I'm a first time pup parent. I have a lab/pit mix who's about to turn one in a couple of weeks. As he's grown he's become a nervous pup and dislikes people. The only time he likes people approaching us is when the person also has a dog and the pup is calm. If the person is alone he does not want the person anywhere near. He's been titled as aggressive and others advice we get rid of him. We love our pup and giving him away has never crossed our minds. Even the vet titled him as aggressive but he likes only a few of the personnel but not that particular vet. He's very selective but I'd love our pup to become approachable even if he doesn't want people touching him. I don't like him growling and I try to remain calm but I can't avoid the edgy feeling when people judge. Anybody has any advice?
A few management suggestions: Don't try to stop your dog growling as it's a signal that he is unhappy about the situation and if you stop him growling or ignore it he may escalate straight to a bite. When your dog growls get him out of the situation - walk him away if you're out or put him in another room if at home. Try to look at his body language so you can begin to notice when he's uncomfortable before he has to resort to growling - such things as staring hard, standing very stiffly, cowering down, tail between legs or the opposite, very upright, whale eye ( showing a lot of white). Don't let anyone he doesn't know/ isn't comfortable with touch him. Muzzle train for vet visits - there's a great video here You can counter- condition him to be happy around people (i.e. build new associations in his mind) but this is a gradual process and is best done with the help of an experienced force-free trainer.
Hi @Gigi R I suggest you find a trainer who can teach you and your dog the BAT protocol. https://grishastewart.com/professional-directory/
