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Help! My Dog is Too Protective
Minette
Does Your Dog Threaten to Steal a Body Part When Visitors Come?
Let’s be honest, one of the reason people get and like dogs is because they feel more confident and protected by them. It has been proven that even the bark of a Chihuahua will drive away a burglar. For most criminals it simply isn’t worth getting involved with someone with a dog.
When I was 18, a requirement of marriage was getting a Rottweiler. I got 2! My female Rottie was around 100# and was the sweetest, kindest, doggie soul you could ever meet. She almost never met a person she didn’t immediately adore. I use to laugh because if you simply placed a finger on her she was thrilled by the affection.
As I walked her to the park one day, a man jumped out from around a van. I had NEVER seen her hackle or her show her teeth to a person before that moment and a growl resonated from within her belly. I was just an 18 year old kid and definitely not a dog trainer yet.
He hastily scurried around his van entered through the passenger side scooted over and his wheels screeched as he tore out of sight.
It still gives me goose bumps to remember that moment. I don’t think at that time I truly realized the danger I might have been in, but in hindsight I realize that she sensed something sinister that I did not recognize. She never showed aggression toward another human being for the rest of her life, she was too busy wagging and soliciting affection to everyone else!
I truly believe that even the most social dog would protect his owner in a crisis. The good news is that there is rarely ever a true crisis to put my theory to the test.
However, many dogs have a very strong protective instinct. These dogs feel it is their job to keep their owners safe and they take their job very seriously!
The other problem is that countless people admire and promote this behavior. When the dog is young and first growls or barks at someone not only are they praised, sometimes people actually feed and reward the dog for showing this behavior.
It usually isn’t until this behavior gets out of control and the dog decides EVERYONE is a threat and no one can get close that the person realizes the danger they have put themselves, their dog, and other people in by encouraging this protective instinct.
I once trained a Labrador Mix as a Service Dog. She adored everyone. She use to finagle her way around at the grocery store to turn toward the closest person and then she would begin to flirt. Those brown eyes would wink and call out to the person and her tail would wag incessantly until they gave in and asked to pet her. She was relentless about seeking attention and affection, but I liked that trait because it meant she liked people and enjoyed her work.
Then I placed her with her new owner and within several months she began getting protective. I was mystified because I had never seen even a hint of a problem. But, her new mom was easily startled and a bit prejudiced and she would scream when she was startled or caught off guard.
This screaming and fear brought out the protective instinct of the dog and she began to associate certain people and men with her new mom’s fear. Screaming showed weakness an inability to take care of herself and probably also scared the dog. Within a short amount of time the dog just decided, in her mind, if she kept all men away from her mom there would be no more drama or fear so she started to get protective.
Part of the reason she never showed this propensity with me is because I am a very dominant and strong willed person, most dogs would think never think I needed them to protect me because they can clearly see I am in control. I project an image that I can take care of myself.
What Can You Do?
- You need to take this behavior seriously! If left unattended this behavior usually only gets worse and it can rapidly become a behavioral pattern over time. Behavioral patterns are often very difficult to break. So stop this behavior as soon as possible or keep it from ever happening.
- Never praise your dog for barking or growling aggressively at another person
- Always correct your dog, by telling him NO when he shows aggression toward people (My exception is when someone first comes to the door. My dogs are allowed to bark but must be quiet when I tell them to)
- If he is nervous or unsure of people, use your clicker and make sure meeting new people is fun
- ALWAYS use a leash! A LEASH = CONTROL and when a dog shows aggression of any kind you need as much control as possible.
- If your dog is protective at home and you are having people over, ALWAYS leash your dog prior to their arrival
- Take control! Dogs takeover situations they think you cannot handle. Show your dog that you don’t need to be protected by being confident and in control at all times.
- Work tirelessly on obedience! Obedience puts you in control and your dog in the passenger seat. You need to be able to put your dog in heel position, by your side and in a “Down” position when he meets new people. This takes control away from him and gives him something to do and preoccupies his mind.
- You also need to work on the other facets of obedience. A clear leader, Mom or Dad (YOU) makes the subordinate or child accomplish tasks or listen to get the things they want in life. Rules are crucial to a good parent/child relationship. Be a kind but firm parent by having your dog listen to you and do things for you around the house; down stays, sit stays, waiting at the door, come when called, heel at your side and anything else you determine necessary.
If Your Dog is Fearful
If your dog is fearful, he requires a bit of a different type of treatment. Determine if he is simply scared when you both meet a new person. If his ears are down, or back or his tail is tucked, or he backs up he is probably scared.
- When a dog is scared he needs to have his confidence built.
- You can build his confidence by making sure that every time new people are around he gets lavishly praised and rewarded for good, social behavior.
- Do NOT praise and reward him when he is scared or he will think that is what you want for him to be=scared.
- Instead, back up until he is showing no signs of fear or nervousness and reward him.
- Slowly work your way toward new people by rewarding him for controlled social behavior.
- Calmly and quietly tell him No if he growls, hackles, or shows any kind of aggression. Do not compound his fears by yelling or aggressively getting in his face. Just let him know quietly and calmly that, that behavior is not what you want.
- Make sure that you lavishly reward him and praise him by giving him toys and treats only when people come over (as long as he is not possessive).
- Keep him on a leash and give him something else to do when people are over to keep his mind off of his fears.
- Never allow people to pet him when he is scared. Petting a scared dog can make the feelings and the behavior worse. If he cannot be calmed down, ask people not to pet him. This will show him that he can trust you; by forcing him to allow people to touch him, when he doesn’t want to be touched he may learn to growl or show aggression just to keep people away.
I have a dog that is nervous with people, but he has never shown possession aggression of his toys or treats. When I have people over, I put him on a leash, keep him close to me in heel position and in a down as I welcome them and tell them to enter. He lies down at my feet and chews a special peanut butter filled bone when people come to visit.
This positive interaction of people=a special treat helps him to look forward to visits from other people. Instead of getting nervous or aggressive when people come over, he is excited because he knows if he shows appropriate behavior he will get his bone!
I never force him to interact with someone if he doesn’t want to, however I do insist if he is nervous or unsure of a person that he lay at my feet on leash the whole time the person is in my home!
Good luck and try to keep this fun but take the control of your relationship back by letting your dog know you are in charge of who you socialize with!
My best advice is never to let your dog show these behaviors! Trust me, when or if you should ever need him to truly protect you he will undoubtedly be there for you in your crisis!
92 responses to “Help! My Dog is Too Protective”
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Hi= I have a new, rescued 2 year old Chihuaha. She’s been with me less than a week. Am trying to keep her from being too clingy, as is her tendency. I pet her when I want (and thats a lot) and not when she wants and now she no longer insists on being on my lap whenever I sit down.
She has a crate but now stays in it with it left open. She is basically a very good dog.
She gets aggressive and barks and growls and jumps up when people come over – she doesn’t know commands yet, although she does know “sit” somewhat (she has to “think” it over before she sits).
Do you think I should pick her up before I answer the door and hold her when people come over?
She does not seem to care about food, or treats or toys.
She also barks at my assistant when she moves from one room to another, but not at me when I move around. Any suggestions?
Than you very much.
Diana
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Minette Reply:
August 21st, 2011 at 6:45 pm
DO NOT give in and pick her up! That will only escalate the problem. Instead put her on a leash and control her behavior tell her to sit and then help her or wait for her!!! IF she is QUIET and well behaved…THEN you can pick her up!
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randall Reply:
August 21st, 2011 at 10:31 pm
its just animal instinct you cannot stop it from barking as your dog is not familiar with your assistant
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Is a wonderful insight into the psyche of animal behavior. I too, had a 165# Rottweiler and just his size alone was completely intimidating but this guy was brought up around many (all) of my grandchildren where they would grab him by his fur, push him down and take their naps on him. When challenged by a stranger that might have been a problem for me (100#), all I had to do was touch his collar and say “stay with mom”, the same for my husband. He was a gentle giant. I have also had German Shepherds, and Dobies, they were all quite obedient. Now I have a Pug who I am in love with and she in turn is in love with everything.
Your articles are wonderful and I enjoy them immensely and have learned a lot from them. Thank you
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@ August 19th, 2011 at 14:09I have a Shih Tzu and she is a real lover. However, barking is starting to become a problem. Whenever anyone comes to the door, she barks at me or my wife to answer the door. When she sees the person, whomever it is, she is happy and shows love to them. We live in a neighborhood near the beach, and get a lot of day surfers parking all around our house (we have a corner lot). When she hears noise, like a door closing, she starts to bark. We do not mind the barking to answer the door, but want the other barking to stop. We say no, and use a can with rocks to shake at her. The noise usually stops her, but it is not lasting. Do you have any comments on how to change this behavior. She is never aggressive with anyone, including cats and kids, but the barking needs to stop. She likes to lay on a rug near the front door, and evidently feels she is protecting us.
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@ August 19th, 2011 at 14:22our dog is eleven months, big and loves to swim. he is pretty well trained and obedient but when we are in the water with him, he sometimes comes to us and paws at us and snaps, as if trying to play. but it’s dangerous! we get pushed under, he panics, paws even more, and so forth. when we have no footing ourselves, it seems impossible to disciple him. even saying NO sharply, doesn’t faze him when he’s swimming. what to do?
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Minette Reply:
August 21st, 2011 at 6:42 pm
Don’t swim with him until he is under more of your control, then try it slowly with a leash attached to give you control!
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Peter Gobel Reply:
August 22nd, 2011 at 7:08 pm
Arnie,
let me suggest that you set the dog up to learn what it is that you want her to do when she hears a car door slam. Call a bunch of friends, (throw a party) and tell everyone that it is a “train my dog party” and when they arrive they should: 1,call you just before they park. 2, sit in the car for a minute. 3, get out and slam the door, pause, then slam the door again.
You are now in the perfect position to teach her what you want. Get her favorite treat and toy. when your friend calls, begin calmly playing and giving treats for releasing the toy. when you hear the first door slam escalate the play and speed up treat delivery so she doesn’t even have time to bark. and say “YES” and treat and treat and treat before the second slam and let her know that not barking at a slam door is what gets rewarded.
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I am so glad that this tip came up today. For the first time since rescuing Madam Mocha Moe (a 4 yr old pit bull) from the pound, I am having a rather large group of people over for a BBQ. Most of them she has met before, but not all, and not all of the kids. She is very friendly, when we go for walks little kids allways want to pet her and she loves that. The people that know Moe, know that she will bark at them when they come in,after they say hello and pet her, she usually grabs a chew toy and goes to lay down. I was a bit concerned about too many kids, and people that don’t know that they only need to greet her and she will quit “asking” to be ackowledged. So the keeping her on a leash while everyone is getting to know her is an excellent idea! I did not want to put her in her “house” (crate in my bedroom), because this is her home too, so she should be able to enjoy this get together also.
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@ August 19th, 2011 at 15:15This was very helpful!!
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@ August 19th, 2011 at 15:41That is just great advice. Well said !!!!
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@ August 19th, 2011 at 15:54Chet,
Thank you so much for this aarticle. This is one of the things that my 10mo old boxer (Baby) is doing. I made the mistake several months ago of praising her and petting her when she would bark at a stranger she saw through a window. I will never do that agaon and I will take your advise. This is the type of information that I wanted from you. I am sure I am going to be joining your membership soon and forever.
Thank you so much and God Bless,
Ann Wilson
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@ August 19th, 2011 at 16:02I really related to the part where you said – don’t let someone pet him when he is afraid. I have a fearful, aggressive dog that barks at every person and dog that we come upon on our walks. One person knelt down to pet him when her dog ran out to us from his front yard unleashed. My dog let the owner pet him but was very anxious – I’m just glad he didn’t bite her.
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@ August 19th, 2011 at 16:19I have a 5 yr old cockapoo…who is afraid of everything and everyone, except me….He barks at the door constantly but backs away as he barks.
He does not get aggressive toward people but he has bitten 3 children who have tried to pet him. One of those was my granddaughter, who was actually living in the house for two years at the time. If they come toward him, to get away he lashes out at them.
To me he is very gentle and affectionate…but he still barks when my husband comes in the house, daily!
I have had professional training…but even the trainer had trouble getting Pepper to do anything with him…I was the one who had to hold the leash. I tried taking him to agility training and he was great…but he would not go close to anyone but me or any othe the other dogs……I had to do the leading. It did not help his fear at all. I have taken him to the pet stores almost daily for a few weeks….but he didn’t seem to get any better….so I stopped doing that, too. I am at a total loss on what do do next!
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Minette Reply:
August 21st, 2011 at 6:38 pm
You need to work on his behaviors at a safe distance while not allowing people to pet him especially children! You must protect the children in your life, and your dog! Most dogs get 3 chances before it is mandatory that they be euthanized!
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My 4 yr old Border Collie is a resource guarder. I am the resource. She only does it with dogs and only on a leash. She has bee this way since she was about 1 1/2 yrs old. The last 9 months she has been better and i am able to do agility with her now and go to classes and seminars. Part of the reason she is doing better is because I leave as soon as she shows any reaction. If I can hand her off to someone, I do or if not I just stride off quickly and pay no attention to her. It has been working. I never thought we would ever be competing but we are.
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Minette Reply:
August 21st, 2011 at 6:33 pm
Good for you and your training and your realization that she is resource guarding YOU and being possessive!
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My dog is a year old and so sweet to us!! He is a mini daschound. We tried to have him neutered when he was 6 months old and he had a cardiac arrest and they never was able to neuter him. I think after that incident he is afraid and has anxiety around other people. He gets aggressive, barks ALOT and is very nippy so everyone(other our immediate 4 people living in our house) is very afraid of him! He is very intimadating with him barking the way he does, they think he is going to bite them. To be honest I won’t let anyone around him because I also fear he will bite them too! He is so sweet around us and I love him to death! My vet thinks we should try to neuter him because she thinks it will calm him down. I am scared because he almost died before! She said he has no health problems and it was a freak thing! What do you think? Might it happen again? Would you try to do it again? Is there a way to neuter him under local anethesia? We have tried everything including anti-anxiety meds and tranquilizers when we had friends and family over. We did’t see any difference at all!! Please help me….I LOVE THIS DOG!!
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Minette Reply:
August 21st, 2011 at 6:32 pm
If in doubt of your vet’s recommendations see a doggy cardiologist and let them do a total work up on him. They can tell you what the risks are.
I would want him neutered!
I also think you need to be doing obedience with him every day and be cautious about letting him around other people.
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I have a problem with my eighteen month old Lab Annie. She has taken an instant dislike to my father-in-law/ neighbor/ landlord. I will work with her, and she seems to improve, but then if she sees him with something different, i.e., a bucket in hand, handkerchief over his head, etc. she goes crazy barking at him. She has barked at a couple other people, but nothing near like she has toward my father-in-law. He will stay calm and keep his voice down at times to help calm her down, other times he fusses at her and “threatens” her verbally and otherwise. Suggestions, please? She was bought to be a breeding dog, and my hope is to raise service/ therapy dogs with her. I have had her 6 1/2 months.
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Minette Reply:
August 21st, 2011 at 6:28 pm
Do not breed her! This is not a behavior trait to be breeding on to other dogs!!! Especially not service or therapy dogs, many personality traits are passed on in genetics and this behavior shouldn’t be passed on. Imagine how much worry you have over this behavior…what will other people do with their puppies if they show this undesired behavior? Most people won’t devote the time needed to fix it!
Beyond that HE needs to stop threatening and begin giving her treats and YOU need to give her treats and special attention when he is around ONLY if she is good and doesn’t bark!
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Maria Moles Reply:
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:40 am
We have tried the treats, and she will not accept them from anyone other than myself, my husband, or my children. Annie is completely trustworthy around the four of us, our other dogs, cats, and cattle.
I think part of the problem is that I’m hard of hearing, and I praised Annie when she alerted me to someone coming up in the yard. Normally, that would be my father-in-law. He has a way of just appearing without any “warning”. We have been kenneling Annie when she barks at my father-in-law, shaming her, and making it very clear her behavior is unacceptable.
This is a genetic condition apparently, since her breeder has mentioned Annie’s father is also very protective of her. We also have dog thieves in the area (they’ve stolen one of my puppies recently), and that is making all my dogs on edge.
Thank you for your advice. I’ll definitely have Annie evaluated in person by my vets and another trainer. Meanwhile, I’ll continue working with Annie.
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Minette Reply:
August 22nd, 2011 at 9:03 am
Although telling Annie she is not to bark at your father in law is good, I wouldn’t shame her and make it a big deal. Otherwise your father-in-law=trauma and her getting in trouble. Instead make it a fun thing, but keep him safe and just give her a quick NO or whatever will stop her. Immediately reward her for being quiet and praise her. Give her something else to do when he is over like lay at your feet on leash (but no growling).
I would try and find out when he is coming and deny her breakfast or snacks or a meal or two so she is hungry…then have him toss her pieces of liver or something really good all while she is on a leash and well controlled.
Try changing your negatives into a positive, by changing your attitudes and hopefully you will see a big change!
Maria Moles Reply:
August 23rd, 2011 at 5:24 am
My father-in-law equals trauma for Annie no matter what I do. Let me make this clear: My father-in-law is NEVER in any danger from Annie. Even when she runs at him barking, she stays several feet away from him. It is Annie who is putting herself in danger, because he has threatened her more than once with bodily harm, even death. Therefore, I do my best to keep her away from him. She does manage to slip by us or the kids on occasion and get outside while my father-in-law is home though.
When my father-in-law comes in the house, Annie does very well after the first few half barks which I reprimand. I’ve even seen Annie all but get up in his lap to be petted. She does not growl at him in the house.
I do not get notified when my father-in-law plans to come over. He owns the land and house, and will do as he pleases.
I am doing my best to work with Annie, and change attitudes, but I can only change my own. I have asked my in-laws for help and understanding as I work with Annie, but they both want her to leave. Annie knows she’s not liked/ wanted by them, and that makes my job harder.
And as a quick side note: one of Annie’s siblings (one her sire’s side) is currently a service dog.
My wife and I have a cross Shiatsu/Toy Poodle. About six months ago the dog started to become very protective of the person present when the other person comes into the room. Especially at night and mostly towards me. If the dog is on the bed I order him down onto the floor and to lay down and stay. The dog responds immediately to the command and remains quiet. If it’s earlier in the day I’ll command the dog to stop barking/growling and into his bed. Again he’ll comply and he remains calm. Quite often before I calm him he will look for something of his and shake the daylights out of it as if he’s showing a willingness take on whatever the challenge/threat may be. Getting back to the bed issue before he follows my command he will kook for something of his on the bed to take with him before he jumps to the floor. So while his barking/growling can be controlled as described how do I get him to stop this behavior before this begins. This is not an issue with strangers or others. It appears to be a protective behavior between my wife and myself.
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Minette Reply:
August 21st, 2011 at 6:24 pm
This is possession aggression, as in he is being possessive of you not protecting you from someone because he thinks they might hurt you!
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This was some great advice. I have trouble with my Standard Poodle – I know because he is too spoiled. Advice on weaning him off the spoils? My biggest problem is he will not be bribed by a treat. When we walk, he goes barking and chasing anything on wheels. Last weekend he broke loose on the leash and while showing biting motions around the ankle of a inline skater – thank God – he never bit and we got him under control real quick. Bailey, my dog, is at my wife’s heels ALL the time, even to the bathroom. He also thinks he is a lap dog and gets very depressed and will show his indignation by ignoring us a bit if we go out and he doesn’t get to come. Yet he will jump in the car as soon as you open a door but then barks at every passing vehicle or anything on wheels. He is going on 2 years old in September, so I don’t know if he is just a mindless puppy or he thinks he is in control. He will always bow down to my or my wife’s dominance though. Curious
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@ August 19th, 2011 at 19:25What do you do with a minpin/chihuahua who came to us at 6 months old and is now 11. She is very protective of me and she will bite anyone, myself included. She is food aggressive towards people, but not her housemate, an 11 year old shih tzu. I have caudled her to some degree over the years. If I am in bed (I work noc shift), she will not let anyone in the room without standing her ground. She is a constant barker when my husband comes out of his room for anything. Trying to sleep during the day is insane to the point that I have to put her out of the bedroom, which I don’t like. I like sleeping with her and it’s her favorite place to be, next to me. Any ideas on how to go about fixing what I’m sure I have broken?
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@ August 19th, 2011 at 19:26My two-year old, Frankie has no problem with people at all. Her problem is with other dogs, especially when she’s on the leash. I’ve been working hard on correcting this. She walks beautifully–people comment on how focused she is. But let another dog come by and, uh oh. I also have a 6 month old puppy. He doesn’t seem to be picking up on Frankie’s behavior. He’s social with people and dogs. I walk them together but worry that he might begin to follow her lead. Although we’ve gotten Frankie’s behavior down to a minimum I still worry.I think Frankie thinks she needs to protect me as you mention in the article. I’ve been working on showing her that I am not afraid of dogs on the street. Unfortunately it may be that she’s picking up on my nervousness which is about her, not the other dogs.
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@ August 19th, 2011 at 19:27Excellent advice on how to handle a serious problem!
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@ August 19th, 2011 at 21:46nice
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@ August 19th, 2011 at 21:50Great info — I will be sure to use in the coming days. Thank you
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@ August 19th, 2011 at 22:49This is a very basic principle in dog training, and no less important with smaller dogs unless you want a delinquent!
Do not spoil your dog, you only cause upset for you and your dog.
Good article!
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@ August 20th, 2011 at 03:32I have had my golden lab since she was a pup. I got her @ 12 weeks old.She has been showing aggression towards people for as long as I can remember. The first day I brought her home I walked threw the dorr and was very excited. She backed herself into a corner growled at me and peed on the floor. I immeadiately calmed down and spoke softly appoligizing to her for scareing her.
She has since ripped a boys shorts riding by on his bike, barks at everyone that goes by the front of my house and it scares me to think I may eventually be face with a lawsuit. I have enrolled her in dog training, but have not yet had my first session. I am afraid it won’t work however I will try just about anything at this point.
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@ August 20th, 2011 at 03:54This is a good article. I have a 7 month old german sheperd who we think may have been abused by the breeder or her grandson. When we went to see her, she had her tail between her legs and ears laid back. She is afraid of the water hose. She became very protective of me within a couple of days of being in our house. She even nipped at my husband. We took her with us on a visit to my mother’s for a few days and had to keep her on lease or crated. My mom won her over with a piece of bacon after two days.
The vet told me to train her from her aggression but I had no idea how to do it.
This article is exactly what I needed to make my wonderful girl the dog I need her to be at all times. Thank you.
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Minette Reply:
August 21st, 2011 at 6:49 pm
Some dogs are born with a tendency toward more of this behavior. Sometimes even good people get difficult dogs!
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I really learn from and enjoy these articles. However, my “pet peeve” is people calling their dogs children or that they are their dogs “mommy or daddy”. Drives me nuts. I tell people I am NOT my dogs mom! I much prefer the pack mentality…that they are part of the pack…that we are pack members. Other than the dog’s new “mom” statement–excellent article:-)
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Minette Reply:
August 20th, 2011 at 9:17 am
The wolf pack theory has been disproved! They are saying it is more like a family structure! Hence my comment
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Pamela Reply:
August 20th, 2011 at 10:32 am
why do you care? refer to your dog however you want; I am my dog’s mom and my husband is its dad. She is adored, loved, and treated as an integral part of our family. We know she is a dog.
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Suzi Reply:
January 4th, 2012 at 8:04 pm
I couldn’t agree more!! You call your dog a pack mate, I’ll call mine my baby and yes I am mommy and hubby is Dad!
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Super article, I have always had dogs and never once have I deslt with an aggressive animal. This article however enlightened me for the future or if I should ever encounter one.
Good work.
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@ August 20th, 2011 at 06:53hi, We have a cockapoo. He is three years old. He has always been frightened easily, and I don’t think he sees real well. I’ve told the vet but there is nothing that can be done if it is the case. Last night my husband was washing a window and he barked until I needed to put him in his kennel which is the only place he seems to feel safe. In addition he has now developed the traits you listed in “My Dog is Too Protective.” He barks incessantly at strangers and has growled in a pretty frightening way at children. We have three grandchildren and another on the way, so we can’t tolerate not trusting our dog with children. I called in a trainer and she had me work with pulling his fur and giving him treats after he didn’t growl, but it didn’t transfer to the kids. He used to sit at our front door and still does if the doorbell rings although he barks like crazy (I used your training method) but now he shoots out if bicyclers are going by or if joggers are near, and chases them nipping at their feet. A jogger told me yesterday he would sue me if it happened again. I’m getting pretty nervous about this. In addition, I worked with him as a pup training him to go potty outside, but it was the depth of winter and he aimed for snow up to the time the last snow melted. You’d find a small bit of snow on the ground with all kinds of excrement on it…his personal toilet. In the winter, ever since, he goes out his dog door and loves to go in the snow. However, when there isn’t snow he goes on our deck, or worse yet, in the bedroom or living room portion of the house. When I clean, I see that he has marked all kinds of places that I have scrubbed with every available odor remover. This isn’t all. He also goes in other people’s houses, always on a piece of paper on the floor, on my daughter’s white macbook (on the floor) or on their rugs. We are truly frustrated with this dog. He even struggles with our commands that he has learned. I will ask him to sit and he will do it but he growls as he does it. I am wondering if he is beyond help. Thanks, Jan
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@ August 20th, 2011 at 07:17My dog is not protective of me with people outside my house, only with my husband. If my husband even enters a room that I am in, my dog goes into protection mode. Nothing I have done helps or prevents this behavior! My dog is now 12 months old and is a little terror! Your article was good but I can’t seem to make it apply to my little dog!
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Pam Reply:
August 21st, 2011 at 7:04 am
Louie Louie’s barking and protection did not start till I hurt my back and had surgery 1 year ago. I think screaming every time my husband helped me in and out bed is when it started. I have tried a squirt bottle and telling him no Louie, also putting a baby gate in the bedroom. He is just not getting it. Please help me!
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Minette Reply:
August 21st, 2011 at 6:02 pm
He is probably not being “protective” unless your husband is hurting you or hurts you on a regular basis. He is being POSSESSIVE which is different! I will try and add this problem to my list of articles to write about!
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Valerie Reply:
August 21st, 2011 at 9:31 pm
I can see where my dog is possessive of me as he is of his treats and some toys. My husband is a “nervous” kind of person and gets “angered” very easily. I guess my dog see’s me as his property and feels threatened by my husband when he comes into the room. My dog will bark and growl if my husband even comes near the computer room, if I am in there! My husband is ready to get rid of my dog if this behavior continues. My dog will growl at me if I try to move him if he doesn’t want to be moved and he has bitten me also. He is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and weighs 18 pounds!
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Just on time!Tank you very much
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@ August 20th, 2011 at 08:34My son has a mastiff and he is very shy of strangers. I am going to tell him about the not forcing him to be petted by strangers.
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@ August 20th, 2011 at 08:55Well my dog started to bark at people when he started to see them from the window now he moved on to barking at people when we get near some one when he sees other dogs his back hairs stand up and am scared that might attack some one he is a loving dog to all of my siblings but when he sees some one new that he has never seen before he barks and growls but am trying to do everything in my hands that I cant to help him ……..<3
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@ August 20th, 2011 at 10:05I have a Yorkie that is 11 months old and as typical to the breed, she has incredible hearing! Before I know what is hapining, she is on her feet in a high screech, flying toward all the doors. It is impossible to catch her before she is in a frenzy. We don’t take her to stores anymore because of this behavior. Of course, she is not on a leash in the house, so I can’t use that restraint. But when she is outdoors, she does respond to a sharp NO! Love people who write articles done in a way to help instead of just selling you a book.
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Minette Reply:
August 21st, 2011 at 6:00 pm
Thank you! I suggest leashing her in the house if you have people over often or do it and then invite people over to work on the behavior!
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I have a Chinese Sharpei, that is very protective and it is hard to have anyone over.I am going to try this.Thanks
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@ August 20th, 2011 at 16:02My spayed Australian Shepherd shows extremely bad behavior patterns when my Siberian huskies enter my house , she becomes aggressive towards them and is extremely protective of the inside areas. I am in control of my dogs and take control if the situation immediately . But the next time she does it again and never actually learns from the situation.
She also barks at everything and causes chaos amongst my 4 siberians who are very well adjusted and have a good pack order amongst them. She does not see herself as a part of the pack and continuously distances herself from them. She also attacks our alpha male and will not accept his authority.
I have tried variuos tips I have read in this subject but cannot get to a point where we cab get past her aggression towards the other dogs.
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@ August 21st, 2011 at 00:30My 14 month old Cocker Spaniel “Kipper” does not show aggression, but barks like crazy when someone comes. Is this protective behavior or just “barking”?
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Minette Reply:
August 21st, 2011 at 5:57 pm
Barking should stop when you tell the dog to stop! Work on getting your dog to be quiet on command
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Kimh Reply:
August 23rd, 2011 at 6:24 am
That’s the clincher! Getting a dog who barks upon people arriving, passing, ringing the doorbell, to be quiet on command. Two years of unsuccessful work is proving unsuccessful for our otherwise loving and docile Golden Retriever. . .
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Chet ,this is one of the biggest problems we have with sparky.I am glad
to get this one.
Sparky is ready to attack my son,everytime he comes to see me.
He gets very mean and barks like crazy,you can barely control him to
get him outside.he has even nipped him. so now he calls me before he comes~~
and now when the phone rings~~Sparky knows someone is comming shortly and
begins to act up right then.
he also does this to a little girl next-door,who has been very close to me ever since she was born and she is 6 now.
we have been putting him outside _or in his pen when they come.
We are both in our 70S and it scares me. Help !
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@ August 21st, 2011 at 13:02My dog is not aggresive unless he sees a jogger or someone riding a bicycle, or when passing another dog. Since she is always leashed on our walks I make her sit quietly but the other dogs who walk with us lash out and now she thinks she should do that also. I feel like I am back in square one. Bad behavior is quickly learned whereas good behavior takes a lot of work.
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@ August 21st, 2011 at 14:32Great article as usual with simple understandable messages (or maybe I just get it?). Though I think you could have emphasised more about the importance of leadership and trust between the dog and it’s owner/family, as this is usually not there and needs to be (perhaps another article?). This seems to be the “head in the sand” point that dog owners don’t ever want to admit. The dog does not see its significant human(s) as the leader (classic example raised in your article about the service dog placed with the client) and therefore makes decisions for itself as to what it thinks is the appropriate behaviour at the time. Dog owners need to realise that they have to rethink their own attitude towards their dog’s behaviour first before they can acknowledge that they need help to address the leadership problem. Leaving aside the service dog environment where the dog may be dealing with a human with a disability of some type and have to make decisions- ( hence there should always be continuous follow up support for the client); often this leadership problem is wider than just the dog, extending to the whole household interaction and behaviour. Large dog/ working breed/”bull breed” owners have to learn about leadership because of their dog’s size and disposition. The media quickly reports the incidents when they don’t and usually someone has been hurt. Small dog owners never seem to get it because the first thing they do is deny the dog (and perhaps their household human interaction) has a problem, pick the dog up and pat – thereby reinforcing the behaviour.
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@ August 21st, 2011 at 16:20This article hits home with me. I adopted a one year old Border Collie eight months ago. She is very attentive, athletic, friendly with folks and OK with other dogs if I am not around. I am teaching her the basic commands and working on extending them to longer periods of sit, stay, lie down, etc. From the beginning she exhibited aggressiveness toward other dogs, including my 10 year beagle, when I am around. I am trying to show extra confidence and it seems to be working, yet she still has strong aggression with my beagle at various times when I am around. She does not do this with my husband. I have concluded it’s me she is protecting so I will use your advise in the article and see if I can reverse her bouts of pinning down my beagle. Thanks for your article.
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@ August 21st, 2011 at 17:01i don’t agree that one of the reasons that people get animals/dogs is for the confident and the protection…i think for the most part people love the loyalty and companionship,amongst other self loving desire.like the devotion and unconditional love the animal displays towards the owner.but i so agree with the protection the animal shows for you and his territory.my one dog i had who was so protected of me would try and bite me if i pulled my arms out towards a little kid or animal in a threating manor as if i was going to grab them up fast.i really don’t know how bad he would bite me being his loving and gentle owner.he just didn’t like violence of any degree.even raising your voice.a gentle and loving dog he was.smart.not much training needed.R.I.P.my dog Woddie…mommie still missing you.
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@ August 21st, 2011 at 22:14My husband and I adopted a 3 month old lab/heeler mix. He is now 6-7 months old. He is the worlds best dog, and awesome with our 5 and 6 year old. He has also been really easy to train for the most part, but he is really agressive with strangers. It doesn’t matter if we are at home, on a walk, or camping. We try to show him these people are ok by touching their hands or giving them hugs, but every time someone comes over (even if they have been here before) he does it all over again. I know he is just a pup, and we do want him to be kinda of like a guard dog, but we also don’t want to have to put him in his kennel or the bathroom just because someone comes over. Is there anything in particular that we can do to stop this behavior?
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Minette Reply:
August 22nd, 2011 at 9:09 am
This is very serious at such a young age! Stop encouraging it AT ALL or you are going to find it so much harder to deal with!! He will protect you if ever he should need to!
Keep him on a leash and I would not touch people or hug them (unless of course you need to for you) he may see this as aggression and could be making him worse. For now I would dial down the touch, keep him on leash and make him lay at your feet or with you giving him a job and a place to be. Be confident and tell him it is not okay to bark at people, but praise him the moment he is quiet.
He probably also needs some socialization on leash and not allowing people to touch him. The vets office, groomers, and pet stores are a great place to take a dog and just have them toss him treats. He needs to get use to people in all areas and deal with the fact that other people exist. Praise and treat him when he acts appropriately and tell him NO when he acts aggressively!
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my dog is too picky ! whenever i give her her food she would either walk away or flip the whole bowl over . can any one tell me what to do ? i would appreciate it if there were some comments .Thanks!!!
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Minette Reply:
August 22nd, 2011 at 9:04 am
I have never seen a dog that isn’t sick, starve itself! She will eat eventually…she is holding out so that you will cater to her picky eating. Just like you would deal with a child, don’t give in!
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My almost 7 month old pup barks in fear. We thought he was just a mean dog at first, which I think he is (more about this later). But soon I figured he is scared of everything that is new, including other dogs and people and objects.
So we have the barking problem too, but it is driven by fear or anxiety.
But I have a huge problem with his occasional guarding/possessive behavior problems. I spoke with a behaviorist at a humane society and she figured that his drawing blood when he bites and being only 6+ lbs is a big problem, as he is biting just about as hard as he can at his size. She also said that his being a “singleton” and not having any litter mates might have made him this way. He is really fun to be with and pretty good with me about 90% of the time. But I have hads him for about 2 months now and he has bitten me 5 times, almost got my mom once, and my dad once when my dad was trying to untangle his leash for him. And bit my brother pretty badly and drew lots of blood.
He snarls and bites when I am trying to remove a contraband from his mouth (first time was when he had a foil candy wrapper in his mouth, and most recently when I picked him up to put him in my car while he was eating grass or something in the grass). Other times, it is over s bone that I am going to throw away b/c of his inability to control himself when he is with it and someone walks by too close or touches it. I had taken it away then reintroduced him to it w/ me holding it and he seemed fine with me taking it away from his grasp and giving it back but he snarls over it sometimes and when he bit my brother, he was gnawing at it on and off. I think he blew his multiple chances with it.
He once snarled when I opened his crate to get him to pee before I went to bed. He had been sleeping and I slammed the door shut again and yelled at him until he stopped and I got him out and to the toilet. He growls when I pick up the basket he used to sleep in before I got him the crate. These are the reasons why I think he is a mean dog.
I got him neutered this week in hopes that he will be less possessive-aggressive. I don’t think he feels the need to protect me in any way. He just wants to make noise and be mean. I am scared to walk him outside now b/c he might get too excited and rip his stitches.
I would like to do the hands-off training, but with a dog that is never quiet or good when people are around, even when I stick a treat in front of his nose to get his attention, it is umpossible. It is hard to award good behavior if it never happens. When we are alone, he is pretty good, plays with his toys and is generally quiet. Imtry to praise him when he is doing well, at home, in jopes that he will be better outside or around other people in hopes ofngettiong chances to award good behavior. It hasn’t happened yet. When we are on his walks, he is a terror and I never get a chance to award good behavior. I tried making him focus on me and the treat in my hand when cars are driving past or when other people and dogs are nearby. Never works. He gets into a frenzy and treats can’t lure him back to focusing until the stimulants are long gone.
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@ August 22nd, 2011 at 08:40We rescued a Rottweiler/lab mix from a shelter. He went to the shelter very early at 5 weeks. We adopted him when he was 8 weeks old. He is a catching on quickly with training, but for some reason the dog will jump up on me (the woman) and nip at me to try to get my attention. When I say NO and down he will continue to do this. I do admit I have had to raise my voice and say NO, go lay down, quite a few times before it sinks in. I then have him go lay in the corner and stay each time this happens. It just does not seem to be getting any better. I am the only family member he does this with. I am the one who does most of the training, walks, bike runs, feeds him, so not sure where this is coming from? At times he will have a toy in his mouth jumping, which I know he is trying to get my attention, but I do not play when he demands it. I tell him to get down and the same thing happens, he will continue to jump up and nip; until I eventually have to yell to get him to lay down. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
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Sarah Reply:
April 11th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
hi Michelle,
I have a 6 month old rottie Reg who we got at 8 weeks. He caught on really quickly with everything, he was toiletting outside within 2 days and eating/ sleeping/ playing at convenient times for us, and most importantly he has only ever chewed his own toys as we spent a lot of time redirecting his chewing. The problem I am having at the moment is that if my husband and I sit together, kiss or even hug Reg will jump up at us, paw us or mouth my arm to pull me away! if we are standing up we have found it relatively easy to deal with as we turn away and completely ignore him then treat him when he sits for attention nicely. However, we are really struggling with stopping the behaviour if we are sitting down or lying in bed. From reading the article I’ve decided that it is because he is too possessive of me. I have started to try sitting and being affectionate with my husband whilst making Reg sit and wait using the stand on the leash method and rewarding Reg with praise and chicken or liver or squirty cheese (!) it seems to be working so far but I was wondering if you had found anything else that has helped you?
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My Golden Retriever demonstrates this dominant behavior, but only in the presence of other dogs. I have had difficulty ‘harnessing’ this behavior, as she continues to demonstrate it despite our training progress, especially when approached by a dog while on our walks. A submissive Yorkie approached this week, and if not properly restrained with her leash, would have caused certain harm to this Yorkie. Although I realize that being approached by other dogs–which has happened in the past and at times as been the recipient of aggressive approaches–is threatening in itself, I wish that our calm words during the advancement of said dogs, making her sit or lay down, etc., would aid with this reaction. But inevitably, she lunges, barks viciously, and must be pulled off. This is a dangerous situation, not only for the other dogs, but potentially for us / my daughter, who we must restrict walking the Golden for safety reasons. Any suggestions for this?
Around six months ago we adopted a neglected small-breed dog from down the street, and initially introduced them by giving the Golden verbal praise, treats, etc., for allowing the other dog to approach, when she sniffed her, etc. Now I fear that she is protecting not only us, but her new ‘sister’ as well! Help!
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@ August 23rd, 2011 at 06:21I recently got another German Shepherd service dog, and I’ve had her for about 2 months now. She was with somebody for about a year, but it didn’t work out. The first couple weeks I had no problems, but after she started to bark or growl at random guys. She growled once, and then tried to nip my physical therapist’s pant leg once. After that I found out that the lady who had her before me was really afraid of men in general, so I guess the dog picked up on that, but the trainers said they never had any issues with that. Are there any other helpful things I can do to make sure that doesn’t happen again? She is the sweetest girl, but I just don’t want to have to worry about that when I’m out in public. I really don’t want to have to give her back either. It’s a hard situation.
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Minette Reply:
August 23rd, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Get the trainers involved. This is a serious, serious liability and you and the organization could lose everything you own if you continue to take a dog with aggressive tendencies in public. Especially since you have seen it and know a bite is a possibility. Your physical therapist would have no choice but to testify that you had witnessed the dog showing aggression and continued to allow the dog to be a risk to the public.
It might be best to let them deal with her training issues and have them place another dog with you. I don’t know anything about your abilities, but I do know a lot about service dogs and the law, and I would recommend getting them involved right away!
Your other option is to retire her as a public service dog and allow her to only work for you within the home.
Most organizations have very specific rules regarding this type of behavior and what their expectations for you and the dog are.
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My 1.5 year old female lab has recently been showing agression towards other dogs but only when I’m with her. If my boyfriend takes her for a walk she’s fine with other dogs but if I take her she barks and growls and shows her teeth with her fur standing up. Makes it extremely hard to control her when she goes crazy like that. I want to be able to take her to dog parks again, long walks, friends houses who have other dogs. Any suggestions on how to get her to calm down with other dogs?
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@ August 24th, 2011 at 09:22Hi everyone ! I have two Rottweillers;Trisha and Feenix,now the problem with
Trisha she’s over protective but more obidient than Feenix…On the other hand Feenix is so sweet,he holds a balanced temperamentbut he obeys less.
So i’m kind of confused,maybe i need to invest more time on them…But i am also looking ahead in trying to use these new steps given…Thanks a lot !!!
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@ August 24th, 2011 at 10:08Hello my name is Emma and I have 10 year old boston terrier / bulldog mix. He charges at the door if anybody tries to enter and if we try to leave he attacks us as well , he will bark non stop if he sees anyone outside the window. We had an incident with him where one of my friends came to sleep over. My dog was limited to our living room only because he was blocked off by a gate. Sadly he knocked it down , ran up the stairs and tried to bite my friend. He has also recently started to bite his own family members. Hes not very nice with other dogs either. This has made our lives a nightmare because whenever we had people over he always had to be put away downstairs or outside. Plus the constant barking at people on the street is quite annoying. I love my dog but if my parents judge that hes to dangerous to keep….they might put him down. Im just trying to avoid that but now im the one thats getting attacked the most because im trying to change his habits.
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@ August 25th, 2011 at 04:26I have a rescue maltese. Outside of my bedroom he is fine with the other people in this house. But if anyone comes back to my bedroom he freaks out! He’s tried to bite my parents just for stepping into my room. I don’t understand! Its only when they try to come into my room that he freaks out and growls and barks. And my other rescue is starting to do it.
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Senta Reply:
April 5th, 2012 at 7:00 pm
I have been having the same issue with my new rescue Pit. I am interested in any feedback people may have.
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I like that photo. Makes you want to train your dog fast.
Thanks
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@ August 27th, 2011 at 12:26my chiwawa keeps on growling at people i tried to lock her up but she keeps on howling and my guests get disturbed i dont know what to do
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@ August 31st, 2011 at 05:20My fiance and I have an amazing 10 month old Boxer/American Bulldog mix. He is a great dog in almost every way, but he barks. He sounds very viscous and scares people, but he always wags his tail while doing it. We have been working very hard to enforce words such as “leave it” which he knows well when it relates to objects, but he doesn’t understand how to “leave” a person alone. We also will say no, but that never helps. Recently, I have been trying to teach “quite” but we are still in the early stages of that command. Using a leash at home when guests come over does tend to help and give us more control, but we don’t always know when the doorbell will ring which makes that difficult. We also use a leash in public, but it doesn’t seem to have the control it has when we are at home. After a minute or so our dog will calm down and get comfortable, but getting to that point is embarrassing due to the looks we get. Any other advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
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@ September 4th, 2011 at 21:04The excellent tips on training your dog and the best do’s and dont’s are so helpful and I look forward to receiving your emails.
I have a four year old Pit Bull who is loving, obedient and such a pleasure
thanks to your training information
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@ September 14th, 2011 at 11:59I have a 5 month Pitbull mix, I’m not quite sure what shes mixed with yet, but i’m pretty sure shes mixed with Black Lab. Anyways, Shes very protective of the house and growls at anyone that doesn’t live here, even if a friend of outside family member comes over.
Any ideas?
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@ October 14th, 2011 at 07:08I have just moved back into my parents’ house with my 2.5 year old maltese/yorkie cross. When I am not home she is fine with everyone in the house but when I am with her and my brother or my parents’ dog (dalmatian/border collie cross) comes near us, she will start to growl like crazy and will on occasion snap at the other dog. My parents’ dog(Mack) doesn’t seem to care when my dog(Mia) does this but I don’t want Mack to get fed up one day and hurt Mia. She seems to be overly protective of me. Is there anything I can try to get Mia to stop doing this?
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@ November 28th, 2011 at 17:07Hello, I found your webpage very helpful. Hubby and I are dealing with a rat terrier that has been getting worse about barking at people who come in the house. Hubby is sooooo tired of it. I am afraid we may have to do something drastic if we cannot improve his behavior. So hate to put him down if nothing works.
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@ December 14th, 2011 at 10:11My little mix breed has become very sociable in a short time. She allows even toddlers to pet her. I walk her frequently where she’s always encountering and socializing with new people and new dogs. So I was puzzled when she started yapping at some guy who was trying to talk to me. She’s never done it before and I was pre-occupied trying to get hold of her collar and apologizing and reassuring the man “don’t worry, the doggie won’t bite.” Only then I realised the man was exposing himself to me. Good on Leah! She realised looong before I did that there was something weird and wrong about this guy and tried to tell me. Dogs DO have instincts about people.
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@ January 1st, 2012 at 03:06We have a Chi and the only time we have issues is when…My fiancee sleeps during the day as he is third shift and when I go to get him up our loving dog turns mean. He will try and bite me. After getting him off the bed and after a few minuets will act great giving kisses act. When we are in bed together Dasher has no issues. How do we stop ths?
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@ February 6th, 2012 at 15:27We took a dog (collie/retriever/toller cross)from a rescue centre 7 months ago. We know nothing about him apart from the fact that he comes from Ireland and was skin and bone when he was brought in. Since his arrival he has jumped the gate to go for the postman and growls and barks at delivery men and workmen in high visibility jackets. When off the lead in the country he has run after cattle and sheep. We have been told he should never be let off lead outside the house and should repeatedly give him treats when he calms down and shows good behaviour. This we have done as much as possible but he is still totally unpredictable. Inside the house he is very affectionate to all family members and people he knows as well as to strangers who are friendly. My wife will not hear a word against him but I am worried that if this continues he will be a risk to himself and others. I am not confident that we can make progress but have been told that it is too early to make a decision on the future and he may calm down as he gets older (he is 2 1/2 to 3 years old). Any thoughts you have will be most welcome.
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Minette Reply:
March 21st, 2012 at 12:40 pm
He should not be off leash and you need to work with him on obedience first inside until he is under your control almost completely verbally, then he needs to go to a class so he learns more control in another environment, and then I would suggest working with a behaviorist to work with people in uniform!
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HELP!!! please!
I have a Four year old Pit that has just recently decided to display some serious behavioral issues – His latest change is, for me, a cause for concern -
He has become increasingly protective around me, lunging at people’s feet if they come near and/or barking/growling like a loon. Given his size, people are becoming increasingly uneasy around him since this new tweek. The main problem I am having is that he doesn’t display this behavior All the time, it is so spuratic! I correct him when he does it (saying a stern NO. grabbing him back, and attempting to make him sit and stay), but his eyes remain paniced (ears back, eyes bulged) and if they move even a smidge, he jumps up to do it again. then other times, even around the same people, in the same room, he is 100% fine! sitting next to them, letting them pet him, no problem! The other thing is he never really relaxes. I have never had a dog that doesn’t know how to shut his eyes and chill!
Back story –
We lived with my grandmother for two and a half years helping out, and he became very attatched to her. It wasn’t until this past year, when she passed away, that his behavior started to change.
I used to be able to take him anywhere (park, stores, etc) and have no issues; He was never fearful of dogs, people, or the wind, and now he is afraid of the world!
He is now on PhenoBarb for his seizures (he has had them since I first got him as a puppy)-
I have taken him to dog class, and after months of one on one sessions, the teacher told me she was at a lose with him. One moment when he displayed poor behavior, the corrections worked, the next time it didn’t (just seemed to intensify his reaction).
I need some help here! if anyone has any suggestions i would greatly appreciate it!
thank you for your time and input!
-A
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Minette Reply:
March 29th, 2012 at 7:06 am
Since this is new and completely unpredictable and he has already suffered from seizures I would take him back to the vet and have a full work up done. He might be suffering from seizures.
Then I would recommend a veterinary behaviorist to help you with medications and behavior modification. This aggression is too severe for me to give you appropriate information without being able to see him and get more of a case history!
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I just got a 1 1/2 year old pit from a shelter. People at the shelter raved about how great and laid back she was. She has been very people friendly and they said they saw no aggressive issue with her. I have had her about a week now and I just started using a crate with her during the day. When I am home, the crate door is open and she chooses to rest in the crate yet can come out whenever she pleases. Lately, when someone enters my bedroom where she spends most of her time, she growls. She lays low and does a low growl towards my mom-who she is familiar with. I have no idea why. I tell her ‘No” and she usually stops but it has happened on multiple occassions. I dont want my mom to make me give her up. When growling, she is not in the crate, she is next to me. Please help.
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@ April 5th, 2012 at 18:55I have had my Dane/lab for over two years. He is turning three. When he was younger he used to be my moms dog but he took to me so much that she gave him to me. He used to be able to go out with us and everything, he used to love attention form strangers. But now he Lunges at people and if he is in our backyard he runs to the gate and will start barking and the hair on his butt all the way up his back will stand up. Is this because he is to protective or because somebody broke into my backyard and he attacked that person so now he doesn’t trust people? How would I go about helping him?
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Minette Reply:
May 6th, 2012 at 7:33 am
I would not assume anyone broke in unless you found large quantities of blood and other things broken or stolen.
Read this
http://www.thedogtrainingsecret.com/blog/time-seek-professional-dog-training-aggression/
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