Being over-protective with visitors isn't too hard to deal with-but like everything else, it takes consistency. Get some tasty treats, something the dog just CAN'T resist. Arrange for visitors to come over at least once per day for SHORT visits. When the visitor is in, give the dog a treat. While the dog is occupied eating the treat, have the visitor quietly leave. The goal of this stage is for your dog to learn that GOOD things happen when visitors come (he gets treats), that nothing bad happens before the visitor leaves, and (importantly) he's NOT learning that the visitor left because of his barking or growling - the visitor just disappeared while he was distracted.

As the dog is ready, put the treats closer and closer to the visitor. Then, when the dog is ready, have the VISITOR bring the treat, and toss it a short distance for the dog to pick up. As the dog is ready, decrease the distance, until the visitor is directly offering the treats (remember safety and common sense here.) Then have the visitors incorporate some play that the dog ENJOYS.

Before you know it, the dog will realize that not only do good things happen when visitors come to the house, he'll learn that visitors BRING and HAVE good things. Once that has clicked with your dog, your biggest problem will be keeping the dog from climbing all over visitors to play with them!

It sounds like a lot of work. Overall, it's not a lot of work in the cumulative sense (probably no more than a few hours cumulatively), but it needs to be done consistently. It may happen in a couple of weeks, it may take a couple of months - but getting your dog to realize that visitors are GOOD things is the most complete and effective way to keep them from "guarding" from visitors.

(Also, don't worry that the dog won't be any protection any more. Dogs are pretty good at realizing when something is REALLY wrong. Our dogs have been socialized with people like crazy from the time we got them, and they can't get ENOUGH of people - but in the *two* instances where something wasn't right, they immediately picked up on it and were NOT going to let anything happen to us.)

steve

Steve,

Thank you for your reply. I've tried your suggestion with the treats. Sadie refuses
to take them. She's so stubborn, she'll take the treat and spit it out on to the floor.
But I'll stay consistant and try, try again.

Last weekend my brother in law was here for quite a few hours. Every time he
would even move an inch, she went spastic, growling and barking. Most of my
visitors get scared or uncomfortable and I'll have to put her in the other room.
Well, this day I talked my brother in law into being okay with leaving her out
with us. He was here for about five hours and she would not stop growling at
him. So, this is going to be tough to break.

I'll keep at it and try your other suggestions, as well.

Thanks again...

Jodie

Jodie,

If Sadie just spits the treats out, there's not enough incentive in the treat to tempt her taste buds. Try something different--bits of hot dogs, cubed cheese or even cooked liver. Most dogs can't turn down cooked liver for anything.

Mandy

Is she only this way in the house??? If so, let her meet the new people on neutral ground like out in the yard or on the sidewalk. Then have them walk home with you...

If she is fine with people in other places, have them feed her treats too... on the sidewalk, in the yard, on the front porch... getting closer and closer to the inside of the house. Then back off and go a little futher away... vary the distance to the house... that way she will not get stressed that you are just getting closer and closer...

Sometimes it is a long trial-and-error to find the right treat!!! Skitter does the same thing when she is stressed but we did eventually find a treat, usually string cheese, that will work when we are out in public. If I know it's going to be especially stressful, I cook up some hot dog or boil hamburger, always favorites and use that... But rememeber that what works one time may NOT work the next...

Keep trying and don't give up... She will eventually realize that people in her house are not bad things!!!

I have a similar problem with my Harley who is 10mos. For the most part he is ok when people are over. He is actually excited, but my unlce who is about 6-6 or so and a really deep voice really freaked him out and he growled and barked at him every time my uncle moved or spoke the whole time he was there which was overnight. The only time he was ok was when my uncle would pet our other dog Scrappy. Then he would even go over to him and get pet. Our other problem with him is that when we go for walks and we pass another dog whether it be in someone's yard, house or walking with someone, he gets really aggressive with barking and pulling and even nipping at us when we make him mind. We go to obedience class just fine with him and he goes to my parents house where they have two dogs just fine and he backs down from Scrappy who is half his size. We actually call this one road in our sub the gauntlet because there are dogs in the backyards of quite a few houses and he just freaks, but that is how we get to the park and we figured the more we went down it the better he would get, but it seems to be getting worse. Any ideas?????????
thanks
Lorraine

If she doesn 't eat the treats with company there, try finding a different diversion. Does she like toys, balls, playing fetch, any game? Instead of treats play a game or give her a favorite toy. Have them leave while the dog is distracted.

Angel Farrington