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Need help/ Advice on greetings

581 views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  Dunkirk 
#1 ·
3 year old male. Beautiful sweet dog but even when known friends (never mind 1st time guests) approach my dog forges at the person with the appearance of attacking and is some cases does give a bite. But once the person is brave enough to get past the initial scary greeting the dog is fine with the guest.

Any thoughts on reasons on this behavior and how to train this out.

Thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
Forging at and biting guests is completely unacceptable.I would not allow him to greet at all.Send him to his place or crate until your guests are settled and your dog is calm and totally not interested in your guests.Then he can be released to wander freely.
My dog is reactive to strangers too,but he chooses flight instead of fight and will step behind me and ignore them.What's happening is that they go into panic mode for a few seconds and we have to show them an alternative behavior when they get that feeling.The alternative behavior will become the reflexive behavior instead.
 
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#3 · (Edited)
3 year old male. Beautiful sweet dog but even when known friends (never mind 1st time guests) approach my dog forges at the person with the appearance of attacking and is some cases does give a bite. But once the person is brave enough to get past the initial scary greeting the dog is fine with the guest.

Any thoughts on reasons on this behavior and how to train this out.

Thanks in advance.
Rocko. By "forges at the person" do you mean "lunges at the person?"

And he sometimes gives a bite?
Does he actually Bite or is he mouthing your guests?

Does he bark or growl too?

Is he being aggressive?

Your dog is 3.
How long has he been behaving this way toward guests?

I'd be worried that the behavior might escalate.

Crating him as Dogma said is probably the best way to keep your guests safe.

As far as training the behavior out of him? I think you could try and put him on leash and when one of your braver guests arrive, and your dog begins forging forward you could correct him using the leash and saying OFF! and Leave It!

Or have a trainer at your house when guests arrive and s/he can teach you how best to correct the behavior and what tools to use ie prong collar and leash.
That's my best guess.
 
#4 ·
With my dog Nitro, IMO, the behaviour is a reflexive, protection response. After a short time in his crate, he is social, friendly and goofy. What helped with our training was for me to not have a reactive response to his response. I remain relaxed, calm and in control, while working him through the correct behaviour. We practiced a lot :) to proof the training through his adrenaline rush, when there's an unexpected knock and unknown person at the door.
 
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