Expert: Christine (Chris) Vassonei, APDT - 11/2/2009

Question
I have a two year old male shihzu that is very aggressive with strangers.  I am his favorite person, he lives for table food, which he does not get, only on few occasions. Mostly dry food. I walk him in the am and PM. If I am outside he is usually with me. I work most of the day, however usually there are my two children 24yrs and 19yrs that are in and out during the day. My problem is he is very aggressive with strangers, it is embarrassing, he will bark, growl, even snap, I have a water bottle that I have to spray him with to keep him off of them.  How do I stop this, when I am walking him, if a car stops to talk to me he will go crazy, I cannot talk.   He is very protective, however once he gets to know them he is all over them with affection. Really takes to men, once he greets to know them.  What is his problem and what do I do,

Answer
I feel the situation is something that cannot be adequately addressed through email conversation.  I would suggest you contact a trainer to work with you.  I'm including some articles that may offer some help or insight, but I think working one-on-one with a trainer is your best best.  You can find some referrals at:  www.apdt.com


http://www.marinhumanesociety.org/Behavior/Handouts/PEP.pdf
http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/nilif.pdf
http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/educated-dog.pdf

http://www.marinhumanesociety.org/Behavior/Handouts/DesensitizationMethods.pdf
http://www.marinhumanesociety.org/Behavior/Handouts/DifficultDog.pdf
http://www.moellerdog.com/resources_aggression.htm
http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/dog-agg.pdf
Greenville, SC – May 18, 2009 – The Association of Pet Dog Trainers, the largest professional and educational association for dog trainers in the world, believes that training dogs using positive methods can be a critical part of reducing dog bites in the home and in our communities.

If you are dealing with a dog with aggressive behaviors, the APDT recommends:
Consult with your veterinarian to determine if your dog may have an underlying internal or medical cause that is creating or exacerbating the aggression.
Contact a professional experienced with aggression to work with you and your dog. You can find trainers experienced with aggression listed in the Trainer Search on the APDT web site, www.apdt.com. Only use professionals who use positive methods and are familiar with the science of behavior modification.
Manage your dog’s interactions with household members, especially children, and with strangers while working with a professional to ensure that your dog is not put in a position where he feels he must resort to aggression.
Modifying a behavior problem takes time and effort. Many popular television shows create the illusion that aggression can be cured quickly through techniques based on mental and physical intimidation of the dog. These methods will not alleviate the problem and will likely increase the probability of more bites. Owners with an aggressive dog must realize that solving the problem takes patience, an understanding of your dog’s behavior and needs, and the use of humane training methods.