# Overprotective? Uncomfortable? Please HELP!!



## aswain6 (Jul 25, 2017)

Hello! My fiance and I adopted our pit bull terrier mix, Hopper, on father's day! We instantly fell in love with him and he's such a great dog! However, we have hit a few bumps in the road...

The Wednesday after we adopted him I had a friend come over with her kids. I was unaware she was bringing her kids and had I known I would have put Hopper in a separate room or his crate. They came in and Hopper seemed excited. He was sniffing and licking her little boys hands (he's 4) but then he started chattering his teeth and that made me nervous because I thought he was nipping. Then he started jumping up. Eventually, it turned into barking and then he kept trying to get at the little boy. To difuse the situation I put him in his crate.

A similar incident happened with my sister. I thought maybe it would be different because she's bigger than a 4 year old. She came in and the same thing happened. This time we had him on a leash and when he started jumping up we moved him back a little bit but he kept pulling on his harness to the point he was like choking himself. My fiance walked him outside so he could calm down then he came back in. He was okay for a bit, but then would just start barking and growling at her. Now she's terrified!  

We introduced him to my mom and again he seemed excited, licking, sniffing then he jumped up and bashed her in the lip and split her lip open. 

After the incident with my mom we took him to a training session at the Humane Society where we adopted him. Our trainer suggested the tether method to get him used to and comfortable with visitors in the house. 

He's met my fiance's parents and likes them! He's met 2 of my other friends and liked them! He also met our neighbors and did fine with them! All of these meetings happened outside except one of my friends we did the tether method with lots of treats and it was really successful!

Recently I was walking Hopper in the backyard, we have almost 2.5 acres, and the neighbors have cows and chickens and a horse, and I stopped to talk to the neighbors and he was okay. We were standing over by the horse paddock and one of the neighbors was on the inside and the other was outside. We stood and talked for like 10 minutes and Hopper just started barking. I walked him away and he calmed down. Ever since then when we stop to talk to our neighbors he barks or growls at them 
The other day she was petting him and he growled, barked, then snapped. Now I'm afraid to take him around them. 

I just don't understand it. I'm wondering if they make him uncomfortable? Is he being protective of us? I feel partially responsible for his behavior because I brought people around so soon. It's just really frustrating because I really enjoy chatting with them and I would like to be able to have visitors and have my sister come stay with me on weekends.  

I appreciate any input!!


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Sounds like he's getting overstimulated by new people. I'd use that tether method to keep him safe for now. Keep one on you in case of visits with neighbors and people stopping by when outside maybe?

It's called 'trigger stacking'. He can see and meet people but too many people for too long and/or too intense and he's going to react. 

Good that he barks first. That's a great warning sign he's in trouble. Better would be to figure out that he's getting upset before he has to bark and move away from the situation the instant you see his distress signals. I'm sure he has a very expressive face, look for signs of tenseness. Whisker muffs move forward just before barking [that's way too late], the eyes on my little dogs look more prominent [if I see whites then it's too late], mouth looks tensed up but that's my experience, read up on this and observe your dog! Ears and tails are very important but it's more than up means this and wagging means that, it's a whole body read.

I'm so sorry he's bad around the neighbors now. Sounds like he responds well to the exercise the trainer gave you so use it. If he cannot handle 10' then give him 20'. Walking like a polite dog might help too. Dogs make an arc when approaching, straight on is aggressive.


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## aswain6 (Jul 25, 2017)

I noticed today that now when he sees one of them he gets this stance like he's really alert and then he has drool that drips out of his mouth? Whenever we talk to the neighbors it's always outside.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

That doesn't sound good. You need to contact a behaviorist to guide you with this. For now before he sees them start treating him and asking him to do any silly tricks he likes doing. Keep a leash on him so he doesn't make a bad decision like charge them or worse. You don't want him to get that look in his eye ever. Put a treat in his face and lead him away before he gets alert and on his toes.


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## aswain6 (Jul 25, 2017)

He's always on a leash when he's outside and I do have an appointment to meet with a trainer. I don't think that he's wanting to charge. Honestly, I think it may be a nervous thing. He's surrounded by so many different things I think it may be overwhelming.


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