Behavior problems

[smsudave]

Hello. I just adopted a border collie from the humane society. At first I couldnt understand why someone would leave such beautiful, intelligent animal there but now I think I may know why. For about the first 4 or 5 days I had her, she loved everyone that she cam in contact with. I took her to see my parents. She played with them and she loved the neighbors and all my friends that came over to see her. However, now she only likes myself, my room mate, and my mother(after much persuasion). Anyone else she comes in contact with, she barks and growls at. It seems to me that she is reacting like she is scared of them, but I am not certain. I have talked to several people about her and have gotten some ideas on how to break her of this behavior, but I am not sure if it is going to work. When she reacts to people that way a squirt her with a Spray bottle of water and tell her no. She stops doing it, but I sense she is still scared of them and the punishment for reacting the way she is may be stoping the reaction, but it isn't making her feel comfortable around people or other dogs. I love her to death, as does my room mate and my mom and we don't want to give her up, but I am at my wits end as to what to do with her. I am determined to help her be more social, but I just dont know how to go about it. If anyone has any suggestions or any experience with a dog that does this type of thing, I would be very appreciative to read some advice. Thanks. my dog just turned 4

[Archer,Steve, and Laura]

I have a 1 1/2 year old BC, who has some the same issues. I don't know how old your dog is but the same behavior is probably causing the problem. In my experience your dog become more protective as you bond with he or she. When the dog sees strangers they ask in their own dog way "who goes there" but to people that translates into barking.

 

The key factor for me is showing the dog your the leader and you set the tone for how they react to situations. The more time you spend training your dog the more they look to your for approval. If you approve of a person meeting the dog for the first then the dog approves the person in turn. Remember, if you don't take control of the situation your dog will. They need to understand your telling them a person can approach is ok.

 

The water bottle training I wouldn't encourage. The dog will connect meeting people with being sprayed. Instead of the intended training. You said the new behavior started after you had the dog for 5 days. Be patient, make the time you spend with your dog both enjoyable and productive. Simple obedience training will work wonders and just be sure to utilize that same training when your dog meets new people.

 

Thanks

Steve

[CindyH]

I just got done reading 'Leader of the Pack' by Nancy Baer and Steve Duno. It is short, easy to read, and explains exactly how you can take control of situations like yours. It also is very good at explaining canine language and why what we do interpets differently to our dogs. The methods used in the book are not cruel in anyway, but rather uses subtle pack behavior as an example of how you can relate better in dog language. I highly reccommend it, and good luck.

[Marie-Jo]

Hi,

 

I had the same problem with Bill, our B.C. We had Bill at six weeks and he was very friendly with everybody. But he changed after a few weeks and became fear aggressive with visitors, people on the street, dogs, even birds. He even tried to snap the vet (who wasn't very happy with that...) I was very discouraged and wasn't sure how to handle this problem. So we went to see a dog "psy" and it helped a lot. Now, Bill is 7 months and doing much better. I had to show him I was the leader, I trained him (good manners, basic obedience). You have to realize that you just got the dog, you have to be very patient. It takes a while but it's worth it. Dont't forget that B.C. are sensitive dog and soooooooooo bright.

 

I know that my dog will always be nervous with new people the first minutes he meet them but he had improved a lot. Be patient.

[Lucy Goosey]

When she reacts to people that way a squirt her with a Spray bottle of water and tell her no. She stops doing it, but I sense she is still scared of them and the punishment for reacting the way she is may be stoping the reaction, but it isn't making her feel comfortable around people or other dogs.

Bingo. You can often train out the behavior without changing what's going on inside the dog. This can be dangerous, as the dog will show no outward signs of being uncomfortable and bite seemingly "with no warning". By punishing a fearful dog for behavior that is rooted in fear, you can create a fear biter.

 

I strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with Classical Conditioning, and find a trainer who uses this to help dogs overcome their fears. If you don't have a good grasp of Classical Conditioning and how to apply it in this specific instance, you can make matters worse, so I highly recommend that you find a trainer to help you. In the meantime, don't force her to deal with situations that make her uncomfortable.

 

Here's a link that might help:

 

http://www.click-l.com/Gems/SolvingDogProb...0000000018.html

[Pam Wolf]

David, I see you are in Springfield, MO. Look up Marge West. She is in that area (I believe her husband is a Vet). She is an outstanding trainer and familiar with the BC. She should be able to help you or dirrect you to the right place. Sorry, but I can't find the contact info right now.

 

Pam