small dog attempting to bite strangers

[Bridget]

I am fostering a small terrier, Ashley. She is very sweet and loving towards us and ok with people who are around enough that she knows and trusts them. However, when she meets someone new, she goes into attack mode, barking ferociously and trying to charge them. This seems to be getting worse rather than better. I am certain it is a fear tactic and Ashley is deaf, which I think makes her more afraid. I think it is wrong to comfort her, as I know we musn't reinforce this. What should our reaction be? Should we put her in her room when she starts? Use a very firm "no" signal (which doesn't seem to be working)? I am beginning to fear she'll never be adopted because she makes such a terrible first impression. Any advice would be appreciated.

[LaRen616]

Ashley has puppies right? She is probably protecting her puppies from strangers.

[MaggieRoseLee]

food food food food food food food food

Many little dogs have fear reactions cause the world is a massive and scary place! So how can we make it more friendly and welcoming so A DOG understands?

Treats, teaching people to come low and slow, no eye contact with her when new people greet her. YOU acting calm and normal to deal with the new person WITH THE DOG BEHIND YOU! Your position in a greeting either shows control and leadership (you greet person first) or lack of leadership/control (let the freaked out dog do the initial greeting).

https://www.msu.edu/~silvar/fear.htm

What is Dog Fear Aggression? And How to Deal with it

When Your Dog Bites - Understanding & Correcting Aggressive Behavior

[Eiros]

Originally Posted by MaggieRoseLee

food food food food food food food food

Many little dogs have fear reactions cause the world is a massive and scary place! So how can we make it more friendly and welcoming so A DOG understands?

Treats, teaching people to come low and slow, no eye contact with her when new people greet her. YOU acting calm and normal to deal with the new person WITH THE DOG BEHIND YOU! Your position in a greeting either shows control and leadership (you greet person first) or lack of leadership/control (let the freaked out dog do the initial greeting).

https://www.msu.edu/~silvar/fear.htm

What is Dog Fear Aggression? And How to Deal with it

When Your Dog Bites - Understanding & Correcting Aggressive Behavior

I'm not looking to hijack this thread but how is the best way to put the dog behind you and greet the other person? If your dog is excited and barking and you turn your back on them how do you make sure they stay put?
Jack will stay in a sit-stay on leash when other people are coming towards us at the park, walking around town, etc. but he still barks like crazy. He only stays when I stand facing him in between him and the approaching party and even then he still ignores food and "watch me" command. If I were to somehow try and hold him behind me with the leash and face the approaching party... not sure how to do it?
With people coming to the house at least you have enough control over the situation (usually ) to put your dog in a sit or down stay and work on maintaining that. Maybe strengthening the commands and having people come over for practice as part of training will help? Be persistent and consistent! Use positive rewards and pay attention to her body language in tough situations!

[MaggieRoseLee]

First, you may need to work on this using distance as your friend. TRAIN your dog to get behind you (or beside you but on the OPPOSITE side of the stranger). It's key to have you between the dog and 'scary'.

Once your dog is in the midst of a crazed barking freakout, you've 'lost' any opportunity to train. They are in the instinctive 'fight or flight' and not going to be able to use their brains to think and listen. We have to 'train' before they freakout. So learning to read them better, using distance to assure they are still able to think (and gradually decreasing the distance as they learn WE can control everything so they trust us), and getting the leadership/trust thing in place.

Have you purchased the DVD Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas? Huge tips with great videos of 'real' dogs and handlers and how we can help in these situations.

Amazon.com: Calming Signals: What Your Dog Tells You: Turid Rugaas: Movies & TV

Amazon.com: Calming Signals: What Your Dog Tells You: Turid Rugaas: Movies & TV

Originally Posted by Eiros

I'm not looking to hijack this thread but how is the best way to put the dog behind you and greet the other person? If your dog is excited and barking and you turn your back on them how do you make sure they stay put?
Jack will stay in a sit-stay on leash when other people are coming towards us at the park, walking around town, etc. but he still barks like crazy. He only stays when I stand facing him in between him and the approaching party and even then he still ignores food and "watch me" command. If I were to somehow try and hold him behind me with the leash and face the approaching party... not sure how to do it?
With people coming to the house at least you have enough control over the situation (usually ) to put your dog in a sit or down stay and work on maintaining that. Maybe strengthening the commands and having people come over for practice as part of training will help? Be persistent and consistent! Use positive rewards and pay attention to her body language in tough situations!

[Eiros]

Okay, thanks for your help. I will work on it. And I am learning more and more about calming signals and will definitely get this DVD to help me learn about them in depth!

[Bridget]

Me too. It sounds like, until getting the dog trained, meeting someone at the door is a two-person strategy; one to treat the dog, one to answer the door?? When she is already in the frantic barking mode (lost her to fight/flight), what to do at that point specifically? I understand about the treats and consistent training and will definitely get started.