My therapy dog barks at men. Why is he suddenly territorial?

Question

My dog is always been very submissive and sweet he acts more like his Newfoundland side. He will start emotional therapy dog work soon. He is fixed, I have noticed recently that he is starting to develop some territorial issues. When he is around women and children he is very fine and very submissive. Some men he will bark at and one friend he growled at for running up to my car. He always stops immediately with correction and is very kind all over again. Or he won’t react at all! Why is that? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | neutered | 1 year and 4 months old | 115 lbs

Jessica Desrosiers · Accepted Answer

What a cutie! It could be that Bear is a bit undersocialized with men and that is why he is a bit more hesitant around them. If this is happening around your house it could also be that he is feeling a bit protective of it. Working on some socialization training by having any men or visitors to the house toss Bear a treat every time they see him (without any interaction unless Bear wants to) can help him start to associate them with good things instead of scary. Getting Canine Good Citizen certified (which is usually part of training for therapy dog certification) can also help with manners, greeting behavior, and socializing as well.

My therapy dog barks at men. Why is he suddenly territorial?

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