I have a Lab and whenever a male visitor comes to the house he will not let the guy anywhere near me or my bed room. He isnt protective when females visit but goes crazy if a male is. Is this normal?
2007-03-23 17:24:52 · 34 answers · asked by Nicole 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
He is neutered just in case anyone's wondering.
2007-03-23 17:30:58 · update #1
yeah I had a dog before that did that. what you have to do is if the dog goes crazy over a male coming, take a treat and get his attention on you keep doing this and slowly work your way to getting the male to feed your dog . you don't want to scare her really bad so at the beginning keep the dog at a distance then work closer to the male.
2007-03-31 13:59:44 · answer #1 · answered by Miss Klezmer 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Labradors are very protective dogs anyway over their "pack" (i.e. the family) but if he sees himself as the alpha male and you as the alpha female then he will see any other male entering the house as a threat. The first step is to get him neutered. If this does not make a difference, ask your vet or a qualified dog trainer for advice.
2007-03-24 00:38:04 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dogs in general are protective of their "pack" or people.
Some dogs show more of a protective streak when they were abused by a particular sex.
I think your dog is being protective because you are allowing him too, when your male friends come over they should have a treat and give your dog that treat once your dog knows that every time a 'male person' arrives he will be happy to see them because he will get a treat.
If this isn't the case, I would get in touch with a trainer or a behaviorist that specializes in aggression. There may be something going on in your dogs head pertaining to men.
2007-03-31 15:46:29 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a neutered male Shorthaired Collie (from a rescue)who often tries to display his dominance over me. The reason he does this is because there is him around two human males in the household. He feels I am part of his pack but yet as I am the only female, he needs to gain control to his surrounding and do what he wants--get me before them. Just like males in the wild, what they crave is to be the "alpha" over the young. The male goes for the woman generally first. Also males fight males to see who has the umph factor. They want to know that their stuff is the real deal. This is to teach the underdogs that he is boss and that he wants the full attention and nothing else is to get in the way. To curb this behavior though you need to grip this in the bud and get him to behavior classes that teach the dog when say on walks not to be pushy to you as he wants to take control and tug possibly. Or maybe being fed, he tries to go for the food first before you get it down. This is all control, until the dog can learn to "wait" and see who is first in command he will follow like nature and see that even though he was first in his genre, he is second to his family of humans. Also to mention, when taking him around a male companion that comes to visit, get your friend to slowly introduce himself to the dog so the dog can understand that this person is not a threat but a helpful factor to his instincts. He will try and beat him to the ground only because your friend didnt get down to his level. Have him kneel to the dog's level when he visits, have treat in hand and watch the dog try and play. If your dog lays near him he is just saying then he accepts him to be there because he is lonely to the 'male' thing of none others being there if that is the case. Also, your dog is only being protective of you because he may be around you more daily as you probably care for him more than anyone else in your household like me. This will stop when everyone gets involved. Sit down talk it out with everyone and come up with a plan that everyone can share equal time with him. You will see, his attitude will surely change for the better in time. Good luck.
2007-03-31 16:35:07 · answer #4 · answered by sylvia s 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To him you are the queen of his universe- You are the (please don't take offense) Alpha ***** and he is the Alpha Male. When another male comes in to the picture he sees him as a potential threat and feels the need (testosterone) to protect not only his "status" in the pack but your safety as well. You have a very close bond with your dog but it is not safe or healthy for either of you for it to interfere with your human social life. My suggestion would be to have quick & casual interatctions with men you feel safe around in a public location with your dog. He will learn that the affection you get from a male human poses no threat to the bond you share with him. He (your dog) may even learn that your male companion can be fun too (if he does not mind throwing a slimy tennis ball for the pup)
Good luck
2007-03-31 16:21:09 · answer #5 · answered by BlondieCAMN 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is normal. Labs are very family oriented and very protective. Females aren't a threat to him, but males are. He wants to be the man in the family besides you. How long have you had him? Maybe he is afraid he is going to get pushed out. He could have been abused by a man previously........I would just let him know how much you love him and let him know that........ he is the man:) Good Luck
2007-03-29 23:00:25 · answer #6 · answered by T G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely- for a male dog who is fulfilling the role of the alpha male in the pack. You are the alpha female and he is the alpha male. My dog used to be like that. He eventually accepted my male friends and they became part of the pack. There will be a period where your dog will try to compete with this male for you. Your friend will have to be firm but friendly and respectful. I am not talking about a brawl. I am just talking about attitude. He can do things like caring for the dog- feeding him, going for walks with you guys when you walk him. Those things go a long way. He will then see this man is not a threat and start to accept him into the pack.
It helps if you try to think like your dog and know how they are instinctively. Instincts are very strong in the animal kingdom and dominate basically all of their behavior. They are feeling animals- not thinking animals, like humans.
2007-03-23 17:32:24 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Have you had him since he was a puppy or was he a rescue??? It could be that at some point in his life he was abused by a male....Are there any males in your home? If not it is posible that he/she just isn't used to being around males and feel they may be a threat to him/her and you....Some dogs are also just protective if they are not properly socialized while young...If it becomes a problem I would recommend getting him into obedience training where they will work on socializing him.
2007-03-29 14:54:18 · answer #8 · answered by Wyatt's mama 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, that's very normal. Because males are typically more agressive, your Lab will be more protective of you around men. My dog often does this too. She barks at my dad, but just whimpers when my mom comes home. Men are also physically "bigger" and could more easily do damage to you, so your dog is just watching out for you.
2007-03-31 07:48:09 · answer #9 · answered by Chica000 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He might have gotten abused as a puppy by a male. Or he just doesn't like men. If something bad happened to you by a male then the dog can sense things like that so he just wants to protect you.
2007-03-23 17:34:33 · answer #10 · answered by aeon flux1 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋