New Pup Growls at most of the World?!? - Page 1

Hi,

I had an awesome G.S.D for 12 years.... and now I have another, Rama... his pic is to the right.  Both Males and both 100% PEOPLE PROOF!!!!

I just rescued (adopted with large rehoming fee) a 13 week old Female. She is 100% Czech. From some very impressive lines. I have had her 2 weeks on Monday and I have been working very hard to socialize her.

She was sweet the day we adopted her, but started growling at people from the second she got home, before she ever got out of the truck? I am told she was well socialized, but it seems different. Maybe she was and something traumatic happened to her during her fear period. I know she was shipped from Chicago to Seattle @ week 10. I am her 3rd home.

Is this something that can be worked out 100%? I have tried very hard and doing all the right things to make her social... but she still growls at lots of people, on and off the property.

I am just curious... what other's thought... Will I always have to work hard to make her social? Even with great training... will a dog who is afraid of 60% of the people in the world ever  obtain bullet proof people skills... or would she be better off with another job?

Thanks,

Jacob

Hi,sometimes they go through these stages UNTIL they become more mature.It could also be that in those lines they carry this trait.She could also be stressed from all the re-homing.Its very hard to say at that early age but what i would do if it was my dog is  SOCIALIZE,SOCIALIZE<SOCIALIZE.Get kids and adults to give her lots of treats at EVERY oppurtunity. Build up her confidence.I know its fraustrating and beleive me i know how you feel cause i have been through it .Most of all you need to be patient and be carefull not to be projecting that feaerfull,unsure energy down the leash cause they do sense EVERYTHING.Lots of stimulation,let her little brain investigate everything,let her be a puppy and have fun.Time will tell when she is a bit older and for now just keep reenforcing positive behaviours,and again,let her get tons of treats from kids and adults so she learns there is nothing to be afraid of.I wish i had more to offer,good luck and may she turn out fine.

What "job" are you planning on for her?  She's now 15 weeks and on her third home, if she's a rescue who knows what she had been through before you got her.  Based on some "rescues" I've met the description does not always match what is real, in her case very socialized and friendly may have been a bit of a stretch.

Be very careful where you take her for socialization.  At these ages one bad experience can take a very very long time to undo.  It could well be she's had at least one bad experience and is showing the best defense if a good offense.

Wow!  "New PUP Growls at most of the World?!?" 

Sounds like she IS well socialized if she has already seen most of the World.

Jacob,

I agree with animules completely.

You have no way of knowing what experience's the dog has had, and I can tell you a dog never forget's a bad experience no matter what you do in the way of socializing and retraining.

The bloodline's may also play a part in the dog's behavior.

I also agree with Dominic,

Socialize her from every direction with one thing in mind, don't force it on her, let her approach thing's at her own speed.

Give her time to make up her own mind.

This being said, be careful with her not to have setback's and not to get anyone bitten.

It's possible she may never fully get past this.   Just my opinion.

Brent.

ian dunbar is very good at building confidence, early training and early socialization.  i highly recommends his books & dvd for this stage. his training is geared toward being an easy & effective method to train a companion pet. i know nothing about sch or competetive protection training so if you are planning that sort of thing dunbar's methods might not be appropriate but others would have to speak to that.

here are some link that might be helpful:

http://www.siriuspup.com/behavior_problems.html

http://www.dogstardaily.com/

I would be asking the question why am i the third home!

really

I agree with 'reason' and 'mystere.'  I would be concerned why you are the 3rd home and she was put up for adoption at such a young age.  Good for you for trying to socialize her and it is true you cannot know what she has experienced to date.  Those things may have scarred her for life.

A dog born with a superior resilient temperament may be able to overcome those early experiences, but early imprinting is a powerful determinant.  A hard lesson is though, a dog born with a fear-aggression temperament will NEVER overcome it.  It may be mitigated in expert hands, but the dog will never overcome this basic temperament fault. 

Only you, with expert help, will be able to determine which is the case with the dog you now have.  Good Luck.

Thanks all for your input. I took her and Rama to my niece's birthday party today about 12 ( 6 year olds ) she did VERY WELL, Didn't growl at anyone.... :)  I will continue to socialize her like this, but this is exactly what I have been doing, so maybe it is beginning to pay off.

My Boy Rama was transferred 8 times to 5 homes at 20 weeks when I got him.. made no difference to him.. he is just cool.

Akeelah at ony 3 homes... I thought would be a piece of cake... but cleary I was wrong.

....as to say exactly why people give up puppies is anyone's guess.... everyone has an excuse. I was told that Akeelah was bred for a working line breeder south of Seattle and after 2 weeks,  the breeder decided she didn't want her because of her long coat.

I have a very good friend who wants her and he is not afraid of her growling and thinks he could fix her... and use her for protection work one day... (that is what I meant by another job)  ...

I don't want to give her up...  She is really sweet to everyone once she gets past the growl, and earns trust... she has never tried to bite anyone outside of play....and she is soooo smart. She LOVES to work, and is hard as nails. I really love her... I just am a little scared of the growling....

I gotta go back to work.... more later, thanks guys!!!

Jacob