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"Snappy" Dogs

1193 Views 5 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  becrac16, 
C
I'm going to try to make this as short and painless as possible, so please bear with me :)

We got Kusa almost a year ago, and she is a total sweetheart! Early on she started getting very protective of my family and we thought that was fine. She barks when people come to the door sometimes, but we can calm her down.

She also doesn't especially like other dogs. But it all depends on the situation too. If another dog comes into our yard when we are out there, she gets really protective and will growl and sometimes snarl. She loves our friends labrador though :rolleyes: We keep in touch with the lady we got her from and she told us that when Kusa was a puppy she had a puppy class. The trainer told the lady that Kusa immediately could tell if she liked other dogs or not. So fine, we just needed to be more careful around other dogs.

Yesterday she was laying out in my front yard with me and normally she LOVES everybody! I have never had a problem with her not getting along with people. My little brother had a few friends over (6 years) and she started barking. I thought she was barking at another dog or something and one little boy ran across the yard and she lunged at him and growled! Nothing broke the skin but obviously he was really scared. We live in housing and I am so scared that we could get turned in and have to get rid of her. I don't want her to do it again and I am still lost to why she did this.

I am soo upset about the whole thing. She is my first dog and I don't want to get rid of her :( My mom is very nervous around her now, because we don't want her to go after anyone again. We've been looking for maybe a dog behaviorist or classes or something. I just don't know what to do. Please help.
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S
Was she off-leash when that happened? That's what it sounds like but I might have misread. If that's the case, I would start leashing her when you go outside.

I think that talking to a behaviorist is your best bet and will be more useful than forum posts :). Maybe also enroll in some positive reinforcement-based training classes? She might never get to the point where she loves all dogs but you should be able to get her to the point where you can easily get her attention/distract her before anything happens :).
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C
Yes, she was off leash. We usually do keep her leashed, but our neighbors was using the hook, so it is partly our fault :/

Thanks so much, I will call up some trainers!
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K
Yes you need to keep her leashed, and she is probably protecting you, and doesn't know her job well. Every time that your dog isn't under control an accident could happen. So someone running up to you or past you, or to the house she could see as a threat, and you can't stop her unless she's leashed.
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S
I can understand off leash situations...My dogs have a big yard,over an acre! So they run and play all the time!

I fully trust all of my dogs! However,when someone comes,unexpected or not,they are ALWAYS contained! the 2 cockers are in a kennel,and the 2 bigger dogs go in the house. My mix is free in house,but the shepherd is put in a cage. He is a pup,and is friendly,but is so by our body language.

We got him for home protection,the other 3 are super friendly and aren't very intimidating to anyone,even strangers.

The shep has had his back hairs stand up on some ocassions when he hears something out of the ordinary.A bicyclist, a deer making noise in back,or another dog from down the street.He looks to me and stands guard,until I tell him come and praise him. He will learn from me whether or not a threat that comes needs action from him.Don't get me wrong,he is being people socialized. I just would not let him out with anyone that comes over...he is under MY control at ALL times.
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B
Yikes. Sorry I don't have any advice for you, but I'm sorry that happened. That must be a horrible feeling, I hope you guys get the answers you need soon.
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