all i can say is the OP and their guests have been bitten and my friend and his son haven't. I wouldn't use this tecnique on my two as they are well behaved. My friend is 62, has over 50 years experience with his breed and i trust him completely when he says his dog needs to be shown who is boss . . . Not hurting his dog ?!? if he was i would report him and i am offended that you assume that's what we are talking about. Not reading this thread any more . . . it's like talking to a brick wall.
You've all got your i hate Cesar t shirts on again . . .
and he would probably know just what to do if he was reading this, whereas your suggestions haven't helped yet, as much as we all wish they had . . .

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Regards, Jim (28)

That's your opinion and fair enough.
Scruffing and pinning a dog may not physically hurt a dog (although I imagine some people do) but it isn't only physical damage that needs to be considered but psychological damage.
Think of what that will do to the dog's relationship with their owner? You couldn't ever fully trust someone who pinned and scruffed you when you warned them that you were scared or uncomfortable with something.
You friend and his son have been fortunate not to have been bitten.

I don't know what Cesar (I am assuming you are refering to Cesar Millan?) as got to do with anything because I have not mentioned him in this thread at all as much as I do not condone his methods.
No doubt, if he was reading this, he'd suggest pinning and scruffing, jabbing and flooding the dog until the poor thing either snapped (at which point he'd call it "dominant aggressive") or until it shut down totally overcome by fear and over-arousal at which point he'd have declared that it was "calm-submissive". Mission accomplished
I disagree with his methods. Some, I assume yourself, agree with his methods, which is fair enough to my mind, so long as they do not harm (either physically or mentally) their dogs through the use of his "methods".
It is a shame though because prior to his appearance in the media the dog training world had been taking good steps in the right direction- towards promoting a more educated, scientifically accurate and positive way of training and rehabilitating dogs.

I don't know which suggestions you are referring to when you say they haven't helped? Just to clarify- are you talking about your friend's JRT? Because I don't recall giving you any suggestions?
As for the suggestions to the OP? I recommended limiting the dog's exposure to the feared stimuli, keeping him chilled in the short term and getting a decent behaviourist in to help them plan a way of desensitizing and counter-conditioning the dog's emotional response to visitors to the home.
The OP hasn't as yet reposted, so I don't know what the situation is with her dog.

Anyway, this has got very rambly and the thread has gone somewhat on a tangent. Apologies to the OP.

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Anyhow back to the OP's question...

The dog has had a hard time and he's only been with you for a couple of weeks - he is still settling in.

As the other people have said, growling = communication. Communication is good, even growling, it means something, and depending on the situation, gives you a chance to do something. You'd be wise NOT to discourage growling by correction.

Growling is basically a symptom of something else. In this case this growling seems like a symptom of being scared (for whatever reason) of these particular people (or something about these people or maybe strangers in the home?). As we all know treating symptoms doesn't always cure the underlying problem.

If this was my dog, I would:

- keep the dog on the lead with visitors and keep the dog well out of striking distance
- instruct all visitors to completely ignore the dog - 100% no talking to them / no eye contact / no looking in their direction
- drop some random treats (growling or not) while visitors are around
- get myself a copy of "Bones would rain from the sky"
- give him more time for you relationship to develop
- consider seeking a behaviourist

Good luck to both of you.

HTH

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Jack - Black Labrador
Nalsy & Ponch - Purebred bedwarming moggies

This would be my approach too. I'd also have the dog behind a babygate so there's no possibility of him biting the guests. You can still chuck treats to him, and you can relax knowing he can't upset anyone.

Hi, Tracey. Just to put in my two cents worth, my son is mentally retarded and dogs and cats do not like him. My own dogs he has been raised with and they love him, but always it will take a while for a strange dog to get used to him and settle. Sometimes they never do. My own opinion is that they know he is different and it worries them. As an example, we went to my daughter at christmas and her spaniel, usually the most outgoing of dogs, barked at him then went and hid behind her. I told him to just ignore the dog and eventually he did come and say hello. Not all dogs will do this, but we had a friendly spaniel with which to start the process.

My own dogs, who love absolutely everybody, were very touchy when they first met an autistic boy who sometimes visits. Both of them, at different times because when he first came we only had Ferdie, have followed him about barking at him. Since they have seen more of him, they are chilled with him now.

I don't have any advice about the other person your dog dislikes though, but I would say the same. Just make sure they ignore him, do not approach him, and see if he comes round of his own accord. Animals do sometimes take a dislike to someone for no apparent reason.

It is a pity for your sister, as she probably wants to pet him, but if you can persuade her that it is nothing personal and to let him come to her when he is ready, he most probably will.

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