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Fear Biting and Timid Dogs
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1) To calm the dog.

Diet. Avoid canned and semi-moist foods as these usually contain preservatives and artifical colours which cause some dogs to become over-excited. An increase in the protein content of the diet and decrease in carbohydrates causes a decrease in the dog's aggression. Precise or Natural Life contain 26% protein and use Vitamins C and E as preservatives, so I recommend these. To bring the protein content to 30% or more add meat, chicken, fish or cooked eggs to the diet daily.

2) Lifestyle changes.

Any activity which excites the dog, such as rough-housing, should be replaced by quieter activities. Make both your leaving the dog and your return low key. When the dog is alone leave a radio playing quiet music or speech to mask any outside sounds which might disturb the dog. If the dog is fed once a day on your return, change to feeding part of the ration in the morning and delay the evening meal for some time after your return. Hunger heightens anxiety and if meal time is associated with your return, the dog can be very upset on the occasions you are late.

3) Safety.

A fearful dog will bite when cornered. It should have an enclosed place where it feels safe and where it is not disturbed. Training will be directed towards restoring the dog's confidence and if successful the dog should need less and less to retreat to its safe place when stressed although it will probably go there to sleep and when nothing else is happening.

4) Fear reduction.

The "jolly routine". Experiment to find out how you can get your dog to relax and wag its tail. Try laughing, acting silly, playing with a noisy toy and generally enjoying yourselves while inviting the dog to join in. When you have devised a routine that the dog enjoys use it whenever the dog shows any sign of fear; tail down, crouches or starts to slink away.

Daily training. Whether the dog has been previously trained or not, spend about ten minutes daily in training off-leash and by non-physical means. Every member of the family should take part in this. Starting with the recall, crouch down and call the dog while patting your knees. With an untrained dog you may only get the head turned towards you ... but praise that. Get closer, crouch, call the dog again, perhaps showing a treat. Praise as the dog approaches. When the dog comes all the way, give the treat and pat, not on the top of the head, but on the throat and chest.

When the dog comes happily when called, raise your hand with the food and say "sit." Praise and reward if the hind legs start to bend and pat on the chest.

Down is taught from the sit by lowering the food down in front of the dog.

In all of this the dog is praised, rewarded but never touched except for the pats on the chest.

When the dog is responding joyfully to all members of the family ask friends to give the dog the same commands and praise and reward it if it responds to any degree.

This training has two objectives. One is to get a joyful response from the dog as it interacts with people; at first with you and later with your friends. The dog is happy because all elements of punishment have been removed from the training and each training session is a time of praise and reward. Dogs like to please their owners and this training will add to their self esteem.

The second consequence of this training is that the dog, in obeying commands from a number of people without hesitation, is also acknowledging these people as "leaders." A dog in a pack looks to the leaders when anything fearful approaches and feels safe as the pack as a whole will deal with the stranger. When a stranger enters your house such a dog finds it easier to relax because you, its leaders, are obviously relaxed and welcoming the stranger. If the dog shows fear this is the time to use the "jolly routine" to relax and distract the dog.

Set ups. Obviously there are times when it would be quite unsuitable to go into the jolly routine in front of strangers so once the dog has learnt the routine ask a friend to visit who knows in advance what you intend to do. Close a door or otherwise prevent the dog from bolting to its safe place but have it lying down in the living room some distance from the door. Have the visitor come in, ignore the dog and sit at a distance talking to you. At signs of fear all jolly the dog and obviously have fun together. If the dog approaches the visitor, praise him. The visitor should not touch or reach out towards the dog but should speak in a friendly, animated voice. Repeat these set ups until the dog is relaxed in the presence of several people.

When the dog has accepted the presence of the stranger using the jolly routine and the dog knows the basic obedience commands, have your friend stand in front of the dog and you. The dog is on a lead and at your left side. You ask your friend to give the commands, "sit, down, and stay" one at a time. If the dog does not obey when first asked, you push the dog into position without saying a word. Your friend praises the dog and tosses it a treat. On the command "stay" your friend walks in a big circle round both of you and returning to the original spot, releases the dog with "OK" praises and rewards it. This is repeated until the dog responds to your friend's voice alone. This obedience is a powerful tool in changing the dog's attitude towards strangers in the house.

Fears out-of-doors. If a dog's aggression expresses itself mainly in the front yard, start as suggested, with the set-ups indoors but when the dog is relaxed by the jolly routine in the presence of visitors, move outdoors to the front of the house. Have the dog on a 6 foot leash and have friends, adults first and then children, step onto the property and slowly advance. They can speak to the dog in a cheerful voice but must not call the dog or use its name. Meanwhile you are distracting and reassuring the dog in a cheerful manner. If you think you are losing control, ask the visitor to stop. The visitor should only walk away when the dog is relaxed; never when the dog is showing aggression as then the dog has the satisfaction of thinking its aggression drove the person away. With many repetitions it should be possible for the visitor to join the family group and take part in the fun.

see also
Attacking from behind

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