how do i get my dog to be braver and a better gard dog?

Question

she is a german shep./husky mix and is verry skittish, but i need her not to be so she has a purpose in my parents eyes (they hate her! mostly my grandma) but she is an exlent dog! she walks perfictly loves the kids (and just about everyone). but when someone comes into the gate...she hides..

okay....but is there a way for her to stop being skittish?
I think she knows that my grandma detests her...my dog wont go near her
and she is fine around other dogs, infact she is usually the domant one...but not in the case of a human.

she is not abused in any way, she just wont go near her.
and my grandma doesnt belave in touching/peting dogs....
and my dog is well taken care of, grooming, vet stuff,toys, walking,food,training ect. and i am / have been fixing all of her problems
( i work in order to have/take care of my dog...my parents wont spend a penny on her..)

Answer 1

well she is just a kind hearted animal and you cant realy change that sry she ps: she has a purpose to be with you

Answer 2

I would continue to reward all of the good things that she does (playing with / hanging out with kids, walking well on leash) These things are great to hear about and you really want to encourage them. Some dog owners would love to have a dog like yours! Showing her that she's right, and 'paying' her for those behaviors, will make her a happier and more confident dog.
If you suspect that your Grandma or your parents are abusive towards your dog (sorry, but this is what I hear when I read your question...) then you need to think very carefully about how good it will be *for your dog* to keep her. No dog deserves to be treated badly, and from her hiding/fear behaviors around people, I think that may be a major problem here.

Answer 3

Well, it seems that your gramma has the problem. She may seem more dominant than your dog and your dog simply doesn't want to deal with her.
I'm a trainer and often have to soften my body language and voice in order to put a skittish dog at ease.
I suggest that you find a good trainer and put your dog through a basic obedience course. Often it helps a nervous dog develop a higher level of confidence.
If you have already had your dog to school try joining an agility training class. It does wonders for a dogs confidence.

Answer 4

You're much better off letting this dog just be a house pet. A nervous dog is a horrible guard dog and also a liability because they can often "fear bite" out of insecurity.

If you want the dog to have more confidence in order to have a happier dog, then I suggest having people calmly offer her treats after spending a large portion of time just ignoring her. She needs to learn to trust people gradually. Too much pushed on this dog at once could be a disaster!

Answer 5

If you have a lot of people coming over to your house a lot, this will confuse your dog, especially if you want your dog to be a guard dog. Most people who have guards dogs don't let a lot of people go near them, because that makes them weak minded and not territorial. Dogs that live in the house and not outside, usually are big sissies. They won't even bark at a burglar while burglarizing the house. I think your parents are right. A guard dog is suppose to guard the house. They're suppose to bark at people. Maybe you spoil her too much.

Answer 6

I have two Ger.Shep and two huskies. My female German Shep. is scared of everything including rain, loud noises..etc... But when the time comes to defend my house, she is the first one to bark..that to me is enough because if someone was trying to enter the house, her barking warns me to take a look see. Give her time, she knows when to react. Remember they have 300,000 ,000 nose sensors,? When a human only has 5,000,000. They can sniff when someone is coming to harm you. Don't underestimate her because she is skittish...she loves you and will protect.

Answer 7

It sounds like naborhood kids or somebody has been tormenting the dog. Maybe sit in the window one day and keep the dog out side and see what is happening.

Answer 8

she's been babyied and treated like a human way to much. she needs a balenced life including exercise, disapline, affection. if you need any more help read Ceasr's way by Ceaser Millan and watch the "Dog Whisperer" on the National Geographic Channel

Answer 9

How is she with people that love dogs? Try having her around those types of people more often and see if there is a difference in her behavior. Ask your friends to avoid patting her on the head, nervous dogs don't usually like this but can learn to tolerate it over time from people they trust. I have a hound mix and he's very smart and can sense immediately when he's around a dog lover, he goes right up to them wiggling and smiling, but with most people he's much more reserved. Smart dogs can tell when people aren't dog people or don't like them just like we can tell when people don't like us. Being around those types of people often enough can make us more suspicious of otherwise nice people. The same can happen with our dogs and more so because dogs can't vent about those people to their friends, who will tell them it's not them it's just that person's problem. Your dog is probably taking your family members' dislike personally and needs your extra love to comfort her and make her more secure about herself. She can't complain about it to her girlfriends over lunch or her therapist. You need to be those for her and provide that same support so she can learn to ignore them.

Answer 10

You can visit this website http://www.dogsvets.net
You will a lot of information on dogs. Ask a VET on this site