# Aggression with people



## Very muddy (Jun 8, 2012)

I've been skulking about the forum a lot and posted occasionally but wondered of I could have some of your wonderful thoughts and advice please. 

Monty is now 2 and an absolute joy at home with the family and when he goes to the dog sitter. However, if I or my Mum have him he doesn't like other people coming into the house  (not all people, just some of them and it seems to be quite random) and he doesn't like people (men particularly - my husband has trained him well!) talking to me on walks. he barks and growls at them getting louder and louder the longer the offending person is there! 

He's also got a bit funny with dogs unless they're spaniels or cockapoos - they seem to be acceptable - and dogs he knows well but he's always been perfectly sociable before.

Is he getting a bit above his station?? What do I do when people come to the house - do I put him away to prevent the situation occurring or do I try and tackle it? I'm very confused as it's happened quite suddenly. Any thoughts would be gratefully received.


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

I'd say this is one for a pro trainer because if it escalates it could have a very nasty outcome. A good trainer will observe you in all sorts of situations with him, and your mum too and be able to figure out what is going on and what to do about it. 

Thank you for posting about this. It is a good reminder to all of us that dogs are a constant work in progress and definitely in need of fine tuning on their manners and behaviour on a regular basis.


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Very difficult to advise without seeing him - but most aggression results from fear so far more likely that he is worried by something and barking and growling to scare the scary thing away than anything about ideas above his station.

I would go for some expert help - but proceed with caution about who you consult and reject anyone talking about pack status, leadership and dominance - where are you based?


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## Very muddy (Jun 8, 2012)

Thank you so much. Based just outside cambridge. He's got his yearly check up and jabs at the vets next week so I might ask her if she can recommend anyone. 

I did wonder if he was trying to control who was allowed in the house (and who I was talking to on our walks) and so appointed himself 'Security' and maybe he needed reminding who was in charge - in the most doggy friendly way. I also wondered if we'd pampered him a but to much too. 

I really do appreciate your thoughts. X


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## Grove (Oct 17, 2012)

If you see a trainer they will ask you to think back to when the problems started and did he have any unusual experiences around that time?

I agree a trainer is the way forwards, they see things that you can't see even when you know the theory of something!

Hope you find a good one


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## Very muddy (Jun 8, 2012)

We're a bit baffled. There was a night last year when we think there was someone in our garden and he was absolutely beside himself all night, he had calmed down beautifully but now we're faced with him being like this. It does seem to be men he takes objection to mainly but interestingly, he doesn't behave like this when my husband is walking him ..


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## Grove (Oct 17, 2012)

Very muddy said:


> We're a bit baffled. There was a night last year when we think there was someone in our garden and he was absolutely beside himself all night, he had calmed down beautifully but now we're faced with him being like this. It does seem to be men he takes objection to mainly but interestingly, he doesn't behave like this when my husband is walking him ..


This sprung to mind because I remembered this story (barking at the bush?) but I didn't connect that may have been you

That will definitely be helpful for the trainer.


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Very muddy said:


> Thank you so much. Based just outside cambridge. He's got his yearly check up and jabs at the vets next week so I might ask her if she can recommend anyone.
> 
> I did wonder if he was trying to control who was allowed in the house (and who I was talking to on our walks) and so appointed himself 'Security' and maybe he needed reminding who was in charge - in the most doggy friendly way. I also wondered if we'd pampered him a but to much too.
> 
> I really do appreciate your thoughts. X


I have a couple of recommendations from someone I trust in the area 

http://www.wuff-online.co.uk/ 

http://www.cambridgedogs.co.uk/

Either of these will be able to meet you and assess why he is acting like this and give you some advice on how to resolve it.

Insecurity can often be the root of problems and the scare in the garden might have been enough to worry him enough to start to struggle more.

Hope he is soon much happier.


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

Very muddy said:


> We're a bit baffled. There was a night last year when we think there was someone in our garden and he was absolutely beside himself all night, he had calmed down beautifully but now we're faced with him being like this. It does seem to be men he takes objection to mainly but interestingly, he doesn't behave like this when my husband is walking him ..



It sounds like he feels the need to protect you and your mum but knows your husband can protect him. I would think about what you think about when you take him for a walk and see other people. Do you think, uh oh what if he gets aggressive to this person/dog...? The instant you do, your body will react and he will sense it. It sounds like the difference isn't in your dog but in the humans in the house. Usually women walk a bit more weary then men do, a bit more on high alert for danger than men. I also think that when out with the dog there is the sense that, 'oh, I'm now safer with a dog', which without meaning to leads to the dog taking on protector role. Much of what you described is how Beemer has been. Initially I was trying to get him to stop barking, move away from trigger, be more calm. That didn't work and so I changed me. When Beemer goes to bark at something/someone, I go out and stand between him and the trigger facing the trigger, assured him that I got it and that I will protect him (I say this out loud). I act the protector. It's taken a while for it to help. Interestingly enough lexi also used to let Beemer take on that role but since I've been working with him, she's stepped up a bit. Though now I may have twice the reassuring I need to do, I can sense that Beemer is more calm and relaxed than before. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

I agree with the finding a good trainer advice but am just wondering, are the people he is barking at the most, apart from being people he doesn't know that well are they trying to make friends with him? Approaching him, putting hands out to him, bending down and talking to him? This can make an already wary dog escalate his barking and wariness. I would advise you to ask visitors to COMPLETELY ignore Monty, do not try to placate him, make friends with him or even look at him, do not acknowledge him in any way what so ever. This will relieve his pressure and allow him to approach people in his own time and be much less worried by visitors.
Just something to try in the mean time


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

I have similar issues with my dogs. They go crazy when new people come in the house it walk buy the yard. Mostly if I can get people to just stand there and ignore them they calm down and start sniffing. My dogs need to approach first the thing is its hard to get people to not react. Little kids start screaming and that just makes everything worse. Adults want yo talk to them or touch them. 
I agree with Karen. I think if you can try getting people to completely ignore him you may find he just needs to feel safe and approach them first.


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## Very muddy (Jun 8, 2012)

You lot are fab, thank you. I think you're absolutely right. I think I'm now on the defensive waiting for him to react and I probably tense in anticipation which he senses. We're very close and these dogs amaze me how tuned in they are.

A prime example was when I was walking him this morning, walked round a corner and came face to face with an elderly gentleman who I wasn't expecting, I gasped and Monty went orbital. 

I've been trying to track down when it was he got worse and actually, long story, but the short version is that he took himself hare coursing a couple of weeks ago and he came home on his own in the end but he was missing for half an hour and apparently he was in a bit of a state when he made it back. I didn't see him come home because I was screaming for him like a fishwife in the fields but my OH said it took him a while to calm down. 

Anyway, I'm going to contact the trainers whose details you so kindly gave me and get us both some help. In the meantime, I'm also going to take your advice about getting visitors to completely ignore him and put me in between whatever he's barking at. 

It's such a shame because I just want him to be happy with us. He's such a good friend and I'd love to help him. 

Thank you for everything. X


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Ah that makes perfect sense - he could well have come across well meaning people who tried to catch him while he was missing and really scared him as well as the fear he would have had from being lost. Poor chap - hope he is much happier soon.

It is very true about being calm, getting the people to ignore him and putting yourself between him and them. With one of my rescue dogs many moons ago I used to smile and say hello to people walking towards me - it made them look at me rather than him which he was much happier about so helped even if the people thought I was a random nutter


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