Hello everyone!
I just adopted a senior dog from a no-kill shelter. She's 9 and was at the shelter for 5 years. She had a reputation as being super good with people and kids. A hurricane came through the area and the shelter manager took her home for a few weeks and she's great with all adults and kids. She's never shown aggressiveness towards humans. When I visited for the first time, I was a bit apprehensive but she just rubbed up against me and let me walk her without a second thought.
I've gotten her home and it's been about 5 days (I know, still very soon). She does seem to have gotten super protective of me. I take her for a lot of walks daily to get her accustomed to the neighborhood. When we see other people though, at first she would just lunge, but now she growls and barks (big improvement).
She seems to have gotten better but I wanted to see if anyone else has experienced something similar? I've been told by some that she's very protective because she wants to show her worth/likes the home and that she'll grow out of it. I just wanted to make sure that would be the case. As I mentioned, first time I've adopted a dog, most of my dogs have been mine since puppies and I've socialized them early and never had the issue.
I just wanted to check if it's something that she'll grow out of with a little work and patience or if I should spring to get her some additional training? She's housebroken and leash broken. She's perfect in every way and extremely loving. I'm a social person and by all accounts she's very social as well. I want use to be able to have company and go on long walks without scaring the beejezus out of people.
Also, she does listen, a quick tug on her halter and a "no" and she'll stop. She's just very alert on these walks and I want her to enjoy them and be mellow.
Thanks guys!
I just adopted a senior dog from a no-kill shelter. She's 9 and was at the shelter for 5 years. She had a reputation as being super good with people and kids. A hurricane came through the area and the shelter manager took her home for a few weeks and she's great with all adults and kids. She's never shown aggressiveness towards humans. When I visited for the first time, I was a bit apprehensive but she just rubbed up against me and let me walk her without a second thought.
I've gotten her home and it's been about 5 days (I know, still very soon). She does seem to have gotten super protective of me. I take her for a lot of walks daily to get her accustomed to the neighborhood. When we see other people though, at first she would just lunge, but now she growls and barks (big improvement).
She seems to have gotten better but I wanted to see if anyone else has experienced something similar? I've been told by some that she's very protective because she wants to show her worth/likes the home and that she'll grow out of it. I just wanted to make sure that would be the case. As I mentioned, first time I've adopted a dog, most of my dogs have been mine since puppies and I've socialized them early and never had the issue.
I just wanted to check if it's something that she'll grow out of with a little work and patience or if I should spring to get her some additional training? She's housebroken and leash broken. She's perfect in every way and extremely loving. I'm a social person and by all accounts she's very social as well. I want use to be able to have company and go on long walks without scaring the beejezus out of people.
Also, she does listen, a quick tug on her halter and a "no" and she'll stop. She's just very alert on these walks and I want her to enjoy them and be mellow.
Thanks guys!