Rescue dog, early days, advice needed

[mumofthreesmallmen3]

everyone

I got a rescue dog after a long time deciding and waiting, this was 3 weeks ago so I appreciate it's extremely early days in the grand scheme of things, he's 3 years old, they are not sure of his breed exactly although all have said he looks like a black lab cross. He's been lovely and we'll behaved in general, sweet nature inside, pretty good with other dogs and is playful towards them on a long training lead, the main issue I'm having is aggression at the door or any one He doesn't know entering the house. If I have to open the door I have to hold him back, (at the moment I don't have doors or gates to seperate from the front door area,it's all open plan downstairs) if I open to postman, delivery man, anyone he hasn't seen before he goes mental! Barking, growling,almost frothing at the bit,trying to lunge forward. I'm wondering what would be the best approach to this, it becomes worse if it's not just a quick visit at the door accepting a parcel but for a example a workman coming in. I understand it's extremely early days but I want to start as I mean to go on and it's really quite stressful when the door goes or people he's not sure on visit, does anyone have any tips? Thankyou if you do as he's honestly lovely in every other way, I understand it's terrotorial, he's been the same with one of my teenage sons friends coming in, then saw them outside a hour later and was absolutely fine with him then, it's all really to do with people approaching or coming into the house. Ive done a lot of research and I feel he isn't a lab cross but a Majorca Sheppard dog, due to his appearance and traits really fitting the bill but obviously won't know unless do a DNA, hes well looked after he gets 3 X 1 hour walks a day, also on a long lead in open spaces so he has more freedom and can run a bit more until I'm more confident on recall and obviously this agression issue I need to be a bit more confident on also just incase, I'm really enjoying him but looking for tips to deal with this issue, thanks for any advice, and also any advice on brain games/stimulation, not exercise but to keep him stimulated mentally would be great too

Thanks!

The more you allow him to greet at the door and repeat the behaviour, the more ingrained it will become.

For now, you really need to be able to close him somewhere - the back yard, a utility room, on the stairs behind a gate or even upstairs in a bedroom - all it takes is for you to lose your grip slightly and you will end up with a visitor being bitten and a dog with a protection order that has to be muzzled and leashed for life.

I know that sounds harsh but honestly it doesn't take much, especially if the bite requires hospital treatment and the victim reports you to the police for having a dangerous dog.

You can of course work on the behaviour but it needs to be in a controlled way with the the help of a qualified trainer or behaviourist - your vet should be able to recommend someone and they may even be covered by your insurance.

Good luck!

Our dog has stranger danger. She is a rescue with unknown history. People knocking at the door she can usually handle but when people talk or come in, it's a big nope.

She knows "bed" and we use this command daily. It's a good one to train. If we are expecting visitors she doesn't know, we meet them on the street and they go in first. Or we make sure she is out on a walk and they have arrived in the mean time. You'll learn what he needs. As you said, it's very early days still. You need to do everything you can to keep him safe though and having him at the door barking while you're hanging on to his collar isn't good. It's showing him that when he barks and lunges, the postman/delivery driver goes away. Job done as far as he can tell.

Keep him behind a gate/door. Send him to his bed and reward him for calm. There is likely to be a wait for a good behaviourist so start working on him now.

Majorcan Shepherds are quite rare. Apart from looking at their traits is there any other reason why you think he may be a Majorcan Shepherd? Did he come from a rescue based somewhere it might be likely?

All good advice above. I would just say that he has clearly previously been expected to "guard" his owners' property and so maybe not aggression but thinks he is doing his job. My rescue dog did this at first but, being a nice dog who wanted to do what earned my approval, very quickly learned that she is allowed to bark to tell me someone is approaching the door or has rung the bell (I live alone so don't want to discourage this) but she must then wait well away from door and let me answer it alone. Every time, I praise for alerting me, "Good dog, that's enough. Stay there." I then go to door alone. If she tries to follow, I stop and wave her back to her wait spot and don't open door until she is back there.You said you think yours is some sort of shepherd, which is good as they are usually very intelligent and get what you are trying to show them. He knows you are "his owner" so he will want to do what earns your approval and praise. With regard to workmen/visitors coming into the home, I still don't leave my dog alone in a room with them unless she knows and likes them. If she is really suspicious of them, I will shut her in another room where she will be happier.

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork
That’s why I was asking if OP has a valid reason to believe it may be a Majorcan Shepherd. They’re not like the usual Shepherding breeds we’re used to in the U.K., they have traits deliberately bred in to them in order for them to do the job for which they were originally intended. Handling this dog like other dogs will potentially not end well, if it truly is a Majorcan Shepherd OP needs proper advice from a breed specialist or a very good behaviourist. A lot of Shepherding breeds really should not be sent out from rescues as ‘pets’, they’re simply not, and never will be, suitable for it. Not the dogs fault, they’ve had years and years of selective breeding to be that way. A Majorcan Shepherd, for instance, will potentially have bonded very well with an initial ‘owner’ and never do well with a second owner. I was ready to give some standard advice for ‘door guarding’ but as soon as I saw there’s a chance the dog could be a MS, that advice won’t be appropriate. Determining if the dog really is a MS would help to know how to approach training. They are extremely rare and if OP just thinks he may be a MS because of his traits, but he was born and bred in the UK, then he’s unlikely to be one. If however OP obtained him from a Spanish rescue, he could well be a MS.

Sorry I was trying to reply the other day but it wouldn't let me lost, his history is he was born in Romania and was there for his 1st year of life,I don't have the history on what his life was like there though. He came to UK at 1, lived with a family for 1 year, they got another dog which he didn't get on with very well,so he was sent to a UK rescue :( for the last year or so he's been living with a foster family in UK (with children and 2 other dogs) he didn't get on with the foster families male dog but was ok with there female dog,she said it wasn't anything drastic between the dogs, he has to be the only dog in the house. I may be completely wrong, his personality traits match up very well and he looks very much like one although I think he's slightly smaller than the average ms.