Nervous growling when non-owner walks down the hall or enters room, tips?
This is a fearful/nervousness behavior related question. So Ren gets nervous and growls whenever she hears a non-cezieg walking up the stairs, through the hallway, and when pretty much anyone comes into my room. I've been working on getting her comfortable with everyone else by having them give her treats when they come in, bringing her along on Taco Bell runs (5mins away in the car) when it's more than just myself in the car to get her used to being around other people + car rides, and having other family members (brother mostly) take her for short walks when she has to use the bathroom, yet she's still growling whenever my brother and others come into the room. She does stop whenever any petting is initiated.
She'll drop off her bed (on top of her crate next to the window) and go under my desk if someone enters the room, however she'll let whoever comes in pet her on the neck and take a treat. She'll do it to my mom when Ren's followed me into the kitchen, but then she'll timidly give my mom a paw when asked and eat the treat given to her.
ex. Brother walks into room and growling starts, he'll sit down about 5 feet away and growling continues, I'll tell her it's OK while he slowly and calmly reaches over to gently pet her neck, she'll continue growling without any aggressive behavior (lip curl, etc) until he connects with her neck fur, then growling stops and she assumes a less nervous "feels ok, but not sure if want" demeanor.
Important to note that she's never bit anyone or shown any sort of aggressiveness or lip curling/teeth showing, and she'll behave like this for anyone that is not me (even when the only interactions with that person have been me holding her and letting them pet her + them giving her treats whenever they come in). She's been gaining confidence at the dog park, doesn't bark at anyone there anymore, this is all only at home.
Anyone have any suggestions on progressively overcoming this?
She'll drop off her bed (on top of her crate next to the window) and go under my desk if someone enters the room, however she'll let whoever comes in pet her on the neck and take a treat. She'll do it to my mom when Ren's followed me into the kitchen, but then she'll timidly give my mom a paw when asked and eat the treat given to her.
ex. Brother walks into room and growling starts, he'll sit down about 5 feet away and growling continues, I'll tell her it's OK while he slowly and calmly reaches over to gently pet her neck, she'll continue growling without any aggressive behavior (lip curl, etc) until he connects with her neck fur, then growling stops and she assumes a less nervous "feels ok, but not sure if want" demeanor.
Important to note that she's never bit anyone or shown any sort of aggressiveness or lip curling/teeth showing, and she'll behave like this for anyone that is not me (even when the only interactions with that person have been me holding her and letting them pet her + them giving her treats whenever they come in). She's been gaining confidence at the dog park, doesn't bark at anyone there anymore, this is all only at home.
Anyone have any suggestions on progressively overcoming this?
Comments
Now that she's 6 she does soooo much better. If someone is coming into the house I have her go to her "safe" place (her bed in our room) and she can come out when she is quiet. If she starts making noise, she has to go lay back down in her bed - it's a matter of minutes anymore before she comes out and wants to be social. I'm so proud of her. She was a little more extreme with her reactions than other dogs, I think....her progress has been years in the making, and again - I'm so proud of her
I like @Hinata23's idea - if they could do that without expecting her to take it from them "lay it on the floor" that may help too!
So, with Mirra what worked with people coming into our house (we had a little different routine for outside introductions):
1. Remove her to her safe place where she could decompress (lay down, quiet down - get used to the sounds of another person in the house) at one point we even put a baby gate up for her in our door so she could see what was going on - other dogs getting loves etc... without feeling "her" space being encroached on....but she had to be quiet and laying down before we'd let her come out to check
2. Let her make all the introductory moves with no eye contact from person
3. Person must completely ignore
@WrylyBrindle If we're in public she'll sniff people to check them out if they're not looking at her. At home she just wants to hang out under my desk in "her" spot or on her dog bed, not interested in smelling anyone or checking them out, other than to keep an eye on them.
How old is she now? Koda went through kind've a similar phase at around 9 mos. old. I basically told people to completely ignore him. Eye contact set him off. He had a big issue with that. The difference is he wasn't guarding his safe spot, which sounds like that's what Ren is doing. She's basically resource guarding your room. Mei did this with my parent's back bedroom. That's where her crate is.
With Mei, it was different. We had to keep strangers out of her room. It was just too much for her. We moved the crate into the living room for a little while, with the rule that no person touch her crate. This helped.
The reason for blocking the desk...
If she is guarding the desk, her behavior will only increase the more valuable the desk gets to her. The more she can hide under it, the more important that space is, and so the more valuable it is, and so the more she will guard it.
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@sjp051993 Good advice on letting her go to them for pets, the whole "reaching" may be inducing a lot of her stress. She didn't like me reaching when she first arrived, but a hand on the floor close to her with a treat was acceptable.
Thank you very much for the advice guys, I really appreciate it
@sjp051993 One already left?! Was Marsha enchanted by the pup? Good for Ritsu, I'm definitely using that tactic!
@Hinata23 Aww ChoCho! Ren was squeezing into every small opening she could, even trying to squeeze in where the cats were spying on her from. She really has improved you guys have done a great job! That blue collar looks snazzy on her too.
The suggestions I was going to give have already been given lol but I will add when the person is in your room and she approaches to check them out make sure they know not to move too quickly or get to outwardly excited that she approached. If she approaches to check them out they need to understand that her approaching does not mean total acceptance, it just means she is curious or maybe wants a pet or treat. If they do too much too fast when she approaches she may retreat and then might take longer the next time with the next person. It might be a slow process but she'll get there
Met Ritsu and the rest of the puppys and everyone got their share of lovin... Ritsu was actually pushing against me.for attention by the time I left..they all were.
I didn't get to read all the posts but what I read I agree.with. Not sure if anyone mentioned this but when I get a new nervous dog I like to leave a leash on and let them drag it around so I never have to grab at their collar while they are settling in. I can pick up the end of the leash and get them to follow me or do whatever without stressing them more.
Sorry for.any typos... Dislike this smart phone
I did that with the leash when I first got her home and she was extremely nervous being in a new home. Now she'll follow me just about anywhere on her own, with the exception being when she's had enough of the other dogs at the dog park and has picked a "safe bench" to hold up at until we leave lol.
Yay for Ren!!
Yay, Ren! Sounds like great progress!
Isn't it weirdly funny how hard it is for people to ignore a dog??? We have a neighbor who no matter what I've told her will every single time bend over, look Mirra in the eye and start talking to her!!! And every time Mirra baarrrrrks and then the neighbor will stand up and say, there's just something about me, I guess!!! lol - Well YEAH!!!
Great job you guys!
Did you get the desk blocked yet?