Sampson doesn't like strangers at our house

[Wayne Hale]

Hey all! 

 

We (my wife and myself, plus 4 teenagers) adopted our 3.5 year old Boerboel Sampson last August and are all beyond in love with him.  I'd had a Dogue de Bordeaux before my wife and I ever met, so she didn't know the wonders of having a Mastiff in your life LOL.  She sure is hooked now though!  So are the kids.  He's very loving, affectionate, attentive & devoted with all of us and I'll have to admit, kind of dotes on me...hangs on my every movement and word. 

 

When we take him out and about, he's usually fairly indifferent to others around him and he definitely doesn't seek the affection of others if we're out on walks, at Petsmart, etc.  But he also doesn't mind being petted or crowded around when people talk to us.  When we've taken him to my sister-in-law's house before, he's always happy as can be there too.  In fact, with around 30 people there for a party in December, he was probably less indifferent and more "happy social" with strangers than we usually see him. 

 

So enough of the background...he does not like people in our house outside of the core 6 of us that live there.  He doesn't take off after anyone, lunge at them or anything.  He does growl, snort, take a tail up/chest out forward posture, barks sometimes and his hackles go up about 75% of the time.  He still reluctantly listens to you and usually calms down as the time they are there passes.  He's usually worse with males than females and probably the worst with African American males...which is weird, since 3 of my kids are adopted from Ethiopia and one of them is male. 

 

Anyways, any thoughts, advice, etc are greatly appreciated.  I can't exactly parade strange people through my house every day or anything, but it would be nice if he chilled some on the subject.

 

Thanks in advance,

Wayne

 

[Lee May]

Hi Wayne, very good post. Sampson is being overly protective for that is what he thinks he is to do. Most likely through lifestyle patterns. exp. daily mail man, trash men. All who leave once he has shown is power through barking, snorting ect. in effect he believes he has won and done his job. I mention this only to give you a little idea of what he is thinking. Now to change the behavior, it does get a little tricky. Since you haven't raised him since puppy hood. Glad you mentioned that point for it matters alot.

First off a few questions for you; How well does he listen to you, your wife and kids? Will he come when called from the yard  the first time? Can all members of the family walk on lead with no problems lunging, pulling, walk past other dogs without any changes in behavior? What do you do when he shows unwanted behavior, what type of corrections do you use?

Changing behavior; You are Going to have to work through it by doing and practice, mabe using one or two kids friends of your children. if teenage or close to grown.. First have them ring bell, knock on door. When Sampson sounds the alarm go to him and leash up, take 3 ft. away from door and put in a sit stay stay by his side. Have him settle down no barking growling if you can not get him to settle down, you will have to give correction, but firstly I need to know if you have given corrections before. and how Sampson reacts to those corrections. We don't want anyone to get hurt. Do not open door till you have Calm attentive dog by your side. You can work through this in a week or two with practice.There are a few more parts to this practice, but I need more information from above.  Thanks for our time, it does require a little bit of work, but well worth it. Peace Lee

[Lee May]

Hey Anyone who would rather talk by email privately, Marco has been so kind to give me one here. [e-mail] Thanks Lee

[Wayne Hale]

Thanks for the quick reply, Lee!  Now, to the questions...

 

The more I think about it, I'd say he's 90-something percent on a lot of behavioral things.  He definitely listens to me the most, then my wife, then the kids.  So somewhere in the mid to high 90th percentile...he will come on the first call for all of us.  He walks very well on a leash, but there have been a few times that he'll pull the end of his leash after another dog (only smaller dogs are coming to mind) has tried to come at him.  I've never seen him actually initiate anything. 

In the way of corrections, I guess a basic firm "NO!", a sit & stay until he seems to not be as...interested/excited...I guess his state depends on the situation.  If he's showing the "guarding our home" behavior, I'll make him sit & stay and try to keep him in the room with "the threat" if one of us can watch him.  Otherwise, I'll point him off to the master bedroom and close our door.  There have been a few times when he's on a sit & stay, continues the growling/barking with raised hair on his back, that I've grabbed around his muzzle at the base (just under the eyes) and told him "NO!" with a quick little snap to my wrist. 

 

What can be chalked up to personality?  He does little things that basically say to me “I’m here to protect you”.  If we stop for more than 30 seconds and the area behind us is  at all open (like if our backs are more than 15 feet from a wall or something), he always stands/sits/lays down facing the opposite direction from where we are facing.  If we’re at a park sitting in lawn chairs, he always lays down facing the opposite direction from the direction we’re looking.  On walks, he also dislikes having anyone else behind him.  But it always seems more along the lines that he’s just trying to keep track of everyone.  So if I’m walking him and my wife is walking our Basset, he will slow up and look behind us to see where they are about every 50 feet…then he’ll try and slyly slow us down enough and move to the side so that they can pass…then he’s trottin’ like a champ as soon as they’re in front.  He’ll do this when it’s  more than just my wife and I walking him and our Basset too.  Always wants himself and whoever has his leash pulling up the rear. 

 

He did do pretty well when 4 other coaches from my son’s indoor football team came over last night to watch game video.  He barked at the doorbell, but sat and stayed even when they were about 6 feet away from him.  He didn’t continue barking at them once they were in, but did try a few low growls.  I made him lay down at that point and he didn’t try and get up as we all moved into the next room and sat down (where he can still plainly see us).  After around 10 minutes he tried to walk our way, but my wife was near him still and told him to come back and lay down, which he did.

[Lee May]

Thanks Wayne, great information I needed to know if he respects your decision over his, which sounds like you have good control. BB's are big strong dogs, who need corrections, physical contact, sometimes to get your point accross. Firm touch, as you mentioned, not abusive but to snap him out of his action. I do use a nose hand tap, as well as a choke collar correction with lead, nothing hard, but just enough of a correction to get the desired result, not to make him cower, just change focus. General corrections with choke collar should be quick and released, do not hold or double up, again must be used with a lead, a 2Ft. works best for close contact, also he can drag it around the house without causing problems. But a standard 6ftr. will work too. Back to excersice, once in sit stay 3 ft or so from door, Sampson should be in a sit stay off to your left, if he is still growling or barking give a small correction with a No and out at exact same time, this will get him to realize over time the Verbal NO ( from your diapharagm, not a yell) with a correction means to Listen now. Practice this with a sit stay first at home alone to gage his reaction. Once he understands this, go to the door bell decoy. You first Hold him have your wife go to door and open it, you keep him in a sit stay, while talking to him softly, telling him what a good boy he is. if he breaks position give small correction. with no sit at exact same time. Have your wife pretend to have a  quick conversation and close door. If he stays in position once door is closed give big praise, rub body, and voice approval of his good job. walk him off into other part of house away from door, reward him with treat(if you prefere or with a toy.)  Do not allow him to go back to door, heel him off away from door. Repeat 2 to 3 times over 15 min. or so. You staying calm is also key, for if you get upset, he doesn't listen first or second time he see it as he won and changing behavior will become harder. Don't forget the praise for he need it feel you are proud of his behavior. Short lead cand also be used when company comes over. Have visitors ignore him while in down stay. Good luck and sorry to be so long. Let me know if you have any problems with this method. Thanks and Peace Lee

[Lee May]

Hey Wayne just checking in to see if you've been working on Sampson. Let me know when you get a chance. Peace