# Aggression towards people



## mersgolf (Dec 9, 2008)

ok, so last night something new emerged with the rescue. When its just me he's an absolute lovebug.

well twice yesterday two people came by the house at separate times, a good friend who the dog had already met once and had no problems and my boss who he had never met. Blitz went into a frenzy of barking, growling and lunging at these two people. In the past when people have come around him, including when i first met him, he just backed away so we knew he had some timidity issues but this all started yesterday and was a complete surprise to me.

I wasn't scared but it noticeably shake up my guests and to be honest really surprised me that he acted this way. So i'm looking for some suggestions/advice on what to do to handle this when it happens and more importantly how to prevent this behavior. Any help is greatly appreciated as his reaction is extremely unacceptable to me.

thanks


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## Timber1 (May 19, 2007)

A few questions.

How long have you had the rescue dog. Sometimes a dog might decide It's number 1 job is to protect you.

How old is the dog.

How did you react when the dog became aggressive toward visitors.

Do you know a trainer in your area that could advise/Help.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Hi there,

You're seeing fear aggression. It's very common in fearful rescue dogs. Once they gain a bit of confidence and get more comfortable they start acting like Cujo. This happened with my Basu and also took me by total surprise (this was obviously before I realized how common it is). 

This should work:

Start doing NILIF, if you aren't already. I was totally positive with Basu because of his past abuse. I was a huge treat dispenser, basically. 

When anyone comes over the house he needs to be on a leash. Before people come over (you want to set up practice sessions with people that you know) teach him a really solid sit and a really solid focus command. When that is happening, give him a treat. Eventually you want him to go to his place (with Basu it was his bed) and watch you for cues. You want him to associate people coming over with the yummiest treats ever. I kept a tin of liver treats right by the door and it was the only time he ever got those treats. When he was settled and quiet he got treats. If he was carrying on he got nothing. The reason you need the leash at first is because you want to be able to control him and also let him know you have the situation under control. 

That was a very convoluted explanation but basically you will be working to counter-condition him to think that people coming over mean that you are in control and that he gets wonderful treats for being quiet and behaving nicely. 

I would also start taking him to classes, clicker training or positive reinforcement classes would be best. And if you look on dogwise.com and type in fear or shy you will find some excellent books to help you.


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## mersgolf (Dec 9, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Timber1A few questions.
> 
> How long have you had the rescue dog. Sometimes a dog might decide It's number 1 job is to protect you.
> 
> ...


I've now had him about 2 weeks and he is right around 1 year old.

I will say it took me by complete surprise, but i stepped in front of him and took hold of his collar (which may have not been the right thing, but to be honest didn't know if he would actually go after them) and told him no repeatedly. I thought with the first person this was just a fluke, maybe something he didn't like about my boss (i mean we can all have those feelings right? lol) but then he did it with one of my best friends who had already met and hung out with.


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## jake (Sep 11, 2004)

ANYTHING a rescue dog does that implies aggression within first weeks of rescue is usually fear related.Take a step back-hand feed-to bond and show that you will PROTECT but are leader /MAYBE if very insecure tether to you for security go SLOW.Give your rescue TIME to adjust-think in human terms if someone in jail for 7 YEARS with no outside contact a young dog could be the same after only short time in rescue.From my experience a disturbed rescue needs 'his OWN secure space/understanding/forgiving and non-intrusive love and acceptance.Not to be preachy but GSD rescue's may need a little more time and understanding-for a wonderful reason-they are smart and loyal and sometimes need a longer time to adjust.


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## Sallyag (Jul 24, 2007)

I have a very similiar situation with my GSD. Samson will be 2 years in Jan. He came from a rescue home when he was 13 weeks old. The first 6-8 months he was fine. He was socialized - we brought him to many parties and gatherings, he went to training classes... sometime around 8 months he started to bark at dogs and people. Sometimes sounding very vicious. He would receive a correction on his leash when he did this. Any time i have people over (specially kids....) i have to keep him seperated. He is gated off in the kitchen and our geusts are told to not pet him. He will not do much barking but he stares and if they try and pet him he will snap at them. I will try keeping a leash on him when we have guests... however not trusting him... i cant allow him to be near our guests. When it is just our family... he is very loveable and one of the best behaved dogs i have had.
Any suggestions on how to start changing this behavior?


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## dogs_dolls (Apr 27, 2001)

in thinking about Samson you might have dog who learned very well due to the leash corrections NOT to bark or growl...so now he just goes right to the bite! This is one of the dangers with teaching a dog he can not warn away what is making him so uncomfortable. You can get a dog who does not warn just goes right for the snap/bite. 
The NILF program is one place to start....teaching solid sit/stay behaviors. Going to obedience classes that use positive methods.


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## RubyTuesday (Jan 20, 2008)

I like the suggestions & insights here. Something to remember is that the average dog is emotionally hyper keyed to its surroundings & especially to the moods/feelings of its people. As much as possible find & maintain an implacable calm. Your fears/nervousness can validate your fearful dog's suspicions & ramp up its aggression.

Maintain a positive, cheerful attitude when interacting with people, including strangers & delivery people, so that the dog is constantly reassured the world is not a dangerous, scary place. Constantly reinforce the idea that people, essentially all people, are goooood. Overly protective dogs are risky to others & an absolute menace to themselves. 

I can't count the numb nuts I've known who wailed to me, _'but s/he was only protecting meeee'_ after the poor dog was destroyed (or dumped) b/c it nipped, bit, or otherwise aggressed once too often. (in some localities once is enough!). What disgusts me is that in every case it was obvious where the dog was headed but the owners were ok with it. ****, they encouraged it. I'm soooo glad that's not your attitude! Your positive actions could literally be rescuing this guy a 2nd time!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

dogs_dolls right on~a growl is a warning and it is better to have this than a bite without warning. I also have a FA girl, and when she was a year, it started to show and was magnified. She has since gotten much better at 2 with my management, but will always have to be "managed".
Confidence building, and in my opinion removing the dog from the fear is the best way to manange this. Clicker, Marker treat praise the good behavior, remove the dog from the reactiveness, without reprimanding. Read your dogs body language and remove from the environment before he/she reaches their threshold.
If you have to muzzle occasionally do so, get the dog use to one before you have to, so they don't associate muzzle w/new people or places.
When people come over, I tell them to ignore Onyx and let her do the first greeting, she is usually fine after that. She doesn't like people to come up and pet her at all. Only at our SchH. club is she ok w/strangers. At home if she acts up, she is crated immediately. On the other side of her personality, she is a wanna be alpha and tries to dominate the other dogs in my house. She eats last, and is a high drive/energy/anxous dog.
Many great reads and there are old threads on this subject, try to research them if you have time. Good luck, it could be a lifelong isssue.
Sallyag, I would let your guests toss treats to your dog, so he will associate them w/ good things. A leash will sometimes ramp up your dog, so if you could crate him away it may be better for him.
I also found using a prong/pinch collar was firing Onyx up, so switched to a martingale type and so far/so good.


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## RubyTuesday (Jan 20, 2008)

Onyx (or do you prefer Jane?), have you worked at, or been able to eliminate inappropriate growling? While a growl is vastly preferable to a bite, neither is (IMO) entirely acceptable. I've not had a FA dog so I'm not certain how much you might have to just live with/manage. I'd imagine it varies according to the individual dog.

Another question, how successfully can one reduce the fears/anxieties in FA dogs where the origin is largely genetic rather than environmental? Is it analogous to diabetes, something that requires careful, ongoing management? Can it sometimes be more similar to hypothyroidism, something which requires care & management, but is often relatively easily achieved & maintained?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

No, I don't want to eliminate the growl, the bite would possibly happen without warning then. I just remove her from the situation or as in going to the vet, muzzle her. I read her body, eyes, yawns. We have teenage kids in and out, not as many adults over, but she is most reactive with females(our vets are female, that she must relate to bad experience, and a female trainer in her impressionable puppy age) She loves my sons friends and tolerates my daughters. If we are out on walks she won't react unless someone pays her personal attention, then she may hackle and growl. I just try to avoid these situations. I will not medicate her, though it is a way to manage this. She isn't that bad...
I think from a personal perspective is that Onyx is a nerved up, anxious and high energy dog, that if she isn't doing something will look for a job to do. One of those is (in her mind)protecting me. If I tell my african grey to quiet, she rushes to his cage to quiet him. If I tell Kacie to leave Hawkeye alone, she reprimands Kacie. She is very intellegent, and would excel in herding or tracking. She herds the other dogs constantly, not letting them out then not letting them in(If I am not there to control it) I have her signed up for an agility class,which will help her confidence. In our Schh. club, she is undone during the bitework, shakes& hides under my chair(if I don't take her outside) and is so anxious( I think she believes the dogs are being harmed) so will never excel in it at all. We only go for the socialization and I am wanting another pup for Schh so are going for my experience. Onyx was in a _Control Unleashed _class, based on the book by Leslie McDevitt, helped me alot! She is not reactive to other dogs unless they show eye stare or bad manners, then she won't forget it. Sorry to ramble, but if my experience helps others with FA then the space is not wasted. BTW, this is a dog which I have had since 7 weeks, nothing on my part that was done to give her these nerves. It is genetic, I believe, and as she was a Christmas Surprise, my DH didn't research anything, just heard of some GSD puppies for sale from a co-worker. First litter, and the breeder was knowledgable and did desensitize, socialize the pups, but did a few things that in hindsight did differently with her next litter. I love her regardless of her quirks


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## RubyTuesday (Jan 20, 2008)

> Quote:Sorry to ramble,


Not at all. _Ramble_ more. There's no better source than those living & successfully managing it.

Bad advice in managing FA dogs can literally be the death of them. They absolutely need conscientious, knowledgeable handling to reach their potential. FA (IMO) is among the trickiest, most difficult problems to deal with. Kudos to those who do so & share their knowledge!



> Quote:I love her regardless of her quirks


We all have quirks & shortcomings. Why, why, why do so many people find them unforgivable/unacceptable in their dogs? Damned near every dog's capacity for love is infinite, as is their dogged patience. How sad that all too many are treated shabbily, even dumped, by unworthy people. I hope that you, & owners like you, serve as an example of what is possible given love, effort & COMMITMENT.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: RubyTuesday
> Another question, how successfully can one reduce the fears/anxieties in FA dogs where the origin is largely genetic rather than environmental? Is it analogous to diabetes, something that requires careful, ongoing management? Can it sometimes be more similar to hypothyroidism, something which requires care & management, but is often relatively easily achieved & maintained?


 I haven't had any test run on her, and am in the process of changing vet practices. The new vet is better at the individual analysis and up to date w/everything than the last old school, large farm style vet I went to before, though this new one is more $$, too Next visit, I am going to see the charges for thyroid, ect due to her behavoir and will go from there. She has allergies on top of her behavior, chews her paws, so will deal w/ this as well. $$ in$$$$$$$out!!
The last post on dealing with this type of personality~ Onyx would probably fail all temp testings even though she did pass her CGC w/ me. If she was ever put in rescue or a shelter(GOD forbid), I think she would fail miserably.


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## dogs_dolls (Apr 27, 2001)

You mention thyroid and there is a whole lot of info on that. There are opinons that low thyroid (even low normal) levels can worsen and even cause agression issues. That treating for thyroid along with behavior training etc can really improved things. Most vets do not want to treat for low normal readings but discuss this with your vet. If you want more info I can probably find some sites for your to visit, just let me know. 
Living with any kind of aggressive dog is a lifetime commitment to management and training. I can understand people that are not up to it. It has been a sometimes exhausting journey!


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## holtzer11 (Jul 28, 2008)

I completely understand where you are coming from. Riley is perfectly fine when he is around people...but if a stranger walks directly towards him and tries to pet him he gets FA. He was 3 when we rescued him and he is now almost 5. Its difficult to manage because he is perfectly fine being near people. He loves to take treats from people but recoils if they try to pet...and he has bitten. We have been doing Schutzhund which he absolutely loves and excels at so I'm hoping his confidence grows; it was recommended by a behaviorist. But no matter how strong my leadership is, there is just something so deep rooted in him that causes his FA. Forget about the vet's office; he becomes almost paralyzed in fear. I plan to get his thryoid level checked next month and I'd be interested to hear any success stories with thyroid treatment.


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## Sallyag (Jul 24, 2007)

Thanks for all the insights. i have found that the calmer i am... the better off he is. He was fine last week with friends over... he didnt bark.... but i told them to ignore and not pet him.

We also gave him some treats while the guest was near.
we will try that again this weekend as we have more company coming over.

i do keep him seperated as i am not comfortable with him going up to anyone.


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