Hi, I have a dog that has never liked strange children (some, he is fine with, others he growls at). As he has gotten older, he has started liking strangers less. He growls at kids and even some adults. I think this is from fear aggression (He is totally sweet with people he knows, even children - he is also very sweet with strangers that he likes. However, when he doesn't like someone he growls, shows his teeth and pulls toward them). He is going back to obedience training to try helping this, but in the meantime, until the class starts, here is my idea:

I can usually tell when he is questioning someone. I take him to the side of the street and I make him sit while letting them pass. He still growls, but it seems less than if I try walking by the stranger with him. So, I am thinking I should do this whenever we pass a stranger. My question is this: What is this telling my dog? I have learned a lot about dog language since I have had this dog. Now I want to be careful about what I tell him, and was wondering what this (taking him aside, letting someone pass) means to him???

Thanks for any insight/help.

~~ M

I've been advised to pass infront of my dogs to enforce to "I'm more important than you theory" so I'd imagine that this is telling your dog the same thing - he's more important than you so leave him alone.

Just a guess though :D

Fiona
x x x

Hi Fiona
Do you mean that the other way around :)

Tracey

Ideally what you should want to achieve is to be able to walk past anyone without a reaction from your dog.
In taking him to the side and waiting until someone has passed you are acknowledging that *something* out of the ordinary is happening. If you think you can tell when your dog is questioning someone and pulling him to the side then you are allowing him to *cue* you into this reaction when it suits him.
'Hey! Look at me - I'm sitting watching you...Grrrrr'
Rather go down the lines of distraction and desensitisation to these certain stimuli. You will make a rod for your own back if pander to him. Reinforcing obedience is a good start.
It's not necessarily fear that envokes this reaction.
Lara x