how to make a dog friendly to strangers

Even though you love your dog, sometimes it’s hard to remember that not every person on the planet is a “dog person.” Whether you have a super-friendly pup that wants to run up to every stranger at the park or an aggressive pooch that barks wildly around new people, properly navigating human encounters is important—especially during a global pandemic. Guard dogs are not typically trained to attack on command or to act overly aggressive towards a stranger. They got the dog to protect them. Whether it was a friendly kid with a backpack or your Aunt Sally who walks with a cane, a variety of human accessories and behaviors—moving straight into the dog’s space, staring directly, leaning over, and reaching out to pat on the head—are usually considered to be rude, if not scary. Westend61 / Getty Images Having a well-behaved dog is the first step in ensuring the safety of children in your home. That is what people refer to when they are talking about a “natural guard dog”. The training doesnt make the dog a protection dog. They may get frightened and lash out, so you want to be able to control their movements in case this happens. Then, in other cases, I will get emails like the following: “My dog is too friendly with strangers. I read the other day about an 18 month old Australian Cattle Dog, which heard the family’s two young kids (2 and 7 year old girls) scream, and killed a 27 inch long deadly snake. Practice this and say "sit" while you do it. Having the stranger approach your dog from an angle is also a good idea.This way your dog will not see them as a threat or be surprised by their appearance. Whenever you're around strangers and your dog is acting calm or friendly, give it treats to reinforce the good behavior. 5. If your dog becomes very rigid and stiff, they are feeling threatened. You have an untrained and poorly led dog that is a nuisance and a brat, and you don’t know what to do. My dog is perfectly friendly, but I do not want the liability of strangers constantly approaching her. Do you really think a peanut-sized dog, like a Chihuahua is going to protect you from a criminal? You can’t just train the dog, you have to be trained yourself, otherwise you’ll be the one who ends up in the hospital. However, during your pup’s first months at home, teaching it to socialize with others should be your prime directive. Sitting and talking quietly with other people makes your dog think of them as not being a threat. Also, instinctual behavior. When you take a dog that is not suitable for protection, and make it into a biter, all you have done is make the dog dangerous by not properly socializing, leading and training your dog. Dog Training: Raising your dog to be friendly to strangers is one of the most important things that you can teach your dog. This includes strangers. 2.) The breed doesnt necessarily make a protection dog. 3. If it is guarded and fearful or aggressive, then you will need to do more work around how to respond when meeting new people. Whenever you're around strangers and your dog is acting calm or friendly, give … If they are wagging their tail loosely and making friendly eye contact, they likely feel good around other people. Some of the behavior is instinctual. You are researching ways to make your dog to bite strangers. OR, if you are out of this area, inquire about a telephone or e-Lesson But, at about 3 years, he changed. Some dogs seem like they love everyone they meet, whereas others will bark and growl at every stranger. What the adult becomes is partly genetic, and partly what it learns as it grows up. Sorry folks. Any growling or showing of teeth is usually a sign of aggression. Over time, your dog will learn to not view strangers as a threat. They let it grow up to be a normal dog, in a home, meeting people, doing the same things we all do with our pups. I know of a friendly Black Russian Terrier (owned by a friend of one of my students that also has a 2 1/2 year old male) that was teased by the owner’s son’s friends, sneaking up on the dog and then pouncing and grabbing it by the neck. I know of a such a dog that put his owner in the hospital for 3 weeks. This is normal for almost every breed. your dog is so friendly that s/he is unruly and doesn’t settle down; or You can do this by inviting friends and family over to your house, sitting and talking with people in front of your dog, and taking your dog for walks in places where there will be strangers. Sometimes a hound on high alert will bark at another dog or human strolling on the other side of the street. Tell them its okay to pet your dog, and if or when they come over, see how your dog reacts. Since she wasn't. Every self defense course tells you to get away from problems and use force as a last result. Email: [email protected]. It's important to take some time for your dog to get used to being close to strangers. This helped me so much! Eye contact for dogs can meet a fight for domination, depending on the circumstances. Getting your dog to be nice to strangers can be difficult, but will make it easier when you’re out in the world with your dog or even just having people visit your home. Teach your dog to sit/stay or down/stay on command, on a mat in your home, with no strangers present, until your dog performs this reliably. He might be friendly towards strangers when you are there, but without you and when he is at home, he might be more inclined to bark.Isolating him In their Rentals will make him unsocial and a poor pet.He is a boxer...they are pretty friendly dogs. Don’t Give Up On Your Nervous Dog . Just like owning a gun, you need to be just as highly trained as the dog, just as prepared for combat, just as strong and athletic, just as wary. That kid is lucky to be alive. Look at what the professionals buy and use, not what some breeder or guy selling books has to say. For instance, if your dog jumps at your guests, you may consider keeping him … You can make a perfectly normal puppy into a fear biter, and worthless as a protection dog, by putting them in threatening situations over and over again. Fearful puppies have a high probability of growing up to become Fear Biters. As soon as you bring your puppy home you should start the socialization process. Thus, once a puppy gets to a certain stage of maturity, any protectiveness that is programmed into that dog will come out. Even the law requires that of you. Judah, my Fila Brasiliero, was very tough and was generally ok with strangers but would have bitten if challenged, and Benny, same breed didn’t like strangers and would bite at 6 months (Benny died at 7 months from a health issue). An especially happy dog will roll over and allow you to pet its stomach. Make any dog of any breed vicious by abusing them, and yes they will attack — anyone. Instead, you have to work on how to make your dog more obedient. References. Call Today! Fear and aggression are two completely different things. I want my dog to protect me.” Or, “how do I make my dog bite people?”. But, obviously, some breeds have more potential to be protective and watchful than others, having a shorter fuse and more power and intensity to back it up. Usually what novices perceive to be a protective dog is really just a fear biter or a dog that has been made vicious (and therefore completely worthless as a protection dog). Many dogs have come to the aid of their owners, regardless of the breed, if the dog perceived a threat. If you know the new people your dog is meeting, ask them to avoid eye contact. And the owners went to prison. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Once they associate your happiness with the other person, they should realize there is no threat. I didn’t have to make him this way, and his Schutzhund training didnt make him this way. So, you say your dog is too friendly… Maybe your dog a nuisance, won’t leave guests alone, and runs around and won’t listen? Yes, there are dogs that are TOO MUCH DOG for a novice dog owner. You need to know how to introduce your dog to strangers to make sure they have a positive experience and grow up to be friendly. PHOENIX , AZ AREA: (602) 708-4531 9 Tips To Socialize Your Pitbulls With Strangers And Other People And Make Them More Friendly Daily walk because daily works is the key solution. If you got the dog from a shelter or as an adolescent, they may have had bad experiences in the past with specific groups of people. They pick the wrong type of trainer. Tell strangers where and how to pet your dog. Further, it isn’t a good idea to go searching for the “ultimate guard dog”, some new breed or some giant, hyperaggressive breed, either. Keep practicing. Sheri Williams. Such a dog needs proper leadership, and if you don’t know what you are doing, the dog won’t respect you and the dog will take over the household. If your dog bites, pull your dog out of the area using their leash. A good protection dog doesn’t bite out of fear, they bite out of aggression. A snarling, growling dog that lunges at everyone is almost always a dog that is unsuited to be a protection dog. I'd be happy my dog was friendly.Just for the record, I take my dog on a walk and he will see someone coming and give them the full body wag. If someone wants to pet your dog, ask them to put their hand out palm first. Panting or pinned ears can be a sign of nerves. Additionally, your dog may not have had a lot of exposure to a specific group of people, so they are fearful of unknown people. You’ll find story after story of many very friendly dogs getting provoked into combat on behalf of their owners if you search the news. How can I make my dog comfortable with strangers? You can invite friends that are members of different groups your dog dislikes over to your house. Again, instinctual. Have your friends offer treats to your dog whenever the dog is behaving well towards them. The solution is hiring a professional trainer to show you how to manage your dog’s energy and teaching your dog to be mannerly. Here are five tips on how to introduce dogs to new people in a comfortable, non-threatening way. This kind of thing is what the drug dealers do with their pit bulls. Kids are the same way. If your young dog is too friendly, then you are doing a good job. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. They can be really helpful. This allows your dog to sniff the other person and determine how they feel about them. If you see any of these warning signs, remove your dog immediately. If this is your dog, and your issue, then please, quit doing what you are doing. Keep your dog on a leash at all times so you can control them. Make doggie hiking or walking dates and don’t stop practicing. This may need to start by tossing the food — one piece at a time — on the floor and gradually tossing them closer. Instead, you will need to find more creative ways to correct this behavior. Then, give them the treat. Once she started using Paws Elite CBD Oil she noticed that it was easier to train her dog. Neglect to ask the dog’s person for permission to meet their dog. Additionally, a "stress yawn" is common in dogs that feel nervous. You should take your dog out to public places and walk around and make him or help him grow more comfortable with the … If your dog is usually outgoing and friendly, even with strangers, it means that the person is okay (got your dog’s stamp of approval). The next thing they knew, the dog was on top of this jerky kid, had him pinned, and was growling at him. If you have a protection bred dog, and you want your dog to be functionally protective, able to fend off a criminal, then I know where you and your dog can get professional training. However, no matter what the breed, a dog who was socialized and exposed to lots of different types, ages, sizes, and shapes of people as a puppy will respond better to strangers as an adult. You can check out this simple video training course, which will help you make your dog more obedient. Your dog may have many reasons for this negative association. You take a treat it one hand and hold it in your thumb and pointer finger. Selective breeding, within certain breeds that have the potential for protection, makes a protection dog. He doesn't know anybody that would be handling him and he needs to be off the leash and do as they say. My home had been a place with doors are open for all. They may not seem ready to be near others; if this is the case, don't force them to meet new people just yet. You can do this by inviting friends and family over to your house, sitting and talking with people in front of your dog, and taking your dog for walks in places where there will be strangers. Ultimately, you can make any dog into a friendly dog if you ensure they have an active social life and a happy home. Recognize the difference between a guard dog and an attack dog. You can’t manufacture any of that through training. Getting your dog to be nice to strangers can be difficult, especially if they’re already an adult dog. Sam Basso taught, or trained, some dogs are trained to be mean, for you to want a mean dog, it would require you to reduce its social interaction with people, although, this is not advised, what you have to do is locate the cage of the dog at the back of the house, and limit the number of people it gets to see, gradually, you would see your dog become a monster, the amount of food should also come into … Continue to use friend’s dogs and dog walks as an opportunity to desensitize your nervous dog to others. % of people told us that this article helped them. Also, take your dog to public places to meet other people. These will be vital for rewarding him and encouraging calm, friendly behavior. Here are a few tips for you to follow: Start Early. The protection dog trainers know what the breeding will do once these dogs grow up. I'm trying to socialize him but those strangers (neighbours, relatives and strangers) don't want to face the dog . No professional protection dog handler (police, security, prison, military) wants a dog like that because those dogs are not trustworthy and they are difficult to control. 2. Most breeds are only suitable as pets. I figured it was about time to write an article about this topic. But, that doesn’t make them into useful protection dogs. My parents are upset with the dog's behaviour. I get emails all the time telling me what great protection dogs pit bulls, and other fighting breeds, make. They tease them, terrorize them, put them in fights, frustrate them, etc. Last Updated: June 29, 2020 While you’re talking to other people, you can have treats at your feet. To intentionally make a dog wary of strangers will just make the dog unstable as an adult, and worthless as a protection dog. But, the side effects would result in a dog that you wouldn’t like owning. Every dog parent wants their pooch to be welcoming. She is certified by The Animal Behavior and Training Association. What can I do to make him into a guard dog? Dogs that lick their nose and lips are feeling anxious. So, are Rottweilers friendly with strangers?
, #dogtraining #dogtrainer #phoenixdogtraining #scottsdaledogtraining #dogbehaviorist #dogwhisperer #dogaggression #puppy #housetraining. Friendliness doesn't necessarily depend on breed. Invite your friend over at your dog’s mealtime and have him sit in one spot, turned slightly away from your dog and feed your dog from his hand. For more advice from our Veterinary co-author, like how to keep your dog calm around strangers, read on! My dog barks at strangers and don't let any stranger touch someone from my family. If your dog looks anxious or looks like they may get aggressive, speak in a firm tone of voice. An instinctual behavior is one that is performed fully the first time it is triggered, without any previous experience or training. Practice Socialization with Other Dogs and Strangers Regularly . They take normal dogs and wreck them. They must never be shy or vicious. Second, some people try to make their dogs wary of strangers. Expert Interview. Most dogs from even the traditional protection breeds are only suitable as pets. Now do you want a dog to be in fear all the time? It is stupid to test your dog like that. We all know small kids will walk up to strangers and even walk away with them. This article was co-authored by Sheri Williams. For more advice from our Veterinary co-author, like how to keep your dog calm around strangers, read on! So now if Magnus meets a dog (even a fairly calm, friendly one), he'll do a couple seconds of sniffing, but if the other dog makes any sudden (or even not-so-sudden) movements, Magnus will start barking and getting defensive. Getting them more exposure to different groups of people is the best way to make them less fearful. Reach over the dog’s head and pat, pat, pat.
Third, just because your dog is friendly doesn’t mean it won’t protect you. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3b\/Get-Your-Dog-to-Be-Nice-to-Strangers-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Get-Your-Dog-to-Be-Nice-to-Strangers-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3b\/Get-Your-Dog-to-Be-Nice-to-Strangers-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid3872968-v4-728px-Get-Your-Dog-to-Be-Nice-to-Strangers-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"