids, men, women. In fact, her sons best friend was a little Asian girl down the street. The behavior started when they dog was about 1 1/2 years old. My friend rehomed the dog with her parents and they never had a problem.


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## maureen_mickel (Jul 17, 2011)

Fraulein said:


> IS there anything that these people have in common, such as shiny material on clothes, hair up, color of hair, etc? A friend of mine had a sweet border collie mix that was great but than she started to get aggressive towards Asian people. It didn't matter if they were kids, men, women. In fact, her sons best friend was a little Asian girl down the street. The behavior started when they dog was about 1 1/2 years old. My friend rehomed the dog with her parents and they never had a problem.


Nope its completely random. Ive been looking for diferences and cant find anything. I took her on a walk today and didnt try to remove her from "people" situations and everything went well. the only time she barked was when this kid was bouncing on a pogo stick. It was more of an excited bark though, and her hair wasnt standing like what happens when she usually barks. But that was it. I just feel as of right now that its just me, but we will see. As for getting a behaviorlist id love too but sadly i dont have much cash right now. we gotta sell our house so bad! Ill keep watching though. She likes everyon of all races, she like people with hats, weird hair, topless, swim suits, sunglasses, tall, short ,fat, skinny, you name it she likes them unless they are carrying somthing such as a rake, branch, bat, ect. then she goes insane whether on leash or not. Like i said, ive only seen her aggression on leash so it probably just the way i am. Ill have to update in a few days.


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## maureen_mickel (Jul 17, 2011)

I thought i would update this status since i have been seeing significant improvement using a prong collar-thats right a prong. Somone on this forum had suggested using one if i had no other option at the time; yet i had refused.i thought it was cruel and would make her even more aggressove but then, this got worse and i thought id give it a try. I used the method a vid on youtube (i would post the link if i knew how to on this iphone!) of a prong used as a negative reinforcer. She dooes excellent with this and is not fearful of the collar (unlike the headcollar) i walk her everywhere an ask people to give her treats and just let her smell them. She never barks or lunges unless somone runs up in her face then she freaks! But overall, she is improving well even with dogs. I of coarse always award her with treats or toys; i always reward more then correct. Using this method has really made her more confident and i am growing happy with the resaults. This is a good method with her and i was surprised at the resaults-it has teally opened my mind on other methods. I had always gotten a bad feeling from prongs but i guess it depends on the dog, owner, and technique.



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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Nice work!


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