2-year old lab starting to bite

[OSUcowgirl]

We have a two-year old male, black lab. If we are present, the dog will usually cower behind us and avoid interacting with strangers and guests. However, if we are not right there, he is becoming increasingly aggressive.

The other day he snarled and threatened to bite someone who stopped by. Today, my father-in-law stopped by and the dog bit him after he got out of his car. My father-in-law is a stranger to the dog, but had not approached the dog or made any attempt to interact with him. The lab simply ran toward him as if to greet him, but instead went around behind him, snarled and bit him very quickly with little warning.

How do I correct this behavior in an older dog, especially when he exhibits the behavior when I'm not around, but acts fine if I am present?

[Doggie1]

I am having the same issue with a 2 year old Husky that we adopted. He is protective and aggressive towards males. If you have found anything please let me know.

[uberglamorous]

Hi, I think your dog has socialization issues. You can address this specific issue by getting him used to being around other people and animals.

You should take him out for a walk to introduce him to other people beyond the confines of your home.

However, he should first undergo proper leash training so that he can be easily managed outdoors. For instance, the recall command is necessary in case he goes off-leash to prevent any untoward incidents.

I think I have read about the same problem in Daniel Steven's book.

Just in case you are interested to purchase it, make sure to check out the review first:

http://www.dogobedienceadvice.com/si...tch-review.php

I hope this helps. Cheers!

[wilkendw]

Dear cowgirl,

I don't have an easy answer for you, but perhaps some experience that will help. I've raised and trained dogs for many years, both for sport and companionship. Like you, I presently have a 2-3 year old that bites. At first I brushed it off as rough puppy play - the difference was she never bit me - just strangers, and always from behind and without warning. My dog is an Airedale and doesn't have a herding gene so I soon realized that this was the result of some personality flaw. I should mention I got her as a pup of about 4 months and don't know what early puppy experience she had.

Situation now is that it is do or die - literally. I've lost track of the number of people this dog has bitten. She's been to professional trainers that have stressed obedience and control - the normal stuff. Professional trainers may flame me for saying this - but this isn't something normal training will cure. My dog is VERY well trained - problem is even if I can control my dog, I can't control the world around me. Last bite was a visitor to the house that my son in law opened the door for, not realizing that she was right behind him ready to nip. I should also mention that she's never bitten the same person twice - it is always a "stranger". (Maybe this implies territoriality - but once they learn to bite they soon expand their "reasons".) This isn't a matter of control - it is a matter of changing the dogs desire to bite. Call it territorial, fear, prey, or whatever type of aggression you prefer - once they learn to bite it is like an addiction, it is hard to break and the impulse is always there.

So some practical advice - first get a good muzzle. Face the fact - your dog is a loaded gun laying on the floor of your home. Get a trigger lock. Unmuzzled your dog will bite again - trust me on this. Second, right now it is time for tough love. My mistake was that I kept making excuses, I'd never had a dog with this neurosis and didn't understand. If I had, things may not have gotten to the point they are now. Second, face the fact that this isn't the dog you had planned on bringing home. A good analogy may be raising a child with autism. This is a special needs situation and your life together isn't going to be "normal" (whatever normal is...). A crate needs to be part of your home furnishings and the dog trained to enjoy being there - (use the typical training tools to condition to crate.) As part of your special home - you need to post a warning sign on the premises that your have a biting dog etc. Check with your state and local regulations - many make no allowance for postmen, meter readers etc - they have a right to trespass and biting is your liability. If you commit to keeping the dog (unlike a child, you do have other options) - get professional training help NOW! Again the dog lovers on the board may object - but severe and harsh reconditioning is the only thing that will save your dog. Marines go to boot camp and endure severe hardship - it doesn't kill them, but it can be &#$% unpleasant. Guess what, time for you and your dog to "man-up" and enlist. Find a trainer that can handle aggression and bite training. Bottom line - don't make excuses. It is what it is.

[melody]

Thanks for that wilkendw! Not a lot of people may agree to the rough training but it's an option that we need to consider sometimes too.