Aggression Towards Strangers: Learning Proper Socialization

 

Q: We have been fostering a 10 month- 1 year male Rottweiler for 3 weeks now. He was rescued from a shelter and we weren’t\’t sure the situation he came from (confiscated by animal control but not on animal abuse/cruelty charges). He has been wonderful with us since the day he arrived, a big sweetheart who wants to please, has picked up his OB training quickly etc. We have noticed that he is very leery, uncomfortable, and nervous around strangers, people he has not met that come to our home. He is fine walking around them, sitting near them etc. but if they try to pet him, he will give a warning \”shot\”. He does not bite down, it\’s just an open mouth bop, if that makes sense, like a \”back off, you are making me uncomfortable\” type thing. He does not growl before he does it. He will sit nicely, on command, and take a treat from them in a very mannerly way. He just does not want them touching him and it seems as if he really does not trust them. We know we need to socialize him and are trying to.

I\’m interested in hearing any suggestions you may have.

 

A:  Hello,

 Thank you for putting your time into fostering!  I really appreciate you for that.  With all signs of aggression it is always a good idea to start with a full physical exam by a Veterinarian including checking the thyroid levels.   Thyroid levels can affect anxiety.  If he has not been neutered I would highly suggest this is done as well because intact males have a history of being more aggressive.

 

Yes, you are correct in knowing you need to socialize him.  Often dogs that have not been socialized well can show signs of aggression towards the things they were not socialized to.  At this point he has learned that his quick warning keeps people away.  As with any type of aggression it can escalate to a bite so it is really good you are seeking advice on this behavior.  What we need to do is change his perception of someone approaching him.  This is best done through positive methods using treats.  If you use a corrective approach it could make the aggression escalate.   

 

Is he comfortable and happy in a crate?  If so, I would have him be in a crate when you have visitors and have them casually walk by and drop a treat at his feet.  Instruct them not to reach out to touch him, just toss it inside to him.  So over time he starts to realize that when a stranger approaches he gets a yummy treat.  Do not put him in the uncomfortable position of having to put up with people petting him yet when he isn’t ready.  If he isn’t crate trained that might be something to work on with him and in the meantime you can have him on a leash in a relaxed manner in a down position while the visitors casually walk by to drop the treat.

 

I would also continue obedience training using positive methods and treats.  Practice obedience near strangers so that he also begins to associate that he is getting rewarded for doing well when they are nearby.  Do not expect to have people approach him and touch him immediately right now, it is stressful for him and can also be dangerous for your visitors.  You want him to experience positive feelings towards visitors right now. 

 

Also, instruct visitors not to approach him to pet him, instead they should wait until he approaches them.  This is the proper way to pet all dogs actually-waiting for their approach first.

 

And, I do have to warn of course that if at anytime you feel nervous or fearful it would be a good idea to practice the socializing with a trained professional in person. 

 

He is a lucky dog to have found someone to foster him that cares and wants to help, so thank you for being that person!

 

Let me know you received this and I look forward to hearing back from you!

 

Julie

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Julie,
Thank you very much for your response.
 
When he was pulled from the shelter, he went immediately to the vet and had a complete blood panel done, physical and was neutered. He was also temperament tested before leaving the shelter and passed with flying colors.
 
He is crate trained and he is crated while we are at work. When we first got him, he was very skittish on walks, leaves blowing, a shadow etc. He now walks nicely and can pass by joggers, kids riding bikes etc. and he is fine. My boyfriend took him on a field trip to Petsmart last night and he was skittish like he was on his first walks, but was not fearful or nervous, just curious. Several people approached and asked to pet him and my boyfriend told them he is a dog in training and gets nervous in new situations and that it would be best if they didn’t. They were fine with that, chatted a few moments and then when on their way. The cashier gave him a treat and he sat and took it nicely.
 
I’m not fearful of him, he’s been wonderful with us. Although I can say that I do get a bit nervous about people coming to the house, or even if we are out and about with him, them wanting to pet him. My boyfriend is unfazed by it so he took him to Petsmart and I stayed home so he wouldn’t key off of me being nervous.
Sometimes if he thinks he did something bad, he will look at us with his head ducked and then roll on his back exposing his belly. Of course he didn’t do anything bad and we were not doing anything that would make him think that he did. We do have two dogs of our own, one Rottie that we rescued that had alot of issues (SA, lunging at joggers and bikers) who he gets along well with, although my senior would rather he didn’t bother her, but she’s a trooper. 
 
I greatly appreciate your imput. He’s a great dog and we really want to find him the perfect forever home!

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Hi,
 
It’s great you are both putting this time into him and that you have already brought him a long way!  Good for you!!  And it sounds like you recognize the affect your mood can have on him so you are one step ahead of many!  It sounds like he is very submissive.  He would really benefit a lot from a positive training program to build his confidence.  This may also help curb the aggression if he feels more secure with himself.  I would practice obedience training with him on a daily basis using rewards such as treats and praise.  It would be a great thing to do with him when he is showing the signs of of being uneasy too. 
 
Good luck with it all!
 
Julie