Dog’s fear can lead to aggression around new people

Dear Cathy: We recently adopted a rescue lab mix. He is very shy when he first meets people with his tail between his legs. But lately, when someone comes to the house, he gets a little aggressive by barking at them. I’ve tried to stop him and had people offer him treats. Any other suggestions? — Mark, Seaford, New York

Dear Mark: If your dog is naturally timid but is a bit aggressive with barking when people come over, it can be a form of fear aggression. Reducing your dog’s fear and letting him know good things happen when people come over are good places to start.

You mention asking visitors to give your dog treats. This is a good idea, but two things: First, make sure you are not rewarding bad behavior by giving him the treats after he barks. Second, make sure the visitors don’t approach him when he is barking like this; it will only make him more fearful.

Instead, when friends come over, meet them out front with your dog on a leash. Give them a handful of treats and ask them to stand about 10 feet away. From there, they can toss treats toward your dog as you chat with them. Make sure your dog does not pull in front of you, as he will feel the need to protect you from others. Instead, hold the leash to make sure he stays beside you or behind. Keep your dog leashed during these sessions.

Over time, he should accept your friends moving closer to both of you, and by the second or third visit, he might look forward to your friends arriving and tossing treats his way. If he doesn’t approach your friends for attention, then your friends should not be trying to engage him. Some dogs need time to get to know people.

Another approach is to place him inside a kennel when guests arrive. This allows him to express excitement (barking) without any physical interaction between him and your guests. If you and your friends ignore him, he should settle down more quickly and eventually even take a nap. Leave him in the kennel for the rest of this first visit. Repeat this step the next time, but on this second visit, let him out to meet your guest after he has remained settled for at least 15 minutes. If he resumes the behavior, put him back in the kennel. This is not a punishment. Sometimes, fearful dogs just feel safer in their kennels.

Finally, get a canine pheromone collar for him to wear. It doesn’t help with aggression, but it can reduce his overall anxiety.