Possible fear biting issue
- Thread starter Busymom
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He's a mutt, about 1 year - got him at 2 months at the spca. I try to encourage him...praise him when he goes near people without fear. If barking, I stand between him and the pesron he is barking at and tell him to be quiet with a hand signal. There isn't much else to say as he is just really afraid of people...barks, backs away with his tail between his legs when he sees anyone on the street. Same goes for people coming to our house.
It might just be his character and all you can do is try to build his confidence. Make all the situations controlled and positive and let him feel like he has some control. If you have some willing friends I'd have them come over and sit on the floor and just chat. Wait til he comes up to them. Let him make the first move. Lots of praise and love. It'll take time but hopefully he'll get some courage 
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I agree with Saje - he needs to find some confidence and some of this needs to be his choice. If he's pushed, I expect he might react by biting.
Dogs develop most of their personality by a few months old, and those are the months that are the prime time to socialize. Right now you're going to be working against his fears and it won't be easy.
You'll need to carefully control his situation and try not to put him under too much stress or in a place where he thinks that he has to defend himself. But you also need to find a way to really praise him whenever he offers even the slightest confident move. This may be as little as seeing a person in the distance and not reacting - praise and treat! If you go a foot closer towards the distant person and he doesn't react - praise and treat! It has to be that small of a behavior in order to start building his confidence. I would be willing to bet that when he's in fear mode he doesn't give many confident moves and so you need to start with those fearful things a long ways away.
If you do end up in a situation where he pulls back and barks, you don't want to stand in front of him (unless you feel that's the only way to keep someone from getting bit). By standing in front of him, you are "protecting" him from the fearful thing and feeding into his thoughts that there is a reason for the fear. You can't give him any sort of reaction that makes him think his fear is justified - no reassurance, no scolding, no commands, no attention. At that point in time, he will take those as reinforcement for his behavior.
Desensitization takes a long long time. There is no easy cure. If you start by rewarding at a distance and gradually (over a period of months) move closer you may be able to work through his fears. But as long as he's put into a position where he feels he has to act fearful, the problem will just continue.
If there is a behaviorist in your area (a true behaviorist) or a trainer who works with 100% positive methods (don't use them if they want to put a corrective collar on him or scold or use harsh techniques) then I would really recommend that you get him assessed and they should be able to set you up with desensitization techniques.
Good luck with him - it's not an easy task but it CAN be done!
Melanie and the gang in Alaska
Dogs develop most of their personality by a few months old, and those are the months that are the prime time to socialize. Right now you're going to be working against his fears and it won't be easy.
You'll need to carefully control his situation and try not to put him under too much stress or in a place where he thinks that he has to defend himself. But you also need to find a way to really praise him whenever he offers even the slightest confident move. This may be as little as seeing a person in the distance and not reacting - praise and treat! If you go a foot closer towards the distant person and he doesn't react - praise and treat! It has to be that small of a behavior in order to start building his confidence. I would be willing to bet that when he's in fear mode he doesn't give many confident moves and so you need to start with those fearful things a long ways away.
If you do end up in a situation where he pulls back and barks, you don't want to stand in front of him (unless you feel that's the only way to keep someone from getting bit). By standing in front of him, you are "protecting" him from the fearful thing and feeding into his thoughts that there is a reason for the fear. You can't give him any sort of reaction that makes him think his fear is justified - no reassurance, no scolding, no commands, no attention. At that point in time, he will take those as reinforcement for his behavior.
Desensitization takes a long long time. There is no easy cure. If you start by rewarding at a distance and gradually (over a period of months) move closer you may be able to work through his fears. But as long as he's put into a position where he feels he has to act fearful, the problem will just continue.
If there is a behaviorist in your area (a true behaviorist) or a trainer who works with 100% positive methods (don't use them if they want to put a corrective collar on him or scold or use harsh techniques) then I would really recommend that you get him assessed and they should be able to set you up with desensitization techniques.
Good luck with him - it's not an easy task but it CAN be done!
Melanie and the gang in Alaska
In addition to all the good advice, may I add that you too need to be aware of how you're reacting to the dog when he's worried about something. If you are reacting when he's fearful or making a fuss over him, cooing over him, etc, this will reinforce that feeling he has that something is wrong. He'll see you as being unsure. You have to act very unafraid and brave, confident and lead him. You have to show him that you, the leader has it all under control and eveything is just honky dory. So, be careful of your body language...that you stand tall and confident, that you remain calm and unnervous about how he is going to react. Be careful not to portray and unsure owner. That makes a lot of difference. Dogs can sense the slightest changes in our body language and facial expressions.
Thank you!
This is just great advice that I really appreciate.
I did get a trainer who was gentle but she was the one who told me to stand between the dog and the person...to reassure him that he has nothing to fear. I think what you say, IliamnasQuest, is valid though. It makes more sense in a way. Also, I totally agree Doberluv about dogs noticing everything and this is something I will keep in mind. More than anything I'm ashamed of him when he scares people and afraid he will bite. I will try not to show him this.
I will keep working hard with him. Thank you all
This is just great advice that I really appreciate.
I did get a trainer who was gentle but she was the one who told me to stand between the dog and the person...to reassure him that he has nothing to fear. I think what you say, IliamnasQuest, is valid though. It makes more sense in a way. Also, I totally agree Doberluv about dogs noticing everything and this is something I will keep in mind. More than anything I'm ashamed of him when he scares people and afraid he will bite. I will try not to show him this.
I will keep working hard with him. Thank you all