How to stop my dog's aggression towards strangers on our property?

Question

Tikka is an extremely friendly dog but we have found that she is getting aggressive towards strangers around our property. (In the truck or house but not in public places). Not too sure what to do about this new behaviour, it seems to be mostly towards men which is weird because there is mostly men in our home (adult children and my husband). Any ideas on how to deal with this behaviour? We had a friend come for visit, she was pretty mean towards him until I touched him, then she was fine. Pet's info: Dog | Wirehaired Pointing Griffon | Female | spayed | 3 years and 2 months old | 50 lbs

Anna M., DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, and thanks for your question. It sounds like Tikka knows where "her" property is, and is feeling the need to protect it from strangers. This definitely needs to be addressed, as it can easily escalate to a bite if Tikka feels threatened by your visitors. Even though she's used to the men in your family, that doesn't necessarily extend to an understanding that "men in general" are ok - she knows who is in her family and who is not. She doesn't know that the visitors are your welcomed guests - she sees them as intruders and threats. You need to set up a boundary to protect your visitors and keep Tikka separated from them until she relaxes and realizes they are not a threat - and I highly recommend working with a trainer or veterinary behaviorist on this behavior. Some dogs who feel very protective are never able to relax and be trusted with strangers - in which case they just need to be kept separate for the duration of the visit. She may need a fence (or invisible fence) to keep her from approaching visitors as they arrive, and/or you may need to put her in another part of the house whenever you are expecting people. This is both to protect your visitors, AND to protect Tikka and help her by removing her from an interaction that is causing her stress. Your vet should be able to direct you to a veterinary behaviorist or reputable trainer in your area, and I would touch base with them immediately. This behavior should be addressed as early as possible. I hope this helps!

How to stop my dog's aggression towards strangers on our property?

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