how to build confidence in young dog?

Question

i have 3 german shepherds. 2 of them, i've raised since they were pups and trained them as young adults and acheived a Schutzhund 2 level with both of them. The 3rd one is 10 months old and he has the potential for doing great tracking and protection work, the obedience is getting there. My question is this, the youngest one is fully confident while at home and has great defensive drive. His prey drive is good and i've been building it as time goes by. The thing is, he is scared or larger dogs for some reason. When he was a pup he got nipped by one of the larger ones i have because he enjoyed bitting ears a little too much. The question is how do i build his confidence so that he isn't afraid of larger dogs. He is not scared of humans at all. In fact, he lets kids touch him and if anyone gets too close to the handler, he erects himself and gives a good warning bark. He has a great potential for a Schutzhund or working title but this lack of confidence with larger dogs has me curious.

he isn't scared of the larger dogs i own at all. Only scared of the ones behind fences when i take him out on walks. I don't remember this issue with my other two but that was almost 12 years ago. Any advice is much appreciated. Oh, and please, no comments about how "you shouldn't train dogs to bite or protect". The truth is a trained dog is much more reliable and less or a worry to attack people unless given command to or provoked.

Answer 1

Congrats on the titles. I'm an obedience person but did some Shutzhound stuff 30 years ago.

The 10 month old a very early adolescent yet. He is probably still showing the submission and wariness of the older and larger dogs because of the day that the older dog got sick of his behavior and announced that the puppy permit for engaging in all kinds of obnoxious behavior was cancelled.

He will start to asert more self-confidence as the hormones kick in and he reaches full adulthood.

My now 120 lb Kuvasz spent his growing up from 16 weeks being bossed about by my then 13 year old 50 lb Chow/Aussie. Now Kuvs are seriously dominant and alpha being a herd guarding breed but the old ***** made it clear that she wouldn't put up with his puppy silliness - pinning him down and pinching him, knocking him backwards , launchng into him snarling etc. (never hurt him - just scared the bejessuz out of him. She lifts a lip, he freezes to this day.)

He went through the phase from about 6 months to 16 months of being very wary of any dog that looked like her or was a *****. Once he hit late adolesence (about 2 in this breed), he had stopped being so wary of bitches and dogs that looked like his canine boss.

Get him out and about. See if he can be introduced to happy, super-friendly dogs (the kind that LOVE any other dog) that are his size so he can make friends. Then try introducing him to dogs that are a little larger than him but with the same attitude.

Stay right next to him when the other dog approaches - crouching and holding him lightly with an arm over his back if necessary and petting him and make your voice happy and casual. Be very happy and reassuring to him and firendly to the other dog.

Take him out in all kinds of situations - park, around town, etc - with and without other dogs around so he learns to distinguish between threat and non-threat. Does wonders for his confidence. My young Kuv is a working Service Dog and embarassingly friendly - much to the astonishment of the Kuvasz folks - (and he still went on the offensive on his own initiative to knock away and knock down a local man who was bipolar schizophrenic and off his meds and being volatile and threatening.) Utterly fearless about escalators, people, dogs of all sizes, luggage carts in airports, things that go bang, and willing to stand his ground in all situations - and, yes, he still hops to it when the now 15 year old ***** gives him "The Look."

If it doesn't interfer with his performance, the fact that he is wary of other larger dogs isn't really a problem. If it interfers with his performance work, then he may not be suited for competition. I once had a top flight Golden with utterly fabulous international breeding behind him would who would learn any task, perform faultlessly at home and whose conformation was perfect - breder and I figured on dual CHS and an OTCH and a TCH with no problem. Turned out there was a problem - put him in a training class at the kennel club with other dogs and he cowered and peed. So much for the titles.

You said he has a good prey drive. How is he on the fight/flight scale?

You might want to run a Volhard test and see how he stacks up.

http://www.volhard.com/training/cpp.htm

If he is stronger on flight and weaker on fight, then he will need reassurance and confidence building around other dogs.

If he is strong on fight and weak on flight, let him grow up and decide he is a macho young man.

Missed the part about fences. It is a visual thing - he doesn't understand why the dogs look the way they do from the fence distortion. Keep taking him around them and be very confident, talk to him in a postive confident reassuring tone and keep moving. If you don't make a big deal about it, then he'll figure out that it is okay. Keep his focus on you and his job. He is particularly wary since a dog behind a fence appears loose and could move and attack him. He doesn't understand they can't reach him.

(Apparently the Yahoo system objects to the technically correct name for a feamle dog!!! Utterly ridiculous)

Answer 2

Well you sound like you have some knowledge of dogs and I APPLAUD you. This is my personal opinion, when you walk your dog he needs to feel that you are in complete control, in other words you are his pack leader. When you walk by the dogs behind fences are you calm? A dog can sense your emotion thru the lease and if you seem to get nervous or excited your dog will do the same. I am an avid believer in the Dog Whisperer and his training techniques, but I know others who don't care for him, and it is a matter of taste. You can check his web site out to see what you think. But while walking your dog anywhere or at anytime walk with your head up, remain calm and let your dog know that YOU are their to protect him and in turn your dog will always protect you. Good Luck and Regards KG

Answer 3

Introduce him to as many big dogs as you can (ones that he has never met). He will learn that he is safe with you. Also let them play by themselves. I hate to say this but being a little apprehensive to other dogs isn't a bad thing because not all dogs are friendly. So don't worry about it to much. Part of that just comes with age as the dogs becomes more dominant.

Answer 4

I provide my answer with the caveat that I do not in the least consider myself a dog expert, but there is a television program I think that would be of interest to many dog owners called "Dog Whisperer with Cesar Milan" on the National Geographic Channel. I've provided a link to the site below. The show features Milan, who owns a Dog Psychology Center in LA, going from household to household to help owners with dog behavior problems.

His solutions to all the dog problems seem to stem from the foundational philosophy that dogs are dogs, and when it comes to behavior, humans should not project their psychological biases on the psyche of a canine. According to his views, humans need to modify their own behavior just as they are trying to modify the behavior of their pets!

One thing he asks an owner to do is to assert the demeanor of a "calm and assertive pack leader." Basically, he is asking owners to assume dominance over the dog in a way that doesn't escalate excitement/anxiety. If the owner doesn't take this role, dogs can potentially exhibit various problematic behaviors such as aggression, nervousness, etc.

Once establishing that, Milan frequently prescribes regular walks in which the owner constantly reinforces (in a calm but assertive way) that dogs should not get distracted from the walk. According to him, regular walks (when done correctly) are good for getting rid of excess energy and providing focus for the dog.

The dog should be walking beside the owner, never ahead. The leash should never get taut--this is a sign that the dog is distracted. He seems to address any misbehavior by providing a virtual bite (pack leaders do this when a follower is out of line): he either tugs up on the leash, or reprimands with a quickly exhaled sussurussed "chhhhh" sound (his personal way of providing an audial cue of his dissaproval), or sometimes even gives a dog a quick jab (not hurtful) in the neck area (which is where a pack leader would bite to assert dominance). All the while he is remaining calm yet staying in control of the situation.

I'd recommend watching a show to see how he actually applies his techniques. The show provides the disclaimer that he is a trained expert and that owners shouldn't try his techniques without professional help. My own caveat is that I haven't owned a dog for some time and that you can't believe everything you see on TV. But you should check it out and judge for yourself.

Answer 5

I would think that a lot of love and care, as you are probably giving to your dogs, already, would do the trick.
Just before you start to walk with your dogs, give the one that is having problems with other dogs, a nice rub down and talk to it. Also, you would want to do the same for the others, if they are walking with you as well.

Answer 6

Feed him scooby snacks whenever he does something spectacular. Praise him on a daily basis and introduce him to other dogs and people so their is a feel of being loved. This is how humans become confident as well.

Answer 7

Try rewarding your dog and getting him out around nicer larger dogs more. If he used to ones that aren't agressive he will probably become more confident in them

Answer 8

I had a field dog who disliked cows!! I asked a local farmer if I could pen her in a Field she soon came to ignore the cattle-maybe if you just hung out with your dog where these other dogs are until he realises that they can't get him?

Answer 9

One thing you can try is putting him in a pen with one of your older dogs. Doing this will teach him not all big dogs are mean. Many puppy's are scared when they are little and never get over it. But going by the way you described him, it sounds like he will get over it and become the type of dog you want him to be. Hope this works for you. I like pet owners like you who want to help their dogs and not just replace then.

Answer 10

I was going to answer your question, but when I read Ann s'
I considered it so complete nothing else could be said.
Good luck with your dogs.