Fear Aggression

[sweetpeareet]

Hey all,

So, I just adopted a rescue dog. His foster parents worked hard to help him with his fears, but he still has a long way to go. I read through some of the other posts about fear aggression towards other dogs. However, my dog also sometimes exhibits fear aggression towards humans, even if they just want to say "hi", get to his level and hold out their hand to pet him. This scares me because it is a lunging/barking aggression. He isn't this way towards all people/dogs. His foster family had three other dogs, so I know he has been good around other dogs.

I saw the advice for the fear aggression towards other dogs, and I assume it will also work with humans. However, I want to be sure. Also, while I can do a lot to avoid contact with other dogs/people, I can't completely avoid boarding my dog and I am going home to visit my parents and their four dogs in a week and a half (I am somewhere between concerned and not super worried because his foster family had 3 other dogs).

Any additional advice? Thanks!

[Nettle]

Dogs find our hooky simian fingers and our hard stares very very frightening, so don't let strangers pet him, stick hands out to him, get in his face or interact with him at all. This can be very hard and does take a very firm attitude. Nasty and unapproachable as I am, I STILL get people trying to touch my dogs after I have told them not to. I have even caught hold of hands and directed them firmly back to the owner, with a hard glare of my own.

If they argue (they will ) tell them THEY wouldn't like to be mauled by strangers either.

One day I'll tell you about last weekend, but I'm still seething.

[emmabeth]

You can adapt the advice for dog aggressive/dog fearful dogs to human fearful dogs yes.

The hard part with this is, as Nettle says, not the dog, but the bl**dy humans.

For some reason, a dog growling, or barking at a human is seen as some sort of personal insult, and people just will not listen and do as they are told.

I had an incident o n sunday with some utter fool who came into my sisters house and i was sat on the floor with my Deerhound ***** sat behind me on the sofa (no idea why i was on the floor and she ahd the sofa ), and he was drunk as well... and tried to pet her and ignored me and she gave him a proper GO AWAY growl.. so he kept trying!!!

I asked him not to, told him not to, and he carried on until my sister (hes a friend of hers) told him that WHEN, not if, t he dog bit him, he'd be walking to the hospital - that finally stopped him (he cant drive!)

[MPbandmom]

I made a sign for my people fearful dog. Kind of like a thin cotton jacket, with a picture of a dog, with a big green hand superimposed over the image of the dog, surrounded by a big red circle with a line through it. People think she is in training to be an assistance dog and are much more respectful of keeping their distance and hands back.

I have had a few people who blatently insisted on touching the dog despite numerous warnings from multiple individuals not to. (Fortunately for them, she really doesn't want to fight someone but will give a very strong warning to back off in the form of a lunge and snap.) I had the thought today to make release of liability forms and ask someone to sign one next time someone thinks they know my dog better than I do. (probably wouldn't hold up in court, but might make them think good and hard about whether they really want to pet the dog. )

I think the biggest part of dealing with a dog who is fearful of humans is being your dog's advocate to keep people away.

On your boarding concerns, a reputable boarder will know how to calm a fearful dog. My vet's office has boarding, and grooming, and doggie day care as well. My dog pitches an absolute hissy fit when I drop her off for grooming (very rarely as I usually do it myself, but sometimes I want them to have "the works".) Within about 15 minutes they report that she is calm and no problem to work with at all. They also will let a dog stay for a day to evaluate whether the dog can handle a group dog situation. Perhaps you could visit the boarding facility before your trip to see how your dog settles in to the new environment and care givers.

[sweetpeareet]

Thanks all!

I take my little boy to the vet's as well for grooming and boarding and he is always happy to see me, but so far no emergency phone calls.

Sadly, we had an incident today where some idiot had two black lab mutes off-leash in the dog walking area (where you are required to keep your dog on a leash - it isn't a dog park, just the back to my apartment building). Normally people aren't out there with their dogs at the time we went out (I'm in Atlanta, GA, USA it gets pretty hot, but sometimes a dog has to go!), but this guy was out there with his off-leash dogs. It is like a path and out of the blue I saw one of the dogs running towards us, so I tried the turn and walk away maneuver, but with the other dog not on a leash, he didn't leave us alone. My dog (a cairn terrier) gave a warning growl, which set off the other dog. Next thing I know this bigger dog is going after my little dog. Then, the bigger dog's sibling (another off-leashed big dog) came running up and it turned into 2 big off-leashed dogs against my little, leashed dog and I was stuck in the middle trying to pull my boy away, but couldn't get away from them.

Luckily my boy was not hurt in the incident, but I thought he was going to have his throat ripped out and I couldn't do anything to stop it because I was just at the same level of risk of getting hurt by the other dogs.

I hope this doesn't set him back too much.

[MPbandmom]

I hope the incident doesn't affect him too much either.

[jacksdad]

don't automatically assume you will be set back. try and carry on as normal as possible from your dogs perspective. However, I would suggest trying to make your walks as stress free as possible for a couple days. try and go places were you won't run into any dogs or have low risk of running into dogs. Even if it means driving to another places.

Jack and I got jumped by a lose dog a few months back even though he came through smelling like a rose, it still affected him. we just took walks at times and locations he we had a low chance of running other dogs. when I did go back to the park we got attacked at, I just keep extra distance between him and other dogs. took about a week for him to not be jumpy though.

over all, it turned out to be a positive turning point for both of us. it didn't set us back and he actually started reacting less to other dogs afterward. sometimes this is because a dog shuts down. But I have some video of him on the beach not to long after the attack dealing with dogs, ignoring dogs and generally being relaxed. so try not to think/assume the worst until you know your there.

do your best to be cheery and confident for your dog over the next few days, act as if nothing happen as much as possible. But do keep a close eye on your dog. Jack was sitting calmly eating treats minutes post attack. but starting the next morning, he was jumpy and easily startled for about a week.

[Mattie]

HUGS, other peoples dogs are going to make turning him round more difficult, let his stress levels get right down, I sometimes use herbal calmers for this if my dog has stressed to much, then take him back to the beginning and start again. The work you have already do will also help, he will make progress quicker because he has already been their.

When I was working with my little girl Gracie, I had a man that owned a Boxer who thought it funny to see Gracie wanting to kill his Boxer, Gracie was only 10ins high, he would deliberately let his Boxer get too close. I turned on him and let him have some very well chosen words, none swear words, it as more effect if you don't swear. He never done it again:lol:

I would report those dogs for being loose, the next time your dog may not get away with no injuries and each time this happens it reinforces your dog's fear of other dogs. Don't feel bad for the dogs, it is their owner that is letting them down, you are protecting your's.

[vanheerden100]

Don't consider it is as a set back - i have had this.

Months of training my dog not to react to other dogs and then a dog comes out the blue and attack mine. It is impossible as you say to walk away, or make my dog sit and ignore when another unleashed dog is bouncing all over it - Sometime sthis is just play, but it is still all over my dog.

I have found that he is more reactive after that, and i have to work harder to stop him reacting, tell him leave firmer etc... distract him more, keep more distance. But so long as i do that it is not a step back.

It has been a step back when i have then panicked every time i have seen an unleashed dog - worrying that the same will happen - But that is me - not my dog that has the problem!!

It is a nightmare - don't let it get to you

x

[gracesong]

You know, I really empathize with people who have dogs who are fearful of either people or other dogs. It's really hard. The dog doesn't understand English or any other human language. Therefore, you cannot tell the dog to not be afraid of something because of X, Y, or Z.
Also, the thing I find hardest is when people react to the dog's fear in a negative way such as commenting on how crazy the dog is or how they're tired of the dog etc. This is the hardest thing for me here at home dealing with all this. I find that once the feared person reacts, the dog tends to become more afraid, even if that reaction is in the form of comments about the dog.
I sincerely wish you the best of luck in helping your dog overcome their fear.