No tolerance for visitors/strangers
Hello all, been lurking and reading the posts here for months now and picked up lots of fantastic advice. I'm hoping one of you bully experts would be able to impart some of your wisdom and give us some tips for some issues we are having.
We have a 10 month old bitch, Boo, who we got at 8 weeks old. We met the parents and they were both friendly dogs. Boo was very friendly with people, if a little timid, but attended puppy classes and was doing well wth socialising. At about 5 months old, that suddenly all completely changed - someone walked into the house unexpectedly, and Boo ran at them and caused a puncture wound. She'd never shown aggression to people entering the house before.
Following this, she always shows aggression when strangers enter the house. She initially appears to be friendly, and wags her tail, but it's like she suddenly realises actually I don't know this person well, and then begins to growl and try and bite. We thought it may be a fear thing but she doesn't try and retreat and actively approaches people. Obviously we now never let her in the room when we have people round.
We've had a dog trainer come round, and to quote they have 'never seen a dog with a problem like it' lol (exactly what we wanted to hear). The same thing happened with the trainer - eyes glazed over when she realises she doesn't know them, then tries to attack (obviously she was muzzled throughout so couldn't actually bite).
We've taken her to the vet who referred us to a behaviourist (who held qualifications). They saw her for half an hour in the surgery where she is nervous anyway, so I didn't actually feel they got a true picture of her behaviours. The behaviourist said they felt the problems were rooted in fear, which I think I agree with, and we needed to show her who the leader was by establishing firm boundaries, i.e. No jumping on sofas, parts of the house off limits, making her work for everything by performing a task such as sit or stay, and positive reinforcement.
Weve been doing this training with her, and thought we were making progress. We had her at a dog show a few weeks ago, and lots of new people there and lots of people stroking her.
The last few weeks, there has been 2 incidents not involving the house. Firstly, someone crouched down to stroke her when out walking. She wagged her tail for a short time, then the woman stood up to walk away. It's like a switch flipped in her head, the eyes narrowed and she launched at the poor woman! Thankfully no physical damage done but very worrying for everyone.
Secondly, we have been away on holiday with her and some friends (humans! Haha.)She was brought into the accommodation after everyone had arrived and greeted everyone politely. The next day, it's like she had forgotten who everyone was that she had spent the last 24 hours with. One person went out for a few hours, and when he returned, she initially greeted him politely, then after about 5 seconds, she growled, my partner pulled her away on her lead and she flew into a rage.
Out walking she has no problem with dogs, and she attends a doggy day care twice a week where she is very friendly with everyone.
If people walk past outside, she shows zero fear or aggression and will happily walk past them. She shows zero aggression with myself, my partner or our families. She will happily let us take things from her mouth etc. She's incredibly loving with us, is intelligent and is doing well with training otherwise.
We are at a bit of a loss at the minute of what we are doing wrong. We are first time bully owners, but owned terriers, staffies, and collies before. We aren't expecting her to be best friends with everyone, but I'd like her to be none reactive with strangers. We are just finding it difficult as the behaviours seem to go from 0-100 in an instant, with no opportunity to grade her exposure to these things what must frighten her, as the reaction has been so unpredictable. We are managing currently by just removing her from and asking people not to come and stroke her - but in your experience will there be a point where she matures and will be able to tolerate these things, with our guidance? Any top tips for bullies that don't like people?!
We have a 10 month old bitch, Boo, who we got at 8 weeks old. We met the parents and they were both friendly dogs. Boo was very friendly with people, if a little timid, but attended puppy classes and was doing well wth socialising. At about 5 months old, that suddenly all completely changed - someone walked into the house unexpectedly, and Boo ran at them and caused a puncture wound. She'd never shown aggression to people entering the house before.
Following this, she always shows aggression when strangers enter the house. She initially appears to be friendly, and wags her tail, but it's like she suddenly realises actually I don't know this person well, and then begins to growl and try and bite. We thought it may be a fear thing but she doesn't try and retreat and actively approaches people. Obviously we now never let her in the room when we have people round.
We've had a dog trainer come round, and to quote they have 'never seen a dog with a problem like it' lol (exactly what we wanted to hear). The same thing happened with the trainer - eyes glazed over when she realises she doesn't know them, then tries to attack (obviously she was muzzled throughout so couldn't actually bite).
We've taken her to the vet who referred us to a behaviourist (who held qualifications). They saw her for half an hour in the surgery where she is nervous anyway, so I didn't actually feel they got a true picture of her behaviours. The behaviourist said they felt the problems were rooted in fear, which I think I agree with, and we needed to show her who the leader was by establishing firm boundaries, i.e. No jumping on sofas, parts of the house off limits, making her work for everything by performing a task such as sit or stay, and positive reinforcement.
Weve been doing this training with her, and thought we were making progress. We had her at a dog show a few weeks ago, and lots of new people there and lots of people stroking her.
The last few weeks, there has been 2 incidents not involving the house. Firstly, someone crouched down to stroke her when out walking. She wagged her tail for a short time, then the woman stood up to walk away. It's like a switch flipped in her head, the eyes narrowed and she launched at the poor woman! Thankfully no physical damage done but very worrying for everyone.
Secondly, we have been away on holiday with her and some friends (humans! Haha.)She was brought into the accommodation after everyone had arrived and greeted everyone politely. The next day, it's like she had forgotten who everyone was that she had spent the last 24 hours with. One person went out for a few hours, and when he returned, she initially greeted him politely, then after about 5 seconds, she growled, my partner pulled her away on her lead and she flew into a rage.
Out walking she has no problem with dogs, and she attends a doggy day care twice a week where she is very friendly with everyone.
If people walk past outside, she shows zero fear or aggression and will happily walk past them. She shows zero aggression with myself, my partner or our families. She will happily let us take things from her mouth etc. She's incredibly loving with us, is intelligent and is doing well with training otherwise.
We are at a bit of a loss at the minute of what we are doing wrong. We are first time bully owners, but owned terriers, staffies, and collies before. We aren't expecting her to be best friends with everyone, but I'd like her to be none reactive with strangers. We are just finding it difficult as the behaviours seem to go from 0-100 in an instant, with no opportunity to grade her exposure to these things what must frighten her, as the reaction has been so unpredictable. We are managing currently by just removing her from and asking people not to come and stroke her - but in your experience will there be a point where she matures and will be able to tolerate these things, with our guidance? Any top tips for bullies that don't like people?!
Comments
Just try to create good experiences for your dog whenever anyone enters the home, try to work on positive reinforcement with exposition. Does the dog likes people outside? If so just get a trainer or an assistant or a friend/good neighbour have them do a bit obedience with it some treats some petting and have them come to your house.
Just an idea. Try to see if you don't 'punished' her whenever someone came to the door or into your house. Bullies are very sensible and quick to identify shite that makes their life worse. My dog loves automatically anyone that comes into hour house, especially if it is the mailman (he usually brings boxes, and boxes mean either food, toys or the box as an actual toy).
Another thing, can't she be reacting to tightness on the leash? These fkers are WAYYYYYYY too sensitive to leash tension, if you don't know how to manage this, you are basically fkd.
And the more nervous you are (because you are nervous as fuck and dogs smell that) the more you put tension and the more you make her react like that.
In sum you are making her like that, just put the muzzle on, and RELAX, if any of you fuck up, you can just try again slower and more relaxed without any harm.