looking for some advice please, have a 14mth old whwt male last 4 mth hes started growling at certain adults when they come into the house his tail is still wagging so i think this is just for attention but strangers dont realise this and would like to get him to stop. also on his walks the children next door come to pet him and he does the same on that instance i tell him off lift him and bring him straight back to the house these children are not scared but i am in case he bites them . just yesterday he got out the front door and attacked a dog on a lead 3 times his size. is it just his age ???

No, I don't think it's just his age other than he is probably into a fear period...(16 weeks, typical) But this sounds more over the top to me than a fear period.

How much socializing has he had? It sounds like he may be sort of afraid and sort of submissive and then he throws in a growl for good measure as defense. It would be good to know what kind of breed this is and where you got him. But, at any rate, I'd recommend getting him out more.....like every day and exposing him to the world...all kinds of people, places, dogs etc. Don't overwhelm him or have any frightening experiences. Be careful of that, but little by little get him more used to everything you can think of. Take along some treats in your pocket and when he's "behaving" give him a treat and lots of praise. Make his walks fun and try to avoid frightening him. Good luck. See if that helps over the next few weeks. If he has had limited experiences, it is hard to mold his personality after about 16 weeks, so there's no time to waste.

Hopefully, you'll join the board and stay with us.

Carrie