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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

My adopted dog

8 replies

limitededitionbarbie · 09/01/2023 19:26

I love him with all my heart. He's soooo loving.

We adopted him 8 months ago.

He's amazing with my already dog. They are inseparable.

He's amazing with us who live in our house.

We've had issues with house training. He gets 100% on his good boy mat etc. for weeks then pisses by the curtain or the toilet etc. he got it then we had him done and he regressed in his training and I know this can happen.

But lately he has started to run back at men (only ever men) and growl and on one occasion had grabbed a man's trousers with his teeth. Not bitten, just grabbed trousers. So far.

I don't want this to escalate. He has gone for one man's trousers but not anyone else.

I don't know why he has started to do this or how to stop it. It's just so random.

Anyone any ideas why and how to stop please?

OP posts:
whataboutsecondbreakfast · 09/01/2023 19:49

When you say he goes on his "good boy mat", is that a puppy pad indoors? If so, ditch the pad completely and just have him going outside, you'll be confusing him otherwise.

With men - the short-term solution is to keep him on a lead at all times so he can't practise the behaviour. Long-term, you may want to look at a trainer or behaviourist.

Original poster
limitededitionbarbie · 09/01/2023 20:08

Yes his good boy mat is the mat when we are not in. He knows to go on the mat when he can't go outside.
He's left for two hours max, this is rarely. As in once a month.

If it makes a difference we have a slightly older dog that is house trained completely and this other dog does not go on the mat at all.

I'm already keeping him on a short leash. He's let off when we walk as he has miles to go without seeing anyone else.

When we've been off leash and he's encountered anyone there is no issue at all. He's well behaved and has good recall. No issues ever at all.

This issue is only when on lead when we walk past someone. Who is male. Gangs of girls do t bother him. Gangs of males don't bother him. Just males on their own. I don't know what to make of it as it's all so recent.

He's not smacked, shouted at or mistreated in any way.

OP posts:
whataboutsecondbreakfast · 09/01/2023 20:13

If you've had him for eight months he's old enough to hold it while you're out for two hours. By keeping the mat, you're just teaching him that it's okay to toilet indoors - he won't understand that it's okay in one area but not another.

If he's doing it on lead then the only answer is to avoid men alone - put him on a really short lead so he can't physically reach them, and if he can be distracted, put him in a sit or "middle" position (between your legs) so he's focusing on you and not the man going past.

Many dogs are wary of men - sadly as he's adopted you may never know his history and what he went through before he met you.

BigRon40 · 09/01/2023 20:24

The issue with single men can be fixed. I had a rescue who showed similar behaviours. I taught him a leave and a watch. I would tell him to leave as the man approached and get him to watch me. I would also walk him a head collar to have better control over him.

It sounds 100% like a nervous aggression and once he knows you are taking control of the situation I hope he will stop. He is ok off the lead because he can get away so he is not so frightened.

Once you are getting the situation under control you can start taking him to slightly busier places. Good luck. It is lovely he has been given such a good home and is so loved.

EmeraldEagle · 09/01/2023 20:39

How long ago was he castrated? It's highly likely that the drop in testosterone has effected his confidence levels. It would be worth finding a qualified trainer to work on his confidence & give you some training strategies

Original poster
limitededitionbarbie · 09/01/2023 20:58

BigRon40 · 09/01/2023 20:24

The issue with single men can be fixed. I had a rescue who showed similar behaviours. I taught him a leave and a watch. I would tell him to leave as the man approached and get him to watch me. I would also walk him a head collar to have better control over him.

It sounds 100% like a nervous aggression and once he knows you are taking control of the situation I hope he will stop. He is ok off the lead because he can get away so he is not so frightened.

Once you are getting the situation under control you can start taking him to slightly busier places. Good luck. It is lovely he has been given such a good home and is so loved.

Thank you for replying. Do you have any tips?

It's so hard as it's not all men. It's just the odd one he seems to look and and go "no" not for us. If they have dogs themselves it's a non issue.

OP posts:
Original poster
limitededitionbarbie · 09/01/2023 20:59

BigRon40 · 09/01/2023 20:24

The issue with single men can be fixed. I had a rescue who showed similar behaviours. I taught him a leave and a watch. I would tell him to leave as the man approached and get him to watch me. I would also walk him a head collar to have better control over him.

It sounds 100% like a nervous aggression and once he knows you are taking control of the situation I hope he will stop. He is ok off the lead because he can get away so he is not so frightened.

Once you are getting the situation under control you can start taking him to slightly busier places. Good luck. It is lovely he has been given such a good home and is so loved.

Thank you for replying. Do you have any tips?

It's so hard as it's not all men. It's just the odd one he seems to look and and go "no" not for us. If they have dogs themselves it's a non issue.

OP posts:
Original poster
limitededitionbarbie · 09/01/2023 21:00

BigRon40 · 09/01/2023 20:24

The issue with single men can be fixed. I had a rescue who showed similar behaviours. I taught him a leave and a watch. I would tell him to leave as the man approached and get him to watch me. I would also walk him a head collar to have better control over him.

It sounds 100% like a nervous aggression and once he knows you are taking control of the situation I hope he will stop. He is ok off the lead because he can get away so he is not so frightened.

Once you are getting the situation under control you can start taking him to slightly busier places. Good luck. It is lovely he has been given such a good home and is so loved.

Thank you for replying. Do you have any tips?

It's so hard as it's not all men. It's just the odd one he seems to look and and go "no" not for us. If they have dogs themselves it's a non issue.

OP posts:
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