Fear-Aggression new dog help

We often hear this in training, "Don't act Creepy!"

All that sneaking around, moving slow, putting your hand out to sniff and backing way is making you appear suspicious. If you back off when he growls you have verified both your ill will and a weak character (to the dog.. not calling you as a person out).

What do you think would happen if you simply walked up to the dog and put the leash on without any nonsense and without looking the dog in the eye? Try getting a slip leash (goes over the head and tightens like a noose). Walk up to the dog and drop it over his head and tighten it and walk away and take him out. No sneaking up on him, offering your hand or talking or any of that. Just put it on and go.

I bet you see a different dog.

You have offered this dog no clarity. You need to be black and white with dogs. They thrive on it. The more uncertain you are the more defensive the dog will be. Use a tool (slip leash) so you don't get bitten and be crisp and certain in your movements around this dog.

Slip lead is an excellent idea. I handled Bucky for several days using just that. He was in the shelter because of biting and clearly was going to bite if I tried to handle him. Cookie in one hand, noose in other and feed him as head passes inside noose. If you don't have a slip lead make one by putting leash through the loop of a regular fabric or leather leash.

Disagree about the growling. If he growls do back away. Come at the problem another way such as using the slip lead. Neither of my dogs are fond of messing around at their shoulders. Use treats to get him used to touching him all over then then working on clipping the leash on. Ignoring growling will create a snappy dog. That biting dog was covered with long standing mats when he arrived, he'd been growling and connecting with those snaps for quite a while. Inside a few weeks I was able to gain trust, touch him all over, brush him, cut out the mats and after the ingrown dewclaws were dealt with by the vet handle his feet and trim nails.