# Confusing Aggressive Behavior



## Ellie NY

Eli is a few weeks shy of a year. In the past 2 months or so (with increasing frequency) he shows rather aggressive behavior towards strangers. When he sees a stranger during our walks he will begin to growl threateningly and it progressively gets louder as the stranger approaches, occasionally barking. However, all this time his tail is wagging on and off. Then, as the strangers walk by us he either appears to want to engage them in play or to run away scared. I'm so confused by this behavior.
Some friends of mine tell me never to correct a dog when he is barking at a stranger because we don't want to teach him not to protect us. On the other hand, is it too much to hope that he can ignore strangers outside of the home? 

Also, this past week we had 3 workmen come to the house to fix various things and he was very aggressive, barking incessantly at them. I had to lock him in another room because his behavior (and all 13lbs of white fluffiness) scared the guys. 

Can someone please, please shed some light? Does his behavior during our walks sound aggressive and should I work to curb it? It appears aggressive but the wagging tail is throwing me off. I do want him to listen to my commands regarding judgments of safety inside and outside of the home. Anyone have any tips for how to do this aside from hiring a trainer?


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## Suzi

My two are doing the exact same thing. I keep thinking if I were able to ask the people to stick around and pet them also give treats that it may help. The other day Maddie got loose and ran after a neighbor barking he kept walking while I was calling her . It turned out really bad he turned towards her kicked at her and said go home. I think if he had just stopped and reached down she would have come up to him. I just moved to a retirement area with lots of people walking around I think I will get a chair and a sign please pet my dog.  My puppy trainer said to lightly shake from the collar and say no. I have noticed in the month I have been here that they are getting better. The lady that lives across the street does not get the morning barking when she goes to get her news paper anymore.


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## davetgabby

Sounds like you've maybe taken his socialization for granted. Generally that is the problem ,and it gets worse during adolescence , especially if he wasn't well socialized as a pup. Here's an article. http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/it’s-all-about-adolescence

If this gets to the point of snapping at people ,then I would recommend a trainer.


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## Ellie NY

davetgabby said:


> Sounds like you've maybe taken his socialization for granted. Generally that is the problem ,and it gets worse during adolescence , especially if he wasn't well socialized as a pup.


Dave, I think you're on to something. We were doing great socializing him as a pup but then we had a pretty brutal winter in the Northeast. Frequent storms and snow pile up so there were extended times he wasn't walked and, when he did, did not meet new people. I'd worried that his socialization would regress but didn't connect his current behavior with it. We've fallen into some bad habits during the winter by letting him go potty out back. Now that it's getting warmer I need to become diligent about "resocializing" him.

It's funny that we have guest over all the time and except for a very low growl that lasted 30 seconds he was quite welcoming and playful, if a little skittish. The 3 service guys were a revelation as he'd never done that before. Add that to adolescence and I guess we have some work ahead of us. Thanks for your help!


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## davetgabby

yeah it's easy to do (forgetting to socialize). Here's how to go about it. http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/classical-conditioning


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## clare

We have had brilliant weather here for the last 6 weeks or so,therefore have been out and about a lot and it has made a huge difference to both our dogs.Dizzie has become far less of a velcro pup when out on walks and goes off exploring,he is far more confident and really loves to run off and meet new dogs and people[he even goes out of eye sight],he always comes rushing back if I just give him one whistle,and Nellie also loves to meet and greet new pups, she goes bounding up to them,then dashes way, then rushes up to them again trying to entice them into a game of chase!She is not so keen if a large over friendly dog bounds up to her and she will hide behind my legs,which I ignore[if the dog is friendly]so as not to reinforce her fear,she might also give a low growl or bark if scared,again I try to ignore it,but Dizzie sometimes steps in and as it were comes to Nellie's rescue!!And starts growling,But I guess what I am trying to say is that ,getting out there and meeting people and dogs on a regular basis makes all the difference,and that it is never to late.


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## lkwilson

Agree with all above, but wanted to add one comment. Friends said don't correct because you want him to protect you??? Really? I find that hilarious. Trust me, I'm the mother bear and a whole lot bigger than Coach is. I'd be protecting him, not the other way around.


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## Ellie NY

Okay, so I've been working on re-socializing Eli and things have been going well, so I thought. He's begun to growl much less at strangers (exception not the norm) and even approaches strangers during walks, although he usually does not let them pet him. That is until today. 

I was walking Eli in front of my home on an a retractable leash. I saw that the UPS truck was stopping by our home so I was waiting for my UPS guy and allowed Eli to walk a fair distance away. The UPS driver walked over to give me the package. Next thing I knew Eli was charging at him barking and growling! This was the first time I thought he could actually bite someone! I think he was surprised because he didn't realize someone had approached me while he was busy. 

I also read somewhere that dogs could develop racial biases if they weren't exposed to people of different ages, genders and cultures. I live in a very diverse area so Eli has been exposed to all kinds of people. The UPS driver was African American and I wonder if that has anything to do with anything. Eli's trainer is also African American but we haven't seen him in a few months. I don't mean to offend I'm simply testing out assumptions so I can understand the issue.

Sorry for the ramble. I'm not sure what to do about Eli's behavior. Maybe how I've been socializing him hasn't worked? Any ideas for plan B? Is the fact that he charged at the driver a sign that there's a bigger problem?


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## LeighaMason

When you are deciding what you think your dog is feeling please try and read his whole body, not just his tail. 

Tail wagging can mean, Excitement, Anticipation, Playfulness, Contentment/enjoyment, Happiness, self-confidence But also Anxiety, Uncertainty/apprehension, and nervousness.

If your dog is scared or nervous he will try fight or flight just like all animals, including humans. The trick is to help him see that it is not necessary to be nervous when strangers come around. The only cure for this is time and strangers. Socializing him hasn't worked, YET! It will it just takes time. 

And yes, skin color, facial hair, hats, uniforms, dresses, canes, etc. are all things that can trigger a nervous reaction. 

I am not very social so to keep Sugarbaby socialized I take her to Lowe's, Home Depot, Tractor Supply and a local farm store called Atwood's. I don't really take her to Petsmart because she focuses on the dogs instead of the people. I take treats and when someone comments about her I ask them to try and give her a treat. Sometimes she doesn't take it but she is so much better around people now. I have also considered getting a sign that says Please Pet my dog!

Good luck, you can do it!


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## Missy

I am glad your renewed efforts with Eli are paying off. I think this is a good example of how we can never stop working with our dogs. It really does sound like it is socialization...but I also wanted to throw out there for all who read this...sudden behavior changes can also be a sign of a thyroid condition.


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## krandall

From the way you explained it, it sounds to me like the best possibility (without being there to actually SEE what happened) is that Eli got startled and then went into "protective mode". Next time a similar situation occurs, I'd have him close to me and introduce him to the person, so it's clear to him that YOU think this is an "OK" person.


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## Ellie NY

krandall said:


> From the way you explained it, it sounds to me like the best possibility (without being there to actually SEE what happened) is that Eli got startled and then went into "protective mode". Next time a similar situation occurs, I'd have him close to me and introduce him to the person, so it's clear to him that YOU think this is an "OK" person.


I think you're right Karen. I also believe he was startled to find someone had gotten close to me without him knowing and he got very protective. I took him to the park yesterday and he was lovely with people, small kids and other dogs. Allowing himself to petted a lot and was very patient with small kids who wanted to approach and pet him. I think the re-socializing is working. Others are right that dogs need ongoing socialization and training. I'll have to remember that when the weather turns bad again and look for opportunities to make sure he gets out. Unfortunately, the stores in NY aren't dog friendly so it's not possible to take him to a Lowes or Home Depot.


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## krandall

Ellie NY said:


> I think you're right Karen. I also believe he was startled to find someone had gotten close to me without him knowing and he got very protective. I took him to the park yesterday and he was lovely with people, small kids and other dogs. Allowing himself to petted a lot and was very patient with small kids who wanted to approach and pet him. I think the re-socializing is working. Others are right that dogs need ongoing socialization and training. I'll have to remember that when the weather turns bad again and look for opportunities to make sure he gets out. Unfortunately, the stores in NY aren't dog friendly so it's not possible to take him to a Lowes or Home Depot.


That's too bad. We are away camping at the moment, and yesterday it poured ALL day. Kodi was going stir crazy, and we needed a few little things for the RV, so we headed off to first Lowes and then HD. Kodi doesn't need the socialization, but he DID need a change of scenery and some exercise. So we worked on our heeling and obedience exercises up and down the aisles. You'd have thought he was a circus dog with the crowd he attracted! He made lots of new friends for the breed!


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## Dalmane

Yes My Mia is quite the accomplished growler and barker. Lately I have noticed when she barks at people,I make it a point to walk her up to the person and she is seems friendly but shy ,circling away then coming up to the person,then circling away. I am thinking of going to the SPCA and sitting on the bench ,leaving out treats so passerbys can treat her. She would also get to greet dogs but she is good with dogs. Mia is 11 mo


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## morriscsps

"Could be a person... OR... Could be a BEAR!"

Border collies are super-sensitive to this. My previous dog, Kit, lost his little mind over the fact that my brother was attempting to grow a goatee. It was a pitifully uneven thing but was definitely there. Kit growled and charged and backed away, then barked incessantly. My brother left the room.

Kit calmed down. What I didn't know was that my brother went and shaved off his goatee. 10 minutes later, he walked back into the room. Kit went into his "HI! I WUV YOU! Where have you been?" 

weird, huh?


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## Ellie NY

Dalmane said:


> Yes My Mia is quite the accomplished growler and barker. Lately I have noticed when she barks at people,I make it a point to walk her up to the person and she is seems friendly but shy ,circling away then coming up to the person,then circling away. I am thinking of going to the SPCA and sitting on the bench ,leaving out treats so passerbys can treat her. She would also get to greet dogs but she is good with dogs. Mia is 11 mo


Sounds like my Eli. When I bring him to the park I bring treats and the change in his behavior is incredible. When he knows treats are forthcoming he's a completely different dog! Unfortunately, with his stomach problems, I'm worried about treats and I don't carry them with me everywhere (sigh). He's a work in progress - as we all are!


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