Schnauzer Has Problems With Visitors.

[slk]

We have a 4 year old miniature schnauzer 'rescue'. We have had her for 4 weeks. She is a lovely natured soul, very kind and placid with us (her family consisting of Mum & Dad and 3 kids....).

Then the doorbell goes and hello.

She barks, loud. And she runs away (shoots out the doggy door) and she continues to bark, loud.

She won't approach them. She just barks and barks and runs away.

And then we go outside and she cowers (sad, I think she's been hit before). We calm her down, tell her it's ok. And she see's the visitors again and off she goes.

We eventually end up having to put her on her bed in the laundry (she has access outside through her doggy door but when we have company she chooses to stay in the laundry.

My parents just visited from Qld for 4 days and poor Mitzi didn't approach them once. She just barked at them, almost seemed frightened of them. It broke my heart. I want my guests to enjoy her as much as we do, but at the least I want her to not be stressed when we have company, even if she doesn't want to approach them.

I have contacted my vet and arranged for a dog trainer to come to my home for a consult. I'm hoping they will see her behavior (and being 'strangers', they will certainly see it!) and give me some tips and advice on how to manage her so that she is happy, and our guests don't get barked at.

oh - she won't respond to food treats - she seems absolutely oblivious to anything other than getting rid of our visitors!

Any advice, tips welcome

cheers

Sara

[Ravyk]

I don't have much advice, but please stop trying to calm her down/tell her it's ok when she runs. What you are doing is actually reinforcing the unwanted behaviour of her being scared and running away. A dog cannot understand you are trying to calm them down, all they see is, 'if I bark and run away, they will pay me attention' and will continue this behaviour. Best thing is to ignore it, as hard as it may be

Edited November 16, 2009 by Ravyk

[megan_]

She sounds very scared. Unfortunately, comforting a scared dog often makes them more scared - it is like validating that they have something to be afraid of. It is far more effective to totally ignore it and carry on as if there is nothing to be scared of.

It is also common to assume that a scared dog has been abused/hit - that isn't necissarily the case either. Dogs who haven't been socliased properly are often scared of strange things. My girl used to be scared if I stepped on a twig. A twig has never attacked her!

I have a very fearful mini schnauzer - she was used as a breeding dog at a puppy farm so she hasn't been properly socialised at all. She has made great gains since we saw a behaviourist and have implemented a plan of leadership and controlled socialisation. I strongly recommend that you do this to - my girl couldn't even put on a lead a few months ago, never mind stay in the house with a visitor or go for a walk. She now goes for a nightly walk, has friends at the park and goes to dog school.

A trainer is different from a behaviourist in that they don't specialise in dog behaviour.

Lastly, as hard as it might be - you can't feel sorry for her. Feeling sorry for her doesn't help her at all. She needs you to be a calm, assertive leader. Show her that life goes on and there is nothing to stress about. Make sure she has clear rules and boundaries to adhere to so that she knows that you're the boss. Stay calm even if she is stressing out. If you molly coddle her and give into her demands, then she might see herself as the leader, and the leader needs to protect the pack and do the worrying.

ETA: If she normally likes treats but won't eat them when visitors are there this can means that she's very stressed. Also, you don't want to treat her when she's carrying on because you are inadvertandly rewarding her for the behaviour.

ETA again: How does she go when she sees strangers when going for her nightly walk?

Edited November 16, 2009 by megan_

[slk]

Thanks for the advice.

Megan, she's only been on a few walks in the time we've had her because we are training her on the lead (she wasn't walked where she came from). We have been to friends around the corner and she was very social, loved the pats.

I am now walking her daily, short walks, just so she learns that it's all safe.

I understand what you are saying about ignoring the behaviour, that makes sense.

Megan, can I ask how your schnauzer reacted to visitors before you started implementing a behavioural plan?

The vet has told me that once she is assessed by the 'trainer', that we may be referred to a behaviouralist.

[megan_]

Thanks for the advice.

Megan, she's only been on a few walks in the time we've had her because we are training her on the lead (she wasn't walked where she came from). We have been to friends around the corner and she was very social, loved the pats.

I am now walking her daily, short walks, just so she learns that it's all safe.

I understand what you are saying about ignoring the behaviour, that makes sense.

Megan, can I ask how your schnauzer reacted to visitors before you started implementing a behavioural plan?

The vet has told me that once she is assessed by the 'trainer', that we may be referred to a behaviouralist.

She would run out the dog door and hide under the decking. She was/is more flight than fight. Now I don't let her run out. She isn't 100% comfortable around new people, but is muched improved.

[brigie bear]

IMO comforting like that is a human behavior and with the dog she sees it as you almost praising her to behave that way.

Many little dogs feel intimidated when someone new walks through the door (from what i know, littlies especially) and I have had some friends who have had great success putting a chair near the door and teaching the dog to greet on the chair so they arent so low to the ground and intimidated. I cant say I've tried it personally but have had feedback about it.

If she runs away, you must let her - ignore the behavior for now rather than comfort her.

[slk]

Thanks all for your advice. We have decided that we see a trainer/behaviourist and have already made the initial enquiry. Need now to just set up a time. Thanks Megan for passing on that information.

I'll keep you updated with how we get on. Mitzi is such a beatiful little girl who I think has had a bit of a rough start to family life, I hope we can help her feel at ease.

[luvsdogs]

I'm glad you're going to a behaviourist. Will be interested in what they say & how your little girl improves. You were given good advice so won't repeat it.

[slk]

Appointment booked for Tuesday next week. Have been given advice on how to "manage" our situation in the meantime which I am so happy about.

I learnt something about myself. I have a nearly 3year old little boy (human!) and I treat Mitzi with the same compassion that I treat him, and I've come to learn that my human and my doggie speak a different language and I'm sending COMPLETELY different signals.

I will learn. I'm an eager student. And in the short time we've had our Mitzi we've all come to adore her and want to be the best dog she could possibly be - she doesn't have to be 'perfect' - just the best she can be.

[persephone]

I have a nearly 3year old little boy (human!) and I treat Mitzi with the same compassion that I treat him, and I've come to learn that my human and my doggie speak a different language and I'm sending COMPLETELY different signals.

and you have successfully learnt the first important lesson ! She is a D O G . not a furry kid

Oh...and where are the photos?

[slk]

An update. And a very positive one.

We have had our consult from one of the fantastic behaviourists here and oh my word. I was very impressed, learnt a lot about both myself (like I tend to talk to my dog way too much - I was threatened with tape over the mouth !!!! LOL) and my dog.

Mitzi has a way to go. But given the big steps she took yesterday I think I see light at the end of my journey.

I feel so much more confident in 'reading' her now, handling her and know what I can do to ensure that she feels like I have the situation in control.

Thank you Megan, for passing on the information and pointing me in the right direction. I will probably ask you lots of questions as you are further down the path than me, and we sound as though our Schnauzer ladies are similar in temperment.

Thanks all.

[megan_]

Great news!

I had air con installed yesterday and Lucy stayed inside and watched them work after she had calmed down from the initial fright of 3 bulky guys coming into the house - so it sounds like they both had a good day.

[slk]

Yay for Lucy !!!!!!!!!! It's so nice when they have a win.

My win was the improvement from when J arrived to when she left !! When she arrived Mitzi did her usual nutty barking and after just over 2 hours she was laying/sleeping at my feet while J and I chatted. Brilliant

[Cosmolo]

Fantastic start- congratulations

[SchnauzerBoy]

Fantastic start- congratulations

Indeed, well done, it's amazing what these guys can teach us and our dogs.

We have a 2nd consult this evening with our behaviourist to try and get Aubrey happier with kids... tonight we actually have a 3 year old coming over too so they can see what can be done!

[slk]

SchnauzerBoy - how did Aubrey go??????? Did everyone survive the visit of a 3 year old ??????