need to socialize!!!

[marciela]

I need advice on socializing my dog. He's a wonderful dog I have one other post about the vets and him not liking them. My dogs name is zorro, he knows all his commands and listens to me really well. I've recently moved and my puppy has to be at a different house for now, till I build his house. I get real peranoid when knew people approach him because he doesn't like it, when I took him to the other house it was fine he drove in my car and I told the man to not get to close, and I had him on a leash with his prong collar, the problem I have is I need to let people near him but I'm afraid he will bite, which he will but I need to get him socialized the thing is I'm really small and am afraid I won't be able to control him although I have always been able to and if I tell him to sit he will and behave and he will. I guess I really just need to get him to a trainer, but am also afraid of taking him there. I'am really not giving him the benefit of the doubt, and its really bothering me because I want to be able to take him places, he's really good with my daughter and limited people that have been around him since baby. Like I said he listens really well. How should I go about this, Oh! and he's very loyal when I go visit him he will stay at the gate and only moves to go eat, his house will be built soon and he can go live with me. Any advice will really help me.

[Loki's Mom]

Is there some reason you think he will bite? Has he bitten someone before? Honestly, I think he is sensing your fear. If he has never bitten anyone before, what makes you think he will bite now? first of all, I wouldn't tell people 'not' to get close. Let them slowly walk up to him offering a hand to sniff and see how he reacts. If he growls and barks then that's a different story. Dogs sense their owners fear and react to protect. How old is he?

[Judi W]

If she says "he will bite", I suspect that is said with reason. Marciela, why are you afraid to take him to a trainer? Are you afraid of training or are you afraid the trainer might not agree that this is such a wonderful dog if he wants to bite everyone new that he meets? In the meantime, I suggest that you get a muzzle so that he cannot bite someone. That would relieve some of your stress but he definitely needs training.

I guess I don't understand about building him a house. Are you building him his own house?

[marciela]

yes, he does growl and bark I do have a muzzle for him as well. I had a roommate before I moved and when he first saw him he barked and growled then one day my roommate went to my backyard and he let him pet him. It seems after he sees them for a little few weeks he warms up to them. The man where he's staying know he's been there for 3 days and he is slowly starting to warm up to him he said he put his food out and zorro put his mouth in the food bowl and his hand was still there and he didn't growl or try to bite, but when he was finished eating he went up to the gate and he did try to charge at the gate.

[marciela]

I moved in with my brother and he doesn't like my brother. He is being built a wooden kennel so that when I'm not there he will be safe and I don't have to worry about him biting or getting out of the gate in case my brother goes in the back. I feel he will try to bite the trainer.

[marciela]

oh! he's seventeen months and yes he's neutered.

[babyray]

Marciela
How old is Zorro?
I have worked with a lot of dogs with this problem and have a method that has worked great for me. It is very lengthy in explanation so if you'd like to pm me, I'd be happy to share it with you. I have had success with clients dogs who have similar problems.:)

[Bucky's Mom]

Originally posted by marciela
oh! he's seventeen months and yes he's neutered.

Lisa (Bucky's Mom);)

[marciela]

babyray, how do you pm somebody I'm new so I don't now what that is or how you go about doing that?

[KattOK]

Obedience class ...

The class I went to was small ... only 5 other dogs and their owners. Holly got her socialization with other people and other dogs. The first class we stayed kinda to ourselves (Holly used to back away from people ... but didn't growl) but by the 3rd class, I could hand her over to another person.

[babydungeon]

marciela, there should be some icons underneath everyone's signature...profile, pm and some more. just click on it and send your message to that individual. for some reason yours does not have a pm underneath it. -kevin

[babyray]

Well- I have gotten a few questions regarding this so I'll try to explain-sorry for the length!
What I do for my clients whose dogs have similar problems is what I call "Cookie Brainwash". You must be willing to spend lots of time on this, and as simple as it sounds-it does work.
You must commit to meeting 4 or 5 people a day with your dog-not always the same people. If you have to repeat people, spread it out as far as you can, otherwise you end up just desensitizes the dog to those particular people. You want to brainwash the dog that all people he meets are positive. We want the dog to look at people as giant cookie dispensers for a while.
If your dog is not approachable, spend some time determining the closest distance that he will tolerate people, and reward him for tolerating them and focusing on you while the person is present wthin that distance. Gradually bring the person closer and reward him for tolerating them BEFORE he reacts to them. If he looks at them and you can easily focus his attention back on you, reward him. Gradually bring the person closer-this may take weeks-until they are close enough for you to hand them a cookie and have them feed the dog without looking at it, and walk away. While you are reaching out to hand them the cookie, make sure you are otherwise controlling your dog by distracting him with another cookie. Do this with 4-5 people a day until the dog seems comfortable and is looking interested in meeting the person and getting his cookie-sometimes weeks, sometimes days depending on your dog and how often you practice. Progress to quick glances by the person, followed by longer glances, and when he actually seems glad to meet people, have the person begin to pet the dog, BRIEFLY, calmly and without staring, while giving a cookie. This then progresses in turn to more normal petting-but ALWAYS keep it brief-even when he progresses to the point where he looks happy to be petted. Prolonged petting can trigger his intolerance. You may never completely "cure" him but you can make him safe in public and learn to have a more positive association with people.
It does work!

[DailyDouble]

Fact: Dog is 17mos old.
Fact: Dog has exhibited aggression in the past.
Fact: Dog has not been socialized to date.
Fact: Owner questions her ability to control the dog.
Fact: Owner believes the dog will bite.
Fact: Dog and owner have not attended any obedience training.
Fact: Dog has demonstrated barrier aggression by "charging" the gate.
Fact: This owner needs more help than anyone writing any text post can provide.

Don't do a thing to try and fix this situation on your own. Get the help of a trainer or be prepared to keep your dog muzzled.

[babyray]

Agreed-DD,
I didnt mean to make it sound like I had a quick solution-but she had expressed that she was afraid to go to a trainer and I was just trying to help given the suggestion that she was unlikely to seek professional help.