help for biting a person

by Janice
(Greensboro, N.C.)

Our dog doesn't like strangers. We're having an addition added to our house and our dog bit one of the workers. My husband had him on a leash and the guy had just petted him, then the worker turned and started to pull the door down on the truck (which made a strange noise) and our dog jumped and bit him. He has never bitten any one before. What should we do???? Can we ever trust him with strangers again?

He is such a loving and playful dog with all of our family. He actually wants to be with us all the time.

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Sep 21, 2013
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biting NEW
by: sherry cotton candie

I think they are very protective dogs, friendly but can be stand offish at times. Cotton used to just make up with everyone and would go to anyone. I have noticed as she's aging she is not as friendly. she is now 3 and will bark alot when someone new comes to the house. once they are inside and we say quiet she will calm down.

She does not like repair men and I have to take her outside or hold her---do not know if she might bite but do not want to find out.
Cannot figure out why, they try and talk with her but she will have no part of them. very protective of her home and us.

When in public of course she is a different dog, very outgoing and loves everyone. My fear is with little kids as she is not around them much and they want to get right in her face. I have learned to turn her head away from them and ask them to pet her back. Dogs are dogs and its best not to take any chances.

We have taken Cotton to nursing homes and she is great with all the elderly patients and staff. Only when at home does she have this attitude, so we cannot fault her for that.

Does your dog behave differently when in public?? It is probably just a protective attitude while at home.

Good Luck, if you feel he is to aggressive when away from home then maybe obedience classes would be helpful.

Sep 21, 2013
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biting strangers NEW
by: Iris

When my dog sees strangers moving in a threatening way he will bark, growl, lurch. No matter that you invited them or they are doing a job, the dog recognizes they are strangers and a threat. I rarely let a stranger pet my dog. I cannot always tell what Tuffy senses or how he will react, I was just telling someone about that same subject yesterday, Years ago we had a dog who was barking and going crazy outside in our fenced backyard and I ran out the patio door to see what was wrong. I was startled nd also frightened, a man was stradling our 6'ft. fence between our house and the neighbor's house.with his leg dangling on our side of the fence, the man was yelling, screaming at me to get my dog away, he said the dog was going to bite him. I asked what he was doing sitting on my fence? He said he was fixing the neighbors window, I said, "You have no business sitting on my fence, my dog will tear your leg off if you don't get off the fence" (my dog knows that's a threat and a stranger, and is warning me there is danger, a stranger threatening our territory). He screamed as my dog jumped for his leg again and I told him I will NOT call my dog off, I said YOU get off my fence and get a ladder if you need to work there. For all I knew, (because it had recently happened on our block),he could have been trying to break into my neighbor's side window!) He finally got off the fence and I calmed the dog down.He did a good job.
I trained my dog to protect our home, me and my babies, he sat obediently watching them in their strollers on the patio when they were infants, just as my own Mother had trained her dog to watch me in my baby carriage, and did not let anyone near me.
It's good that your husband had your dog on the leash.I do that too if a worker needs to come in, and I use the short leash and pull the dog behind me, letting Tuffy know that I've got the situation under control, he doesn't need to take charge.I tell him the commands; "leave it, and Off!"when he tries to jump up on people. He just wants to get a sniff and see if this will be a permanent addition to his pack. LOL Generally, he is friendly with people coming in, but goes berserk if they go away, he wants everyone to stay here. LOVE MY DOG!!!xoxo

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