Dog barks and growls at some people

[Nik_B 3,790]

I'm hoping this is just a phase. My Lab has started barking at certain people when we are out walking. He never barks at other dog owners and is ok most of the time but every now and then he will start barking at people and even growling at them. Today we were behind a family and he was fine, when they turned back towards us on a path below ours. As they turned he started barking. I know it's probably not a big deal but I'm getting really p1ssed off with people giving me funny looks or over reacting as if he is a killer dog. He's only 5 months old.

 

Is there anything I should be doing to stop this?

[Hannah4181 260]

With a dog of that age i would suspect its going through a "nervous" stage, sometimes it can be something that spooked him whilst out, maybe something you didn't even notice. I personally would try to not over react when he starts to bark, if you shout and make the lead tense you will instantly make him panic and feel that he has something to be worried about.

 

You could line up some friends to meet you out on walks with a handful of treats, so the dog starts to relax when approached by strangers. Some on here i'm sure will feel this is over the top and un necessary . . . . . . The dog may grow out of it, but if it doesn't, having an adult dog suffering from nervous aggression can become a real problem. I wouldn't take the chance personally and would put in a bit of time for a few weeks to try and rectify the problem.

 

You will probably find most "doggy" people in a local park near to you will be more than happy to help out and will understand without judgement. Wether the dog is a pet or a worker, or even a bit of both, there is nothing worse than having an unsociable one.

[Born Hunter 17,775]

Spot on hannah, very good advice. My freinds got an akita of 6 months going through the same thing

[Guest AngelicAcid]

Dogs can sense people and what they are like.

[Nik_B 3,790]

There seems to be nothing I can see that makes him do it, most of the time he is fine and even when i take him to busier parts of Lyme park he can be good as gold. The out of the blue he will do it. He's got better since it first started and I think when he feels threatened he is telling these people that he is a big tough dog by barking at them. He's had a few bad experiences thanks to muppets who think it is their right to be able to stroke him before he is ready and on more than one occasion I've had someone lunge out of no where to stroke him which has scared him.

 

I still wouldn't describe him as nervous, he is great around kids and other dogs.

 

It's funny that he will let any dog owner stroke him without any problem but seems to see threat in other people that to me don't seem threatening. Maybe as AngelicAcid says he is sensing they are scared of him.

[chewton 7]

I've got a rescue dog that went through a phase of behaving like this. In hindsight it was made worse by me or the missus starting to anticipate this behaviour and the dog picking up on our anxiety. I found a few things that helped were taking control of the situation in a positive way, greeting the people you meet with a smile and friendly word so that the dog could see I was in control and it was fine, we also would play with the dog sometimes to relax and distract it when people were about so meeting people on narrow paths didn't seem like a face off. We also saturated it with walks around people and other dogs. I confess that I sometimes felt a bit mad grinning at strangers and greeting them like long lost friends as I'm normally a grumpy little git but the dog did chill out very quickly with this approach. I'm no expert dog trainer but I hope that helps

[shadowfax 0]

I've got a rescue dog that went through a phase of behaving like this. In hindsight it was made worse by me or the missus starting to anticipate this behaviour and the dog picking up on our anxiety. I found a few things that helped were taking control of the situation in a positive way, greeting the people you meet with a smile and friendly word so that the dog could see I was in control and it was fine, we also would play with the dog sometimes to relax and distract it when people were about so meeting people on narrow paths didn't seem like a face off. We also saturated it with walks around people and other dogs. I confess that I sometimes felt a bit mad grinning at strangers and greeting them like long lost friends as I'm normally a grumpy little git but the dog did chill out very quickly with this approach. I'm no expert dog trainer but I hope that helps

This is excellent advice.

 

When I was a lad, I had a CollieX rescued, he had been abandoned and weighed about 14lbs when he was found by the motorway. When we took him home he would get frightened of anything, from a gunshot in the far off distance to kids playing football, even a fly buzzing at the window would spook him. If he heard these things when on a walk he would bolt. He's still alive now and lives with my mum, but what we found is that he didn't respect us and felt like we weren't in full control all of the time. He loved us and trusted us but he didn't feel like we were his 'pack leaders'.

 

We found that just by making him walk to heel when on and off the lead that these symptoms almost immediately vanished, he is now 16 and he has no problems apart from he is partially blind and totally deaf. I know this isn't exactly what you are experiencing but it might be worth a try.

 

Give it a go, let us know how you get on buddy.

[leegreen 2,173]

Spot on hannah, very good advice. My freinds got an akita of 6 months going through the same thing

 

yeh but unlike a Lab, an Akita is most probably a killer . I've yet yo meet a stranger friendly one.

[Born Hunter 17,775]

Spot on hannah, very good advice. My freinds got an akita of 6 months going through the same thing

 

yeh but unlike a Lab, an Akita is most probably a killer . I've yet yo meet a stranger friendly one.

 

You can f**k off with your anti akita attitude! Narrow minded to think a certain dog breed is inherently a 'killer'. Deed not breed!

[Nik_B 3,790]

Thanks all for the advice. I've probably spent all my time with him socialising with other dogs and walking and not spent enough time trying to socialise him with people. He's had a few bad experiences with people coming out of nowhere trying to stroke him which has unerved him and I wonder if this has made him warry. It must seem intimmidating for him to have a human lunge towards him like that. I'm going to calm down and try not to over react and ask the people he growls at to give him a buscuit if they don't mind. The only problem is he only growls at people without dogs so alot of them dont understand.

[Malt 379]

Spot on hannah, very good advice. My freinds got an akita of 6 months going through the same thing

 

yeh but unlike a Lab, an Akita is most probably a killer . I've yet yo meet a stranger friendly one.

 

You can f**k off with your anti akita attitude! Narrow minded to think a certain dog breed is inherently a 'killer'. Deed not breed!

 

I agree with you mate, but then again most of the akita's I've seen have been awfully skittish too. Not having a pop at the breed though, feck, most of the Yorkshire terriers & chihuahua's I've come across have been little pricks and all!

[leegreen 2,173]

Spot on hannah, very good advice. My freinds got an akita of 6 months going through the same thing

 

yeh but unlike a Lab, an Akita is most probably a killer . I've yet yo meet a stranger friendly one.

 

You can f**k off with your anti akita attitude! Narrow minded to think a certain dog breed is inherently a 'killer'. Deed not breed!

 

"Feck off" is a bit strong, do you like a row? I said "most probably" and "yet to met" and you admited yourself it was "going trough the same thing" growling at people etc. In fact the only Akita's that I have met and that is five have been complete gaurds and a nightmare with dogs, so my narrow mindness is through experience with five completely different dogs and bitches.

In fact I really like the breed and if it wasn't for their heavy coat I would concider having one for some of the same caracteristics I have mentioned, so anti Akita I am not, just aware of the breed I'm affaid.

Oh and what do you mean "Deed not the breed"

 

Edited to say my bitch Has also had two seperate fights with a dog Akita and on a seperate occation witha bitch, both fights were dominance related with careless owners.

Edited April 8, 2010 by leegreen

[Nik_B 3,790]

Thanks all for the advice. I've probably spent all my time with him socialising with other dogs and walking and not spent enough time trying to socialise him with people. He's had a few bad experiences with people coming out of nowhere trying to stroke him which has unerved him and I wonder if this has made him warry. It must seem intimmidating for him to have a human lunge towards him like that. I'm going to calm down and try not to over react and ask the people he growls at to give him a buscuit if they don't mind. The only problem is he only growls at people without dogs so alot of them dont understand.

[Born Hunter 17,775]

Spot on hannah, very good advice. My freinds got an akita of 6 months going through the same thing

 

yeh but unlike a Lab, an Akita is most probably a killer . I've yet yo meet a stranger friendly one.

 

You can f**k off with your anti akita attitude! Narrow minded to think a certain dog breed is inherently a 'killer'. Deed not breed!

 

"Feck off" is a bit strong, do you like a row? I said "most probably" and "yet to met" and you admited yourself it was "going trough the same thing" growling at people etc. In fact the only Akita's that I have met and that is five have been complete gaurds and a nightmare with dogs, so my narrow mindness is through experience with five completely different dogs and bitches.

In fact I really like the breed and if it wasn't for their heavy coat I would concider having one for some of the same caracteristics I have mentioned, so anti Akita I am not, just aware of the breed I'm affaid.

Oh and what do you mean "Deed not the breed"

 

Edited to say my bitch Has also had two seperate fights with a dog Akita and on a seperate occation witha bitch, both fights were dominance related with careless owners.

 

Maybe it was a bit strong. But how can you say "most probably a killer", you know jack shit about the dog or the owner who is VERY aware of what the breed is capable of if raised poorly. Im sick of a breed being tared as a killer particularly this one, just as everytime i mention lurcher some people snarl and mutter hare coursers! You yourself have just said both incedences you have had with akitas have been the owners fault. My response was imo justified with your original post however now you have explained a bit more your clearly not what i thought you were. The pup is certainly not a killer just going through a fear stage of puppyhood and reacting by barking and grumbling at strangers however when introduced properly the dog is nothing but submissive and freindly, if not introduced properly the dog wants to avoid the person, through fear. All pups go through it just some it effects differently depending on the breed and the personality.

[chewton 7]

Thanks all for the advice. I've probably spent all my time with him socialising with other dogs and walking and not spent enough time trying to socialise him with people. He's had a few bad experiences with people coming out of nowhere trying to stroke him which has unerved him and I wonder if this has made him warry. It must seem intimmidating for him to have a human lunge towards him like that. I'm going to calm down and try not to over react and ask the people he growls at to give him a buscuit if they don't mind. The only problem is he only growls at people without dogs so alot of them dont understand.

You seem to have a patient and open minded attitude mate and you obviously put time and thought into your dog. Thats often seems to be a recipe for success. Good luck