Fear Aggression

[JenInTO 24]

Hi,

I have a male shih tzu, Gus, who recently turned 6 months old. He is great with family members and people he knows, but has suddenly become aggressive with strangers.

He has always been a nervous dog, so I'm assuming it is fear aggression. He is great with my kids, but I had him out for a walk last night and he barked and growled at a boy on a skateboard and a group of kids walking toward us. He has also barked and growled at numerous men. He is scared of dogs that are larger than him and when more than one dog approaches him at the same time. A barking dog will send him into complete panic.

We got him from a breeder when he was almost 11 weeks and he started an obedience class at 14 weeks. He was very nervous at the classes, especially if another dog barked excitedly. He would sometimes pee out of fear. He will also sometimes pee if someone bends down to pat him.

My biggest concern is that he has aggressively barked and growled at kids. I really don't want a dog that I can't trust around kids since I have kids in and out of my house all the time. 

I have been working hard on the "sit" command, so I can get him to sit and focus on me when this unwanted behaviour starts. He is an extremely picky eater though, and not at all food motivated so training is tough. He'll turn his nose up at freshly baked chicken and steak.

Has anyone successfuly rehabilitated a fear aggressive dog? Any advice would he greatly appreciated. 

Thanks.

[Pawz4me 6,802]

I think in cases that involve any kind of aggression the best advice that can be given over the Internet is to get some hands-on, in person advice from a good trainer or a veterinary behaviorist.  Someone knowledgeable really needs to observe him in person.

I'm also a really big believer in pharmaceutical assistance in cases like this.  Study after study proves that dogs, like humans, cannot learn new, more desirable behaviors easily when they're stressed.  And from your description it certainly sounds as if your little guy IS stressed.  What I would want is a medication that would take the edge off and allow him to relax just a bit while I worked on socialization and (re)training.  You can talk to your regular vet about possible medications.  The benefit of a veterinary behaviorist is that they're qualified to treat issues like this from both a training and a medication standpoint.

As far as teaching him to sit (great idea) -- Find whatever it is that motivates him.  It doesn't have to be food.  It can be a favorite squeaky toy or just an excited "good boy!" from you.  Some dogs love clicker training and will happily work just to get a click.  So try different things.  The more commands you can teach him the more confident he will become.  And once you teach him "sit" you might look up the Nothing In Life Is Free program and start implementing it.

Good luck (and welcome to the forum)!

[Luna 8,676]

What Pawz said.

[Missysmom 24,975]

Welcome Jen and Gus! When you have a chance it'd be great to see a pic of Gus!

[PipsMom 34,988]

Warm Welcome Jen and Gus.

Hope you find good answered to your questions so you'll know what to do. I can't offer any advise...I'm sorry ...but I do have a little rescue female that has some of the same issues you describe...Inside I've found only one thing that relaxes her....outside is a different matter but she's getting better...It's on going and hard work when they are so up tight. Good Luck 

 

Edited April 28, 2015 by PipsMom

[JenInTO 24]

Thank you to all that responded- especially Pawz4Me. You gave some great advice.  I have always had happy-go-lucky pugs in the past, so I am not used to dealing with a nervous or aggressive dog. It was such a surprise to me when this behaviour started, because he is such a sweet, loving dog at home and had never shown any sign of aggression before.

I am really trying to get Gus outside and around strange people and dogs numerous times every day. He has never shown aggression toward another dog, but he was attacked by another shih tzu in the park today, so I'm really hoping that doesn't make him start. It surprisingly, didn't seem to really phase him though.

I talked to my neighbours today and asked them if they would be willing to toss some treats to him over the fence once in a while and they said they would. Sometimes Gus is fine when he sees them, but other times he barks at them like crazy.

I will talk to my vet about medication and read more about the NILF program. I am willing to try anything that could help him. I will also talk to his obedience trainer to see what she thinks.

I think running with him could help too. He encountered a trampoline full of loud kids today and I saw his body language change into a fearful posture. I got my son to run ahead and call him and with encouragement he ran the rest of the way to the park. It seemed to snap him out of his fear and he even passed two kids on scooters on the walk home with no sign of fear.

I appreciate everyone's comments and am glad to have found a great online shih tzu community. I tried to attach a photo of Gus, but it said the file was too big.

[Summerangel 18,997]

Hello and welcome to the forum ? 

 

[minabey 3,687]

Hello, Jen and Gus!

That's my issue with monkey, too. He's not fond of anything food so training is a challenge. We have a guest right now so Monkey has to stay in his harness

to avoid him harassing him.

i wish you the best of luck.