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Growling/barking at strangers in new dog
So we just rescued a sweet 1.5 year old black lab mix from the shelter yesterday. She is super friendly and was very happy and loving when we were introduced to her. Likewise, though she was curious at the pet store, she was friendly and happily greet strangers and other dogs.
Fast forward to today and she growl/barked at strangers on the street when she saw them from our backyard. But the biggest concern was this terrible growl/bark and lunge she did at the door when a delivery person came and rang the bell. I am assuming this is a territory/protectiveness thing? We looked into obedience classes but they don't start until late Jan. so we have a few weeks until then and was hoping to help this before then. We have a very small (3 or 4) group of friends coming over on NYE and I don't want her to growl/bark at them or scare them. She is so friendly and loving and was fine out in public; it's just something she's started doing at home, namely at the front door (when she was in the front yard with H earlier she growled at me walking out the front door until she could see it was me, then came running to kiss me).
Re: Growling/barking at strangers in new dog
Since you just got her from the shelter yesterday, I would give her some time to adapt to her new surroundings.
I would also start working on NILIF with her. http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm You can recruit friends to come over and help, by ringing the door bell for you, coming into and leaving the house. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
For example, when they ring the door bell. Sit. Treat. Open door. Stay sitting. Treat. etc...
When I take in new fosters, NILIF is a life saver! They learn to respect you quickly and it is a positive training method.
Plenty of exercise (I just want to add that I wouldn't do forced running until she is over the age of 2) and taking a training class can also help.
Good Luck!
They see us rollin'...they be hatin'.
Yes, I agree you can train your dog to wait a couple feet back from the door. I know Victoria Stillwell has done training like that on a couple episodes of Its Me or The Dog. Maybe you can google it. Its easier to see how someone does it.