Help! - Territorial Agression

[sami the cichlid]

we got our dog kali in august and she used to be fine with strangers but in the past few weeks any men that she doesn't know who come into the kitchen (where she sleeps) get growled and barked at and sometimes even a little lunge. but, she will let them pet her and once they do she stops, but if they go out and come back in its like she's never seen them! she goes off again!

rite now im isolating her when she does it for 10 mins as a punishment. is there anything more i can do? need help urgently as have 2 male geusts sleeping over

!

 

[iffles]

what about women she doesn't know? any territorial agression to them? I'm guessing no. how are you isolating her? in the kitchen or out of the kitchen?

 

[sami the cichlid]

what about women she doesn't know? any territorial agression to them? I'm guessing no. how are you isolating her? in the kitchen or out of the kitchen?

out of the kictchen and she seems to be fine with women

 

[Tolak]

What does she do if the men are in the kitchen, she isn't, then she enters? What are her sleeping accommodations set up like? How is she during feeding, or with toys?

 

[sami the cichlid]

she is/was the most placid dog, this just arose a few weeks ago, she first did it when my grandad was swinging his leg in the kitchen (his "exercieses" for his back!) and she growled and got up. she has a huge pillow for a bed. problem is shes always in the room when men come in.

 

[iffles]

try swapping it (taking her out of the kitchen).
shes probably defending the kitchen area (probably the most important area in the house to her) and she doesn't want strangers who pose a threat (in her mind) to her there (women arent as threatening). it might help if when she is calm around a man she hasn't met (ie when she has been petted), she gets a treat from him. she has to learn that only when she is well behaved, she gets rewarded, and if she gets treats from them, she will want to behave well to get more treats (every dog i've met loves there food lol).

also was she adopted or bought as a pup?

 

[sami the cichlid]

ill also try the treat thing sounds v good. yes she does love her food. she was adopted and was a stray so i no wht u mean........abused by men background possibly. we know she is bad around other dogs and are trying to tackle that to so this new issue is just not on as she is really a brilliant dog

this is her:

 

[Tolak]

Things like this take work. It isn't the dog's decision to always be in the kitchen, that is your decision, as you let her stay there. Since you let it continue it ends up being her decision to her. What has she done to earn staying in the kitchen?

Take the dog out of the kitchen, along with the bed, toys, and any food & water bowls. Let the men into the kitchen. Make that dog sit before it enters the kitchen, every time. Have the men in the kitchen make the dog sit before it enters the kitchen, every time. The dog has to earn the privilege of entering the kitchen, the men come & go at will. Next, have the men feed the dog, making her sit before she is allowed to eat. Once again, earning the privilege of a meal.

 

[iffles]

as mentioned above ^ by Tolak, you might need to assert dominance and control over her, depending on the cause of the agression - fear based (abused by men before), protective (defending territory and this means she is dominant and you need to remind her who is the boss lol) or some other cause that i can't think of off the top of my head (im so forgetful lol).

btw she is a gorgeous little dog

 

[Tolak]

It's not so much asserting dominance as controlling resources. Plenty of people have seen the situation with multiple dogs of varying sizes living together, and more often than not it isn't the largest dog that is the one in charge. The one in charge controls resources. Access is an important resource, this dog is controlling access. Regain control of that resource and you will be on the road to solving the problem.

Food is another important resource. Have the men sit down for dinner, finishing their meal before allowing the dog access. Once they are done let the dog in the kitchen, have one of the men feed her. Resource control, nothing more.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

this is her:

I have lawfully "confiscated" or taken custody of many thousands of animals being abused by their owners ranging from little Maltese Poodles to vicious Rottweillers and to me, the deciding factor as to how I'm going to interact with the specific animal is made in the first 5 seconds after seeing the animal..... (and I can catagorically state... that I've never been threatened by any of them.. even those who the owners warned me against)

I have merely learnt to identify (what I termed) "eye contact" dogs... Some of the dogs I just walked straight up to the dog and take them by the collar and say "come, you're going to the kennels with me"... no muzzles or anything.. I just loaded them in the front seat of the SPCA pick-up and drove them to the kennels....

Other dogs, Their first look at me warned me to look at a spot away from them, but approach them in the same manner.... no problem... I've already tried to explain to my wife what it is that I look out for (in the eyes), which make me classify the dog as an "eye contact" dog, but she never got it right, so unless you specifically feel comfy with this method, do not rely on it.

Looking at the photograph of your dog...I have immediately placed it in that box.... Just tell those men to be aware of the dog, but not to make direct eye contact....

Also very sound advice is the instruction advice....If your dog has been taught to sit, let strangers use that command... it is even more effective in subdueing the animal than shouting ou it's name.

 

[VickiandKev]

Isolation will not really work with a dog. You are simply removing her from the situation rather than showing her that her behaviour is unacceptable, and dogs don't make the connection with their behaviour and 'time-out'.

I always correct my dog with a noise first (whatever works, I use 'ah ah' or 'shhht', just a short sharp noise), and if she doesn't respond appropriately, I use touch to back it up (wherever the dog will take notice, can be the neck or the side of the dog). I make her lie down and keep correcting her 'excited' behaviour until she is relaxed and lying down. Once she is completely relaxed I then fuss her.

I would suggest trying the methods mentioned above would be an option, but the method I have outlined works brilliantly and gets fast results.

Do also make sure that the men do not make eye contact, in fact they should completely ignore her and even stand sideways on to her as well, so that it's obvious by their body language that her behaviour is not getting any attention or reaction.

My pup is a bit of a nightmare with growling at people through windows, car windows or the flat windows, and over a week or so I'm managing to nip it in the bud at the first grumble and get her lying down and calm within a minute (down from a big power fight lasting nearly 10 minutes!). The first time you correct, you may find it takes up to 10 minutes or more to get your dog lying down, calm and responding appropriately to the sound and touch you give as correction.

What you need to do is teach her that you are boss, you are fine with men, and so she should be fine with men too. Once a dog is comfortable with it's owner as boss, it takes its cue from them.

It's important also to be sure you are calm and relaxed when men enter the kitchen, otherwise she'll definitely pick up and respond to your tension.

Best of luck with her.
She's gorgeous!