Please Help! Already Desperate!

Hi there,
I´m not sure how much help I´ll be but....

the situation you described sounds really unfortunate. It is possible that your dog does not appreciate a hand coming towards him. I know this sounds like a small detail, but it´s quite similar to meeting a human and they are pointing a finger straight in your face. This is quite intense unless we are used to this action. It sounds like your dog, in this situation, felt under attack and retaliated.

You need to also watch for signs that your dog is uncomfortable. I think often a dog gives off thousands of signals that he is unhappy with this situation and we just don´t read his language. A dog my lick his lips if he is nervous and insecure. He may also tuck his tail under, take steps back ( or forward) he may grow extremely still and focused or pull his chest in, he may also yawn if he is unsure how to behave. Did he lock eyes on the womans? did he glance at you for reasurance? It is important that we start reading these signs so as to judge how happy our dog is, and then politely ask the person to wait and let the tension dissolve.

However, many people approach a dog with hand out so your dog needs to learn this behaviour. There also seemed to be, from your description, a lot of attention on your dog. I always find it is a good idea to really ignore the dog at the begining. He must sit, wait for everybody to talk, not sniff or approach the person etc etc.

You only took this dog into a new environment quite recently. I´m sure he´s still trying to work out what is what, and he may be very very nervous with all the new changes. It´s great you are thinking forward to needing a dog walker, but maybe he also needs a bit of time to get used to you first. Maybe you could meet her a couple of times, similar to what you did at the shelter, and slowly gain his trust.

I understand, for your visitors, that he is a new addition to your family and they all want to meet him, but at least in the next few weeks they should really give him space. Ignoring is a good start, and then maybe a fun game, or a walk together, but a nervous dog should be allowed to approach slowly at his own speed. It may be that your visitors never really get a good pat with him for a couple of weeks....I´m not sure how much you know about his history, but at his age, this might be a pattern he has developed.

But you can improve it.

It sounds wierd, but with new visitors, think of your dog as a handbag(!) It sounds rude for the dog, but actually quite relaxing for him. You don´t need to let everybody touch your handbag, or introduce it either! Just ask him to wait quietly while you have your chat or let him find a nice place while you have a coffee. I think quite soon your dog will coming sniffing around to say hello, and then should be greeted gently with a rub under the chest, or possibly nothing at all.

If you are really concerned that you don´t have enough control over him, then start with a muzzle ( get him used to it first), but still, don´t take advantage of this and let people grope him knowing he can´t defend himself.

Please, please don´t give up too soon. The dog you fell in love with is still there, and wanting really really hard to please you, he´s just lost his way at the moment and needs some understanding.
Annie

Annie, thank you so much for all of your good advice. I will incorporate it in my training, and I am very grateful to you for taking the time to respond. Lucas is a good dog soul, and I just know he is worth all the time I can give him to save his life, and between all the good advice I receive here and our pro dog trainer who is coming next week, I think we will succeed. Thanks again! Lucas's Mom