I would disagree that this is letting her get away with it, although not seeing the dog to be totally accurate, I think this is fear based. Pushing a dog when they are fearful can cause problems.

Her possessiveness is another problem really that you need to address and this is done by being a bit more controlling in the home generally, which should also help with her seeing that you are also in control enough to deal with the other situations that arise (i.e. the fireworks at the moment) and be more inclined to trust you to take the lead.

However, if you push her too hard when she is fearful, she could snap or bite, if you back off and she learns that works and then you end up with a dog that will use this to her own effect. It is such an easy trap to fall into.

There is a fine line between fear and agression and stress is a major factor, putting a dog under more stress can make them aggressive (big full stop).

You need to speak to a behaviourist who will assess how fearful she is and put something in place for you, along with possibly something from your vet to help the process along.

Firework month (it is no longer a night nowadays), is a prime time for all sorts of issues to arise with dogs especially being unsettled and you will probably find that when it is over, things will be easier and you can work on task of desensitisation with a little bit more hope!

Kate




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