She is the sweetest dog ever, but when strangers (especially men) come around she goes nuts. If I have her on a leash, she starts bucking like a horse trying to get loose. She is a chocolate lab and beautiful. When I take her walking, people try to pet her all the time and she flips out. Can you give me some suggestions to help change this behavior? Please be nice.
Answers:
It is unusual for a Lab to freak out around strangers. They are bred to be family dogs.
Usually, dogs freak out when they are out of their territory. I would suggest getting her used to being around strangers inside her territory i.e. your home. Bring friends over and let her interact with them. Stay with her at first, and slowly let her interact more and more without you. She should slowly be able to be around strangers without you being there.
Then, take her on walks in public parks. Repeat the process, but don't leave her alone with the park strangers. Reassure her that strangers are OK, and she's a good girl.
Reptition and consistency are key when changing any animal's behavior. However, some animals are set in their ways. I have a dog that is scared of parked cars and telephone poles. No matter what I do, I can't convince her that they're not going to hurt her. Some animals are just quirky.
Good luck.!
stay away from starangers
Try watching some of the dog training shows, or look up this show on the net, it's called "It's Me or The Dog", the trainer on there is brilliant, I do not have a dog myself but watch the show every week, you could also try The Dog Whisperer" which is an American show, I have not seen that much but someone mentioned it was quite good. Also how about trying some obedience classes, perhaps she was abused by someone before you got her and is just a bit scared of men.
Yup I love dogs just like you..you gotta train him.let him meet different people..but it is a good thing when some kind of thief comes..^_^.anyway good luck with your training..I think your smart
I've had alot of experience in this field with dogs and the best way to put this kind of behavior at rest is to socialize her, BIG TIME, she needs to go to an obedience class mostly just to mingle with other dogs and people, the instructor will help you to socialize her the right way, introduce her slowly to other people AND dogs a little at a time while petting her and reassuring her that it's okay to be around people. Set up little 'encounters' with people ahead of time and let them know to be friendly with her and pet her. Walk her to the next person and do the same thing. Get a choke chain for her, (not cruel but very beneficial) and have the instructor show you the proper way to use it. Good Luck, she's going to take some TLC and patience, but she'll calm down if this is done on a consistent basis.
This is common for dogs to protect their girl handlers. You must become the Alpha dog so she doesn't have to protect you. Carry yourself very well.Do not have any fear that she will bite someone or she'll sense that %26 will bite. You must be very calm so she will be calm. I've had several excellent dogs that I trusted to pick my friends out from strangers, for the ones he went off on all the time well in time I found out they were very bad people any way. My son's dog became more aggressive after my Aunt 99 yrs young %26 I moved in with him. I'm disabled as well so the dog became the protecter. My son was shocked to see the change in his dog.
Bottom line don't you freak out, keep calm, speak with authority
not fussing or yelling just normal. Expose her to good people as much as possible or have the dog trained which means you get trained too.
I have a lab border collie mix and it is the lab part that makes her that way. Shes a friendly breed that needs and adores attention. You have to teach her the right way to get it. I would suggest two different collars. The Halti and the pinch collar. They make it hard for her to lunge. Then I would walk her briskly and closely down a sidewalk with people telling the dog that shes awesome for walking and not lunging. I would correct the dog for lunging with a sharp tug on the leash.no words. You are not giving attention to bad behavior. Keep doing this til you wear the dog down and expel the bad behavior.
but the dog in a differant room until the "strangers" leave
It appears that she is a watchdog and that this is her way of being protective of you. If she does not hurt people I suggest that you let her be around your friends so that she can get used to them. You mentioned, "Please be nice". I tried to be, at least I tried to be nicer than you were to me when you answered my question.
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i had a huge putbullwell mannered he was the guardian of my toddler outside but a gentle giant my son would ride hisback like a horse any of yal could come to my home he would greet u with a smile and a lick lol but when i wasnt home u could still come to the house sit on the porch with him but if u touched anything god help you. Its all in the raising my dogs are like my sons to me so they know rite from wrong also good luck owners
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