Dog Health Questions: How to get my dog to be nice to strangers?

I have a 5 year old Lab mixed with Pitbull and he is very un sociable. I have tried to get many people around him to make him aquainted with strangers but as he has grown up, he takes very unkindly to poeple he doesnt know that well. If someone walks down the road, he will automatically run to the door and bark with his hair raised on his back and if anyone comes over i have to put him in his crate for fear he might bite someone since has bitten my uncle one time. I dont know what to do about it, many people suggest to take him to a dog training place but i dont even know if that is safe because how he acts. Does anyone have any ideas?

Four Dog Training Tools That You Must Use

Recommended Answer:
Socialisation classes - try contacting local trainers for one-on-one attention rather than school-based courses. They'll be used to dealing with dogs and owners who need help working together and will know how to handle the situation.

7 Types of Dog Training

• maybe if your dog sees that you are comfortable around them, he will be too.


• look in the phone book and start calling trainers. tell them your problem, and see if they can help you.


• get a cattle prod


• jst trust the trainers and bring him to a training place...they are trained professionals...they are used to dogs like that


• Call the dog training school, and see what they say. They may have smaller groups with only a few dogs at one time, or even private lessons.
  
  Definitely, dog training would help and you would need to practice what they teach you, as often as they say is necessary. A 5 year old misbehaving dog needs regular training time.


• You have a very unpredictable animal there and at 5 you will have problems get him and yourself along to dog classes if he or you don't take to that re home him somewhere where he will meet very few people. If he has bitten once he could do it again.


• At his age, breaking him of that may be a little hard to do. Would you consider putting a mesh muzzle on him? It will not hurt him at all, and he will still be able to drink water while wearing it. There are times when I myself have to do that with my dog.... she's a pitt bull/boxer mix. A training place may help him some. Good luck with him!!


• what you can try is distraction training. get an aluminum can and put some rocks in it or a spray bottle with some water in it. In stead of the crate try a dog bed. Ever time someone comes over make him lay down on the bed and reward him with a treat or with his favorit toy for staying on his bed. If he runs out side and start to bark shake the can or spray him with some water. The key is not to let him see the object. when he turns to focus on what is happening reward him again and praise him for not paying attention to the person outside or to your guest. Keep this up for a couple of weeks and your dog will be much happier. Another great idea is to teach your dog that you are the boss and that he dosen't have to protect you, that your going to protect him... Good luck.


• that is kind of strange, but does show poor training in your part (sorry) other than going to a trainer I dont have any sujestions on how to train him, but you are right wiht his personality...we had a rotti who was fine with strangers, but because of his breed and the way people react to it, we had a kid thing you put across a door frame, to keep the kid out or in, i cant remember what they are called. We put the blocker in front of my parents room which is a good size and he can see into the living room and at who ever is over, than after a few minutes he would normally just go to sleep. But wen we found our small dog (terrier mix 25 lbs.) we would put her in there too just as a standerd, she is nice to everybody!, but it kept everyone safer, and she would jump over the blocker thing (its about 2.5 feet tall) so that didnt work out very well!
  
  If you can put your dog in the backyard when someone comes over that would help a lot!
  
  Does he know you are the 'boss'? if he starts to do something and you say no will he stop? if not hes the boss! he has you wiped! thats likely your problem, you should be able to say NO when he starts going crazy and he stops!
  
  GOOD LUCK!!!!


• You should find a trainer to help you with your dog. But basically you want to change how your dog feels about people. Fear is often shown by aggression. Punishment rarely gives long term reliable success to this kind of behavior. There are also some good books you could read.
  
  Click To Calm
  Feisty Fido
  Control Unleashed
  
  http://www.fearfuldogs.com/books.html
  
  Learn about triggers, thresholds, counter conditioning and desensitization. You do not want to put this dog in situations in which it can practice the inappropriate behavior.