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Ask Pilar: Which Dog, Nervousness And Socialization

Ask Pilar, Nov 1, 2020 for www.dogwhispererhq.com

Welcome to our “Ask Pilar” series! Professional dog trainer and groomer Pilar Garrido will answer questions you have about your pup. She is only providing a basic overview. For more information, please consult a trainer, behaviorist or groomer in your area, who can directly work with your dogs.

For this round of questions, our readers asked:

1. I am looking to get my first dog, and want him or her to be a close companion. Ideally, this will be a friendly, warm dog but also an active one that I can take with me on adventures outside. Do you have any recommendations?

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If this is your first time getting a dog, you are probably thinking “what happens if I pick the wrong one?” First of all, we need to be patient and think this through carefully. You mentioned you are active and you want a dog that can match your energy, as well as being a good companion. When you said this, the first dog that came to mind is a Border Collie. This breed of dog has a lot of energy and will always stay near you. The dog is adventurous and they are bred to work on farms with the shepherds. You can read my article “Selecting The Right Dog For Your Family” for more in-depth advice.

There are a lot of animal shelters that have dogs you can rescue. You can call and find out if there are any active dogs. You can tell right away if he/she can match your energy. It should not be a dog that pulls on the leash but rather walks alongside with you. When looking for a happy puppy, do not be in a rush to pick one. Be observant. Dogs are instinctive by nature. So, the first one that gravitates towards you is the one that can feel your energy.   

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2. We have a two-year-old female Daniff (English Mastiff/European Great Dane mix). Within the past six to eight months, she has become nervous around certain people. Sometimes it is male adults (rarely female), and other times it’s children she does not recognize. She will growl and her hair on her spine stands up. If they do not listen to her warnings, she nips at them. Why is she behaving this way and how can we fix it?

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(Note: For a dog as large as an English Mastiff/European Great Dane mix, it is important to train them on the leash. Before they are introduced to strangers — on walks or if there are visitors — make sure you can control them on a leash. If you can’t do it, please get professional help.)

Good observational skills are important when working with our dog. Understanding how she feels by looking at her body language is essential. You said you noticed that your dog has been nervous with certain people. Six to eight months is a long period of change and we must identify what’s causing this because it could create major issues down the road. First, we need to make sure she is checked by the veterinarian to ensure she is not suffering from any pain. Sometimes a little pain can create great discomfort. If the vet says she is not experiencing pain, we need to evaluate our leadership style and find out if we need to change anything. If we stop supervising or stop paying attention to the things around us, our dog will be the one to start doing it for us. Dogs always look for leadership and we need to maintain it so they become good followers. Good body positioning as well as giving direction to our dogs is important for us. Another issue that we might need to look at is whether our dog has had a bad experience or association with male adults and children. Children are very playful and they might have done something to irritate the dog. So, in this case, we need to be observant when the dog is present. We need to remember that when associating our dog with people for the first time, we should do the following:

(1) Tell people that come close to the dog to avoid eye contact, to not talk and to not touch.

(2) If someone pets your dog, make sure they do it in your presence. The dog needs reassurance from you. If your action is friendly, the dog will be friendly as well.

(3) Allow the dog to smell people without having them talk to or touch the dog. It will calm the dog down the moment she sees people as not a threat.

(4) It is our responsibility always to teach people how to approach our dog correctly and safely. The moment the dog feels safe and protected by you, she will lower her guard and will treat others like family.

3. We have a seven-month-old pup who became part of the family before lockdown. She had no socialization before lockdown because we couldn’t get her vaccinated. Now, we have a pup who is scared of other dogs. We’ve been to puppy classes and worked with a behaviorist, but her progress is slow. Any recommendations?

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Isolation can have a negative psychological effect on a dog’s behavior. It’s a problem that can be seen with dogs in an animal shelter and that’s why shelters look for volunteers to walk the dogs every day. Lockdown was an unavoidable event and even my dog was at home the whole time during that period. However, there are activities to increase the dog’s socialization even when she is at home. I have written an article on how to socialize your puppy at home during the lockdown. Although we have more freedom now, this exercise can still be applied to your dog as she, little-by-little, learns to become confident while building her socialization skills. 

It will take time to educate your dog. Be patient and never lose hope. Once she becomes sociable, you will have a great time and lots of fun together. Try to bring her out with you when you go out. Speak softly and pet her only when she reacts calmly with other people and animals. Going with groups of trusted dogs to the beach and park can help a lot. Always walk and play with her when she is with other dogs and people. Let it become a positive association. If she barks, remember to maintain calm energy. Walk in the opposite direction with a toy or a treat. Remember, love and patience is your key to her successful rehabilitation.

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