Nervous Puppy

Hey,

As some of you know i have two labrador puppies at the moment and they're both adorable and doing REALLY well! They're very healthy, happy puppies and they're turning out to be quite trainable. My only problem, which i only found out about today, is that my puppy Riley seems to be very nervous around new people.

The last two days i walked the puppies (together) we didn't come across any people, other than one man riding a bike which Riley barked at but i thought this was just because he'd never seen a bike before. But today we met some people and Riley barked and growled at them quite aggressively before running up to me and he whimpered for about 5 minutes afterwards!! He did this with some other people we met as well. I picked him up the second time and the people stroke and talked to him and he was fine after that.

He's a very friendly puppy at home and loves everyone, even new people so it was quite a shock seeing him behave like this! The only thing i can think is that maybe he was trying to protect his sister It just seems very odd that he'd be this aggressive, but as he's going to be a very big dog i need him to stop this as i would imagine it would scare people if he barked and growled at them even if i know he wouldn't bite!!!

Also, my mum wants to take them into town on Sunday so he can see people.. Im worried this might stress him out and upset him more but obviously he needs to get used to people... Im not sure what i should do with him... Any help would be great as im worried that he might turn out to be a nervous dog if we dont sort this now!!

Also, his sister Meg is fine with new people and is more than happy for them to play with her... Its just Riley whos the problem!!

Thanks for any replies

Jessica

Hey Jessica...

How old is he? And by 'sister' do you mean you got them from the same litter?

Puppies go through different stages as they develop, one being a fear stage. A good idea would be for you to stick some treats in your pocket for your walk, hand the stranger a treat and have them give them to your puppy. Have them crouch down to his level and hold out the treat, letting the puppy approach them.

Picking him up when he shows this type of attitude is going to make it worse. You're coming to his rescue from those big scary things on 2 legs. The best thing you can do is ignore it. If he doesn't approach new people with treats, walk on and try another day.

He is 3 and half months old and he and his sister are from the same litter as we own their mother and bred from her and decided to keep the two puppies

I will try the thing with the treats tomorrow if we see someone on our walk and shall see if that helps him a bit.

Thanks

Hi Jessica I would echo everything Mr Spock says and would add a couple more things if I may. Be bright and confident when you see a 'threat' approaching in the distance so the puppy does not pick up on your worry that he will be afraid, and sound cheery and confident. If you can walk slightly away from the threat, or stand somewhere like in a park so the puppy can observe the threat at a safe distance without having to confront it head on. I know this may by difficult, but I would most defiantly walk/train the puppies separately until they are fully trained, this is really important for a number of reasons. Enjoy your walk today Jessica

Shadow Boxer may be able to add a like more to this

Jessica, I am in exactly the same boat I have two pups male and female from a litter I bred they are now 14 weeks old, I have found giving treats to people and have them let the pups go to them for the treat has really helped, he is so much more laid back now, I have also not pampered him, when he has been upset, but totally ignored his actions, I let him know that I am not stressed being near these people therfore neither should he. good luck.

MO

Yeah I would suggest the treat thing too.

And if your mum takes him into town on sunday, see if you can find a bench, just a bit off the side, so he can sit and watch, while you or your mum sit and talk to him..

Maybe try taking him on a walk alone, so you can see if he's as aggressive when Meg isnt there...... U suggested yourself it could be protection...

Treats and labs are always a good combo Just make sure that the new people dont stand over him, but crouch down next to him...

I agreee with both the posters here and echo what mini has said about training seperately.

I have just researched and written a paper on siblings, called the worst of both worlds where it explains the pitfalls and the problems of rearing siblings. If you e mail me, I will e mail the whole article including how to make the pups more independant.

This is from the opening part of the article which is to published in dogs monthly in a couple of months.



The incidence of owners purchasing "Siblings", either same sex or brother and sister from the same litter is now more prevalent than at any other time in living memory. The old dogmen and owners knew the pitfalls and problems that this action would create; however this knowledge now appears to have been lost on today’s dog owners with devastating consequences.

On the surface the idea appears to be highly commendable. With the busy lifestyles we now lead, it would seem feasible to take on two pups. They can stimulate each other and keep themselves company, hopefully alleviating any separation anxiety. They can also imitate the good characteristics of each other. They will be able to do everything together and therefore will benefit from that closeness and companionship, and could glean untold pleasure from each others company.

Sounds fantastic, unfortunately the reality is far from this ideal, you really get the worst of both worlds in this scenario. The puppies come to rely on each other and it weakens both of them, often to the extent that they become withdrawn from everything other than themselves. I call it “Littermate Syndrome”

The puppies can come to fear other dogs, people and any situation especially where they are separated from each other. It is normal for one to show anxiety against either people, dogs, or certain situations and the other to follow suit after a while.

The stress this causes can often then spill over into aggression against each other culminating in fighting in some cases causing serious injury or even death, commonly known as “Sibling Rivalry” Strangely enough the worst fights are normally between bitches.

Best of luck with the dogs

Stan

I would also suggest that you do some research on raising puppies born to the same litter. That comes with it's own specific set of challenges which is why I asked. That might give you some insight as well.

Hi,

Thank you for all the replies

I have been speaking to a dog trainer that i know. Although he mainly trains working dogs he knows what he's talking about with pet dogs too!
He's pretty much agreed with everything said on here. Apparently Riley feels safe at home in his 'territory' which is why he's happy to meet new people there but out on walks its all new and then the 'big scary people' come up to him and hes scared so his first reaction is to bark... Makes sense i guess.

He also agreed with getting the person to crouch down to the puppies level and give him a treat, and also to walk the puppies seperately. Im going to try this and i'll let you know how it goes!

Thanks again for all the help

aw jessica i hope riley finds it all a bit easier soon i have no advice that hasnt been given so i will just wish you good luck and keep us updated