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New pet owner
Hi there,
I just recently got an 11 mo. Golden retriever/spitz mix and I am still learning a lot. I have done my research and will be looking to get her a trainer for some possible behavioral problems. She barks every time she sees a dog or person. Her bark gets louder when she especially sees kids and dogs. I think she was bitten by a dog before because there was this huge scab on her tail and the foster mother said that the people that gave her away had kids who bopped her on the nose, so she doesn't like kids either. I have desensitized her from the noise around us, and she doesn't bark as often as she use to when we first brought her to our apartment. I kept treating her every time I noticed that she heard a noise and didn't bark. I recently got her a muzzle, so that people around us would feel safe. There are residents here who walk their dogs often and go out on walks themselves. I don't want her barking to make them feel uncomfortable. This morning I took her out for a walk with her muzzle on and was able to have a conversation with one of my neighbors. I asked if my neighbor would let my dog smell her and she said it was okay and my dog was very friendly towards her afterwards and stopped barking after she got to know my neighbor. Is my dog barking out of excitement? Friendliness? or Aggression? The organization that we got her from said she was friendly with dogs and people, but that was the only occasion where I have seen her friendly with someone other than the vet. Other than that she barks at everyone and their dog. I should have given her a treat after she stopped barking at my neighbor, but that was really unexpected and I didn't bring any treats.
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Although the peeing when meeting someone new is annoying - that is actually a great sign. It's means she is probably submissive and excited, not aggressive.
Your best bet really is getting a trainer to work with you and her to curb the barking, to work on socialization, and to help you be the pack leader... and you should do that as soon as you possibly can.
The barking will die down when she learns you don't like it, when she is more familiar with the people around her, and when you are the pack leader - so she knows she doesn't need to flip out about every new person - she'll look to you to let her know how to behave.
In the mean time, I think you are doing the right thing. Try to make friends with your neighbours - there will always be some jerks - but generally speaking people who own dogs, like dogs, and understand that a young animal rescue needs some gentle socialization.
A bit of advice, but clearly anything I say should be run by your trainer when you get one:
Although the muzzle might be a good way to curb the barking in say, the very early morning, don't come to rely on it to stop the barking all together. It will be a crutch. It will also keep other people away from you - since they will assume your dog is aggressive. During daytime hours, take her out without it, and reward her for correct behaviour.
Bring treats. Always. Constantly. Walk around your house with treats in your pocket so you can reward good behaviour the moment it happens. Dogs do not have long memories, you have to treat them exactly when the good behaviour happens, even five seconds later they don't make the connection.
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