Snow Queen
Boxer Pal
Maddie lives peacefully in our single-parent home with 8 skin kids, ages 21-4. She loves us all and knows which kids she can play rough with, and which she is to be more gentle with.
But if a car enters our yard, footsteps on our deck, or a knock at the door, she is a different dog. She nipped a man on the hand who entered our house recently. She did not know him, but the children do, as he is a relative who does not visit very often.
I was in another room, he knocked, and a younger child opened the door to him. As he stepped inside the house, Maddie barked, jumped up, and nipped the edge of his hand.
Each evening when I go to pick up one of my teenagers from her part time job, I take Maddie along for the ride, which she is always very excited about (in a good way). She sees me grab my purse and keys, and she wants to go bye-bye!
But if anyone is walking along the street, she growls.
If we stop for gasoline and another car pulls up to the other pump, they'll be in for a scare. She goes crazy after them in our car.
I think that these behaviors are a combination of fear and protective behaviors.
She would chase anything in our yard, and tries to get rough with our cat. I would say these are dominance/territorial behaviors.
And lastly, she twice displayed aggressiveness toward a visiting child in my home - once when the child first entered the home and ran up to the dog's face, and another time when I was offering treats for obedience and the child came and stood next to her. I think Maddie thought the child was going to compete for the treats, and she turned and gave a quick snarl/nipping action.
While her first reaction was probably fear/protective, the second appeared to be jealousy.
I am beginning to try some calming signals with her, as previously I have been scolding her and putting her in her crate.
I'm glad that she loves her family and wants to protect us, but I'm afraid that she sees everyone outside this household as a threat.
The teenagers certainly like to have friends over, and we are getting to the point that we must crate Maddie whenever anyone comes over.
I hate to do that, because while we are away at work/school, etc., she is crated, and I want her to be out of that crate, socializing, exercising and playing whenever we're home.
But if a car enters our yard, footsteps on our deck, or a knock at the door, she is a different dog. She nipped a man on the hand who entered our house recently. She did not know him, but the children do, as he is a relative who does not visit very often.
I was in another room, he knocked, and a younger child opened the door to him. As he stepped inside the house, Maddie barked, jumped up, and nipped the edge of his hand.
Each evening when I go to pick up one of my teenagers from her part time job, I take Maddie along for the ride, which she is always very excited about (in a good way). She sees me grab my purse and keys, and she wants to go bye-bye!
But if anyone is walking along the street, she growls.
If we stop for gasoline and another car pulls up to the other pump, they'll be in for a scare. She goes crazy after them in our car.
I think that these behaviors are a combination of fear and protective behaviors.
She would chase anything in our yard, and tries to get rough with our cat. I would say these are dominance/territorial behaviors.
And lastly, she twice displayed aggressiveness toward a visiting child in my home - once when the child first entered the home and ran up to the dog's face, and another time when I was offering treats for obedience and the child came and stood next to her. I think Maddie thought the child was going to compete for the treats, and she turned and gave a quick snarl/nipping action.
While her first reaction was probably fear/protective, the second appeared to be jealousy.
I am beginning to try some calming signals with her, as previously I have been scolding her and putting her in her crate.
I'm glad that she loves her family and wants to protect us, but I'm afraid that she sees everyone outside this household as a threat.
The teenagers certainly like to have friends over, and we are getting to the point that we must crate Maddie whenever anyone comes over.
I hate to do that, because while we are away at work/school, etc., she is crated, and I want her to be out of that crate, socializing, exercising and playing whenever we're home.
