blacklabs Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 (edited) Can anyone help me stop my labradors behaviour. Most of the time she walks well on a lead and will greet other dogs and people nicely, except for trying to jump up which we are working on. I noticed a couple of weeks ago that she would sometimes bark at people walking towards us if we were stopped talking to someone. But I would just tell her no as I didn't think much of it. But a couple of days ago a small child started walking towards her while my husband had her and she started barking uncontrollably aggressivly and turned and bit husband on the arm (so hard it left it bleeding and later bruised) then continued barking like crazy at child. Parents of child came and took him away and she stopped. Then the next day at a market was standing there looking at a stall when I looked up to see an older lady walking towards us with hand out obviously wanting to pat her, well she started barking like crazy again until lady turned and walked off. Today at park she walked past and stopped and sniffed lots of dogs and couple of people and was fine, then a lady with a small child asked to pat her and she had a small dog who hid behind her. Well as soon as my dog spotted the dog hiding, she went nuts barking and biting me on the arm a number of times (not as hard this time, had a jumper on and didn't leave a mark). Each time I'm telling her no. I just want a dog that is friendly to everyone. We have been to puppy preschool and are doing puppy training. She has met lots of dogs and people of all ages so why is she so aggressive sometimes?? And what can I do to stop her doing it??? Edited November 4, 2013 by blacklabs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 Oh Dear It's great you are looking for help with this ;welcome. For now .. do NOT walk her anywhere you could put her in a situation as you have posted, until you get professional advice .If she bites/scares someone it could mean a nasty legal process. Please call an experienced professional for help - a puppy which is showing aggression, and who has bitten needs to be assessed and worked with one-to-one . Was her breeder any help ? Luckily on D O L there are some experienced and professional people. three names I remember in the melb. area are erny, cosmolo, and nekhbet . If you send them a private message - they may be able to help you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacklabs Posted November 4, 2013 Author Share Posted November 4, 2013 thankyou, so far as she has been on a lead she has biten only us, thank goodness not other people or dogs. Do you know why she would behave like this sometimes?? Have had heaps of people come to our house and taken her everywhere from when we first got her, so she has met people of all ages, so I would have thought she is well socialised. Have spoken to breeder about her jumping up on people including my kids and about first incident and she said I need to get tough with her. Said none of the other puppys from litter have shown any aggression. So I feel it is all my fault and I'm devasted. I have tried to do all the right things from the start ie ignoring her when she jumps etc, telling her no when she started barking at people and rewarding good behaviour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 ..you seem to have been working hard ..so now is a really good time to get a professional's help . They will be able to see the behaviour and explain what's happening , then work with you to manage it. Don't feel guilty - that doesn't make you feel any better Keep us posted after you've been in touch with someone :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 We can't know without seeing the puppy's behaviour in context - but one thing to consider is that she may be going through what is sometimes called a "fear period" - where things that have not been an issue in the past become an issue. Second the advice to not be putting her in situations which she obviously finds upsetting (and of course you do too) - and getting some advice from a knowledgeable and skilled person who can observe her and you and give you guidance. Good for you for getting on to it quickly. In the short term, as well as keeping pup away from distressing/arousing situations, can I suggest that I wouldn't just be getting tough with her till you know what's going on, and I'd be trying to redirect her rather than just saying no - when you think about it, "no" is not really veryinformative - best to try to give the pup some direction as to what you'd like her to do - maybe, turn and go (which I'd be doing - letting her know you will get her out of the situation - she doesn't have to do it. Depending where you are in Vic, Erny, Cosmolo or Nekhbet on here would all be happy to point you in the right direction, I'd say. Try sending them a PM, in case they don't see this post. And as Pers says - do come back and update us. And don't feel bad - you're asking for help - that's the first step. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 It's very difficult to say why the behaviour is occurring without seeing it- so the following is just a guess. But i will say- try not to be too alarmed just yet. There are a few things in your post that would lead me to wonder whether the behaviour has come about purely as a result of frustration- ie, not being able/ allowed to get to something he wants and the redirection onto the handler is the end result. Get QUALITY professional help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 I agree with Cosmolo, it may be due to frustration. There's plenty of people who can be recommended from this forum or Cosmolo, myself etc depending which area you're in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacklabs Posted November 5, 2013 Author Share Posted November 5, 2013 Thanks so much for replys. Well I think you could be right it maybe be due to frustration at not being able to get where she wants. This afternoon took her to inlaws where there is a dog next door who my puppy loves to sniff through wire fence. Well the owner then bought his dog over on a lead and my puppy was so excited trying to jump and play with it. Then other owner said hold her by collar for a minute, well she started going nuts barking angrily and trying to bite me, I then let go and she ran over to other dog trying to play happily. Going to get professional dog trainer to see her this week to get the behaviour stopped hopefully. Pretty unusual behaviour for a lab though, have never known or seen one behave like her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simply Grand Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Good on you for seeking advice and getting a professional in Chances are it is frustration and you may have to make some adjustments to her training and lifestyle in general in order to deal with it but I'm sure the trainer will give you good advice and you'll get on top of it. Labs are dogs just like the rest of them I'm afraid, any breed can have a bit of an issue, but you're doing what you need to to fix it up. Like the others said, let us know how you go :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 It's actually not unusual behaviour in my experience. In the meantime don't put the pup in situations where the behaviour is likely to occur and you let go because this is likely to reinforce the behaviour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 hold her by collar for a minute, well she started going nuts barking angrily and trying to bite me, I then let go and she ran over to other dog trying to play happily. Here it sounds as if she throws a tantrum to get what she wants - and it works ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Have had heaps of people come to our house and taken her everywhere from when we first got her, so she has met people of all ages, so I would have thought she is well socialised. Unfortunately, meeting lots of people isn't what socialisation is about. Lots of people - and even trainers - fall into this trap. Socialisation is about controlled, positive interaction with many different things when the dog isn't entering a fear period (look at the pinned topic in this forum on puppy development, it will explain what a fear period is and what to do when your pup goes through one. This could be what is happening to your pup now). Biting your husband could be out of frustration or it could be redirected aggression (I can't bite the thing I want to bite, so I bite what is nearest). I think you need to see a real professional (not just a trainer or puppy school trainer, not a trainer at the local obedience club). If you let us know where you are based people can recommend someone. In the meantime, like Pers says, you shouldn't put your pup in situations where this can happen. Walking at 5am is good. Exposing her to more kids will NOT make this problem go away, it will make it worse (I bark and bite = kid goes away = barking and biting works!). Finally, don't beat yourself up. Raising puppies is hard and we all make mistakes. Some dogs just handle mistakes better than others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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