Hiya, I'm a bit worried about Diesel's behaviour at the moment. He seems to want to growl at most people, today he's growled at my 18month old nephew and my not 18month old father-in-law :D I was very careful with him around my nephew as he's very gung-ho and Diesel is a little bit nervous of new things. But with my f-i-l he put his hand out to him and waited for Diesel to come to him and all he did was back off and growl at him, and it was quite a growl. I checked him for it, and that seemed to do the trick, was just wondering if any you guys had any ideas? Is it just puppy behaviour or should I try something else, My in-laws aren't big doggy people, and I don't want to have them scared to come near him. Any help would be appreciated. I think they're already horrified that I'd want to share my house with a monster :) as it is, without having him growl at them. He's off to his puppy classes on Wednesday, so I'm hoping that this will help a little.
Sharon
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Willis did this. Jo told me to tell him off and put him out into the kitchen for ten mins. Its just lickle D thinking he's big D and feeling his feet. Don't worry :)

Hi Sharon, having a similar problem myself lol, I find it best to give people who visit a treat, then for them to ignore Dolly totally and let her come to them in her own time and she does after 5-10mins and they treat her for it showing that they are no threat.
Personally i wouldn't put her out the room because it's her own home and it's natural for her to be protective. You just need to instill in her that all strangers are not frightening!! :)

Sarah

Hi

I disagree for 2 reasons :) wouldn't do for us all to be the same eh:

1. Its not acceptable to growl at anyone who I have invited in, in the home. Growling, at Diesel's very young age, should be discouraged. It needs nipping in the bud now, while he is still small enough to get out of the room - if he feels that growling makes someone back off then he will do it all the more - and then he might just use it with Sharon.
2. I didn't use this approach with Phoebe as I didn't get her until she was 5 months, and she can be growly at people. She is also much much more protective than Willis, and she growls at everyone who comes here. However, its NOT her home, its mine, and I will not allow her to growl at people....so she gets put out, then, when she comes in she is more accepting :)

HTH a bit
C :)

Edit to say - don't forget, dogs are very very different from bitches, they are much much bigger for a start, and they need to learn where they fit in from the start :) Phoebe has been very easy in comparison to Willis (big, mad, boisterous - ask Sharon, she's seen the latest pics! )

Fair enough Chloe, I didn't say it was acceptable though. I said he was possibly being protective and he needs to be shown that there's nothing to be protective of.
As i said "Personally" ;) It works for me and yes i agree it wouldn't do for us all to be the same.

Sarah

This is a difficult one.

What concerns me a little is that he backed off - this is a sign of being unsure, and worried. He was basically saying "leave me alone, you make me scared, i will threaten you more if you come closer."

Had he had a difficult day? Is this behaviour usual? If the nephew was all over the place (and my dog is well socialised but gets very over excited when my own nephew visits!! ;) ) it may just be that he couldn't handle any more. /Dogs give out such subtle signals and they are often missed; it's my guess he was already giving out these signals before he growled.

I totally understand people punishing their dog - as Chloe says it is her house and not acceptable etc. However, a lot depends on how confident the dog is - for example if the dog is scared and told off for growling, (which to me is nothing more than communication) next time the dog may not growl. He may then be OK - but if he IS still unsure and made to accept visitors, he may not feel he can growl, but may take the next aggressive step instead. It happens. It's always a risk :(

My approach would be that the dog is basically showing discomfort with some visitors etc (esp. if FIL is not doggy) and would tackle that by inviting lots of people round over a period, and not letting them interract unless Diesel is comfortable. Get them to drop titibts on the floor and he will start to associate visitors with nice happenings - classical conditioning. Get FIL to do the same. Dont let him approach Diesel but wait until the dog is happy to approach him.

This is just the method i would take because i want to be sure my dog is not just accepting visitors but is relaxed with them.If you choose any of the methods mentioned and they don't work, consider getting experienced help as you don't want it dragging on.

Lindsay

Hi Linsday - I understand what you are saying, but this is a ten week old puppy....and male danes are renowned for going through a growling stage. I acted on the advice of my breeder, who has had danes for twenty years.

I would be more prone to follow your advice if he were older, but at ten weeks, its a stage they all seem to go through. Willis used to growl really loudly at anything and everything with no real reason - just because he'd discovered his growl! :D

Thanks Guys, I do want to nip it in the bud now, maybe it's me who needs to take a different approach, rather than just going to meet people, perhaps I should be giving strangers treats and letting Diesel come to them in his own time, rather than having strangers just suddenly sort of force themselves on him. And I think he'd let the Devil stroke him for a Schmacko ;) A couple of times as well, when I've tried to move him from somewhere, he's given me a little growl, but I've just said a firm, loud No and tapped him on the nose, and he's never done it again. lol but of all the people to growl at, he had to pick him :rolleyes:
With my nephew, I think he was just a little startled of him, he's very full on and we were getting him to pat him gently, and when he was doing that, Diesel was fine, it was when he suddenly appeared from nowhere and wanted to hang onto him, so I can understand that he would feel threatened then. Thanks I shall try all the advice given and I'll keep you all posted.........obtw.......I have seen the latest pics of Willis and I certainly wouldn't want him growling at me :D :D

You are bang to rights in not allowing people to approach him if he is uncomfortable about it. If you were in Baghdad and large men with machine guns approached you would you feel more comfortable if they came towards you saying "there there"? :)

Much better in letting the visitor totally ignore dog and allowing dog to approach in his own good time; probably when the visitor has been draped in all sorts of goodies with the visitor avoiding eye contact, verbal contact and touch contact. You can speculate all you like about fear aggression, defensiveness etc etc but it does nothing to tackle the problem which is the dog is not at ease, for whatever reason, you have to devise a regime which will allow the dog to become more comfortable and this will involve time, patience and loads of help.

Thanks Tohme, you're right and the more I think about it, the more I feel that I didn't help the situation, whilst I agree that it's not acceptable for him to growl at people in my home, I have to understand that he is still a baby and is feeling frightened for whatever reason. My hubby coaches a football team, adults, and they are all desperate to meet him, and he was going to take him tonight, should I arm him with lots of treats or do you think it would be wiser to wait until Diesel feels a little more relaxed?
He's actually 12wks now and from today, can get out on his lead for little, short walks, and generally, he'll bark at people but will let them stroke him, really the growling has just happened with f-i-l and one of my husbands friends, who has since been out again, and encountered no problems with him. I'd be interested to know what you think.
Sharon
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I'm sure you'll do the best you can Sharon, it's hard sometimes to understand what they are thinking and what to do about it.

Good luck, Sarah :)

It is difficult - bloomin' dogs :D

My girl was fine with women (her breeder was a woman, her friends were women with daughters etc) and hubby was home once a week. So she probably all in all saw a man 7 times before she came to me and met my female friends! She was fine with my partner but he is very good with all things small and vulnerable - babies, puppies, guinea pigs - you name it, they love him. HIs body language is very good ;)

HOwever when my friend Mary appeared with her hubby (who is mice but large (16 stone) and a bit gruff) she was scared and ran away when he tried to stroke her.

I just let her run away, ignored her and we all sat and chatted. Then she came up (Belgian curiousity ;) ) and he dropped a treat with no eye contact or trying to get her to accept strokes. He just dropped it and carried on talking.After 20 minutes of this she was happier, and approaching of her own accord, (but still no contact) and then he got her toy and just wiggled the end. She understood this as an invitation to play and realised he was oK.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend your hubbys pals going that fast - generally speaking my pup was very confident, she just needed some time. NOw she loves men LOL :D

She was scared a bit by an exciteable toddler in Pets at HOme though, so kids took much longer.

Obviously this is just my experience, all dogs go at their own rates and have their own fears and foibles ..... a dog who has been scared may take longer..... and puppy class will help lots :)

Lindsay

Hi Chloe

Just popped on to your site - i have only just realise Phoebe is the younger one! Both Willis and Phoebe are gorgeous :)

Lindsay

Hiya, thanks for the advice. I didn't get a chance to get back on-line last night, and hubby decided to take him down to meet the team
But he was brilliant, Murray said he lapped up all the attention, and didn't back off or growl at all, and that was 10-12 guys. So he was a very clever puppy :) But I shall let you all know how puppy class goes tomorrow ;)
Sharon
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