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a puppy question - 4/20/2012 7:01:17 PM   
defiantbadgirl


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Status: offline 		Is it possible for a puppy to only be fear aggressive at home and act perfectly normal everywhere else? My puppy starts furiously barking when people she doesn't know come over. Once we pet her and let her know it's okay, she stops barking and approaches them wanting to be petted. We have been told it has to be fear, she may have a weak temperament and be showing signs of fear aggression. But when we are walking her or letting her run at the dog park, she is very friendly and walks right up to people. What I don't understand is, if she's fear aggressive why does she only tense up and bark at people when we're at home, but not when we're away from home? We were told she is too young to have any territorial/guarding instincts. Our shepherd is only 14 weeks old. Is it possible for a puppy to only be fear aggressive at home and normal everywhere else?

< Message edited by defiantbadgirl -- 4/20/2012 7:27:16 PM >

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RE: a puppy question - 4/20/2012 7:05:17 PM   
angelikaJ


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Status: offline 		It sounds more like a territorial thing.
When she is home it is on her turf...and she is protecting it and when you give the the A-Okay cue she calms down and knows things are copacetic.

She isn't like that in other places because she is on neutral turf.

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RE: a puppy question - 4/20/2012 7:26:26 PM   
defiantbadgirl


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Status: offline 		Territorial/guarding instincts were my first thought until I was told that was impossible because she's just a baby.

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RE: a puppy question - 4/20/2012 7:36:01 PM   
TheHeretic


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Status: offline 		Nope. She's defending her turf. You may have the makings of a very good watchdog there. I'd suggest coming up with a simple, casual, command phrase that will let her know the arrival is a friend.

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RE: a puppy question - 4/20/2012 7:36:18 PM   
soul2share


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Status: offline 		Well, I'm guessing that whoever told you she is too young to be territorial may not be correct, because it sounds like the actions she's exhibiting are exactly that! If she didn't behave after getting the "all clear" signal from you, I'd be worried, otherwise, she's just doing what dogs do. She is reacting to what she sees may be a threat, that's all. Like people, animals are all different, with different temperments. What holds true for one dog may not be true for all.

My dog was just like yours....he'd bark like a killer maniac when he was inside, but as soon as he knew it was all good, he was right there looking for attention. When he was outside, he was protective of me, but not threatening. He'd simply place himself between me and any approching person and watch them, but he never once made a motion to bite. People would always approach him, and he was always good about it. I just had to warn them not to come down over his head to pet him, because he was abused badly as a puppy, and he didn't like it when someone reached over him. Even then, he never snapped, he'd just bolt out from under their hand.

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RE: a puppy question - 4/20/2012 7:50:16 PM   
TNDommeK


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Status: offline 		It is very possible that she is defending her turf.

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RE: a puppy question - 4/20/2012 7:52:44 PM   
defiantbadgirl


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quote:

ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

Nope. She's defending her turf. You may have the makings of a very good watchdog there.


I sure hope that's it. When I got her, I hoped she would become territorial as an adult. According to the breeder, the mother barks when seeing strangers and the father came from a litter bred specifically for search and rescue. I'm not sure if that makes a difference.

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RE: a puppy question - 4/20/2012 8:37:26 PM   
TheHeretic


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Status: offline 		I'd suggest starting to regularly use a simple phrase she'll come to associate with the desired response. I used, "go say hi," with my old wolf hybrid as a pup, and as an adult, he would promptly shift from an aggressive defense of our home, to a welcoming, waggling, fuzzbucket, before the visitor ever stepped out of their car.



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RE: a puppy question - 4/20/2012 8:54:27 PM   
Karmastic


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Status: offline 		defending turf, bred into her. you must control that with orders on how to react and stand down

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RE: a puppy question - 4/20/2012 10:12:21 PM   
LadyConstanze


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quote:

ORIGINAL: defiantbadgirl

Territorial/guarding instincts were my first thought until I was told that was impossible because she's just a baby.


It's instinctive, pack behaviour. My 2 dogs are overly friendly, a burglar might be in danger of being licked to death by 2 Dobies, but they let a stranger know they have a big bark and a big growl, it's what dogs do, if we are at another friends house, they automatically guard the house too, once I tell them "It's OK" it's not an issue anymore and if the person has been in the house once, they can come again and there will be no barking or growling. You just have to train her to react to your signal, could be verbal or a hand movement, to calm down and signal that there is no threat. Remember you're the alpha and the dog is following your lead.

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RE: a puppy question - 4/21/2012 6:28:22 AM   
Hillwilliam


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Status: offline 		Perfectly normal for a shepherd even at that young age. Your house is "Pack territory" and she feels the need to help protect it against interlopers. Once the alphas of the pack accept someone, she knows that she is also to accept them.
When outside the house, she realizes she is in another's territory and her behavior changes.

I've been around Shepherds since I was 8 weeks old and my parents got a 6 week old pup. As I was an only child and both parents were always either at work or in college, I joke that I learned to speak dog before I learned to speak human.

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RE: a puppy question - 4/21/2012 10:32:26 AM   
OsideGirl


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Status: offline 		Our Aussie mix was picked up on the street with two litter mates at 8weeks old. He was in the pound for a few weeks before a rescue group got him out.

When we brought him home he was very tentative with us....and would growl and snap visitors. Then we figured out that if people sat on the couch, he wouldn't do that to them any more. It's like he would realize that they were okay to be there.

As time has gone by, Raider has become more comfortable and confident in his role in our home. He's just let his inner puppy fly. He's silly, goofy and will snuggle with friends that come over. He has stopped the growling and snapping once someone comes over the threshold. If it's someone he knows, he's fine with them all the time.

So, it may just be a comfort level thing that will change.

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RE: a puppy question - 4/21/2012 11:13:08 AM   
DesFIP


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Status: offline 		Territorial. Not uncommon for many breeds. Goldens and labs tend to do this more with strange men, not women or children.

As was said, you need to teach her that when you say "stop, friend" or whatever phrase you pick, the dog will do what you say. You need to be alpha dog in the pack, not the dog.


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