Puppy seems to be antisocial and growls at strangers!

[Guest Anonymous]

I have a female cocker spaniel. Her name is Yoshii. Normally she is a very well tempered puppy, but when I took her to PetsMart today she started to growl at some of the shoppers! It was odd because just 5 minutes before this behavior she was letting a few children pet her. I might also mention that she growled at older people and I was holding her the whole time in the store. I don't want this behavior to continue. I am not sure if she will bite someone but I am moving into an apartment in about a month and I really do not want to take the chance. Could this be just a protective action or is it just that she is an unsociable dog????

All help is appreciated!! :multi:

[Guest Anonymous]

Thank you newfie, I completely understand what you are saying and try that to see if it will work. What is "Little Dog Syndrome" though, and what do you mean by "putting her on my level"? :D

[yellowlabsrule]

I think it means when you bring her up to your level, she thinks she has as much power as you. Also when she growls at someone, I would tell her no in a low voice and hold her snout so she associates the no with her growling.

[Guest Anonymous]

I didnt pick her up when she started to growl at people :D I was holding her the whole time because the reason we were in there in the first place was to buy a leash LOL. I was looking at some doggie sweaters and some kids came up behind me and started petting her in my arms and she let them, but later on some other people approached her and she began to growl. At first I thought it was at the dog that they had, but then another older person came around and she growled at them too :crazyeyes:
She shares a house with a Rottweiler and 2 other cocker spaniels (who primarily stay outside).

I am glad you told me about the no snout grabbing though, that was my first reaction to tell her no. That is also what my mom does to our puppy rottweiler when he bites. I don't think that kind of punishment will work, only make him resent. But, that is just me. 8)

[Guest Anonymous]

Oh, I sure understand the little dog syndrome....my 32 lb was ready to take on the biggest Rottie I have ever seen (our neighbors). The Rottie then proceeded to sit on my feet to "protect" me from my own dog! :lol:

[Guest Anonymous]

That is funny :lol: Yoshii does seem to like authority and power. Her and my Rottie, Doc get into it all the time. They just play though. It is cute, Doc will grab ahold of her ears and drag her around....lol. I had to break it up once though cause he played to hard and made her ear bleed :o and she STILL went back to play more. Sigh, they are just like kids, they never learn. But I will take your advice, I may start off just by leash walking her around our block and get her used to seeing different people.

[Guest Anonymous]

Your dogs are sooooo cute shiba! I just looked at their pictures! How big do they normally get, they are iddy biddy :) Its odd, they LOOK like they should be a bigger breed of dog but they aren't.

Newfie, do you have any pics of your dogs? From the profile pic they are beautiful but I would love to see more and larger pics of them.

:smilecolros:

I just love the emotionicons.....lol

[Guest Anonymous]

Average male is 15 inches and female is 13 inches. Kenzo is a monster at 16.5 and 32 pounds! Yes, they look like a HUGE dog until you see them in person!

[Guest Anonymous]

Most Cockers tend to have that "I am the Biggest Dog here" attitude. My Cocker will bark when a stranger(or anyone really) comes in the house but I corrected this with a firm NO and I lay my finger across her nose. I do not tap or hit her nose I just lay my finger across her nose and say NO.. I agree with Newfie on not grabbing her snout...

Also she follows me everywhere.... But she will go eat in her own time...
Try putting her food somewhere out of range of the other dogs...maybe in your room or something... :wink: