Issues I'm Having With Tron...

[angie8023]

Hey everyone. About a month or two ago I posted a thread about issues I had been having with the most recent pup I adopted from a shelter. He was having trouble going near my parents and other adults. He would run away or even growl sometimes. I took the advice I received on here and called a trainer. She told me to have whoever he was afraid come down to his level and offer him a treat. The goal being that he would have to approach people to get the treat. This was working and for what ever reason it's not anymore.

Now I have another problem. I hope what I have to say doesn't offend anyone. I just need honest advice. My husband and I along with most of my family are hispanic. Tron is afraid of everyone in my family but my husband and I. My best friend is caucasian. She came to visit me the other day and Tron was licking her like crazy. He usually runs from everyone. The next day we went off roading and ran into some strangers who happened to be caucasian as well. Again Tron was loving everyone and wasn't the least bit nervous. When we arrive home Tron sees and my aunt which is hispanic, and gets behind me and starts trembling!! He looked so frightened.

Do I have a dog that can't be around Hispanic people?! I have never heard of anything like this. I'm really embarrassed to discuss it but I don't know what to do.

 

[Criosphynx]

Hi


while this is good advice

She told me to have whoever he was afraid come down to his level and offer him a treat.

this can also be bad advice. This can create an aproach/retreat conflict as the dog really just wants to grab the treat and not interact with the person. In a way, its a bribe. Do this scary thing, see i have a treat if you do it.

Som' dogs do well with that technique, but others, need to start from scratch from far away, first looking at people (treat treat treat) and then a little closer (treat treat treat) and then the person should start tossing treats and then eventually the dog should go up to the person willingly with the treat HIDDEN. This way you know the dog really wants to meet the person, and you are reinforcing THAT behavior, not bribing the dog to do a scary thing for a treat

Basically, break it down into smaller, easier steps and reward like mad.


as far as the racial thing, I have seen dogs behave oddly around different races.

hope that helps.

 

[corgipower]

Do I have a dog that can't be around Hispanic people?! I have never heard of anything like this. I'm really embarrassed to discuss it but I don't know what to do.

It can happen.

If he wasn't exposed to enough of a variety of people -- whites, blacks, hispanics, orientals, old, young, hairy, tall, fat, etc -- he can be worried about whatever is unfamiliar.

Different races and sizes and ages of people often have different mannerisms/gaits/vocalizations and to a dog might have different smells. Those differences can certainly lead to a dog being nervous around some races and not others.

 

[bubbatd]

You have no idea about his past . He may have been abused in the past and the scent bothers him .

 

[Maura]

People have different scents in part because of what they eat. If the Hispanics in your region eat different spices than the caucasions, this could be triggering a response in your dog, either because of the difference, or because he was mistreated by someone who smelled like your relatives.

 

[angie8023]

I'm going to try Criosphynx's method. Maybe that will help. Corgipower reminded me that he freaks out to loud noises. When my family is here it seems as if it's too much. He is also around loud people of other ethnicities and acts normal. Who know's what the root of his problems are but I'm determined to help this pup out!

 

[StillandSilent]

When I first got Argon, he would bark any any african-american person he saw. I know it's because he was never socialized and lived only with a little old white couple, so he probably didnt'recognize them as people, but it was soooo embarassing. So don't be too upset, I think a lot of poorly socialized dogs have that reaction to races/ages/weights that they dont' commonly see.
Now I have Neon. who just hates everyone regardless of race. Not sure if that's an improvement or not!:lol-sign:

 

[angie8023]

Lol Good to know I'm not the only one who has or had this problem!!