How To Build Dogs Confidence Around Certain Males.

[Ben and Jerry]

Tonight at training we have gotten a new instructor for the term. The new instructor is a male and my dog seems to lose confidence/become scared around him. It seemed to go a bit downhill with our stand for exams at the beginning of the night. We have mostly trained with female instructors and were at stage with our stand for exams where we were able to easily go 2-3 meters and return behind without any moving from the dog. Tonight as soon as he had been examined my dog would return himself to my side. When we had a few attempts of Jerry returning to my side I was told we should go back to starters with our stand for exams, I tried to explain maybe he isn't confident with other males and just sort of shuts down as we have had no issues with distance work for the past 2 terms. How can I try to build up his confidence if that is the problem when the only time I see this instructor is on a weekly basis. I thought maybe I should take this term off and see how we go training at home but then I would just be avoiding the situation and would love to continue training at class because this instructor has experience in trialling and judging and he adds more exciting mixes to the training sessions. If I did continue to go each week I just worry about taking steps backwards with our training or would it be a no issue aslong as we stick with it at home?

I'm hoping this makes some sense to someone as I seem to struggle getting words from my head to the page .

[Primedogs]

Could you continue to go each week but if your dog is uncomfortable stand on the outer edges of the class to create some distance if needed working some distance away from the group. Discussing with the insturcter and asking them to give your dog some distance when working for the time being.

For stand for exam's I would hesitate to continue with full on stand for exams straight away and at least with this insturcter, I would do as adviced and reinforce each stage of the stand for exam again, working up to where your dog is comfortable enough to do a complete stand for exam at a distance with this instructer. You might not be able to achieve this but you can work towards it in the time frame you have.

When not busy doing an exercise or before or after class if the the insturcter has time work on the issue of them being uncertain of the male instructer. This way you can still get the insturcters experiance and exercises.

[Cleo's Corgwyn]

You've added in a new distraction, so I'd suggest going back to a level that will make your dog comfortable. Stand right in front of him and treat regularly during the stand for exam. Are you at Tuggeranong, and having Charlie? My girl did the same thing, and for the same reason, having not been used to male instructors, and now she adores Charlie!

[Erny]

What's your dog like with the male Instructor (or males in general) when he (your dog) is not in a stand for exam? Is this a general lack of socialisation in amongst male people? If so, I think that's where you need to do some work rather than asking your dog to not only stand for exam but get over male people as well. IOW, simply the exercise by reducing some load.

[Ben and Jerry]

Yeah we have Charlie at the moment. We have had him in the past but has been a few rotations since we last saw him. I don't remember him having any issues with him last time though . I guess we'll continue with the basics with somethings as I'd hate to miss what Charlie has to offer, he has added some Rally-O training to the session to help tighten up turn and I'm enjoying it a lot more then the usual heel work up and down the field .

[Ben and Jerry]

He seems fine around most other males. There is another male instructor we usually run into before or after class and he has no issues trying to get pats from him. He is fine around males who visit the house wether there strangers or someone familiar but I guess he is more at ease since we're at home. Around the current instructor he doesn't seem to pay much attention to him, he doesn't try to get pats whenever possible as he does with anyone else. During the stands his tail tends to drop and wag and he licks his lips as he is approached. The instructor has seen he is that comfortable so comes in a lot slower, more direct rather then from the side and gives a give pat before moving back, but as soon as he backs off my dogs returned beside me even when I'm standing nose to knees. When I got him I don't know what sort of socialisation he had recieved and from reading posts here I believe I also missed a crucial stage as he was around 4-5months old. The only other person I've really seen him sort of shut down with is a behaviorist I had come see us. Could my dog possibly percieve the new instructor as being similar to the behaviorist? They do have some similarities in appearance.

[Erny]

Hard to tell, B&J. Your dog could be picking up on a higher level of assertiveness than he is used to. He could be picking up on a similar smell (cigarettes, for example) along with the fact they are male. Beards? Mo's? There are so many things - some of which are not visible (scent, as aforementioned). However, we just have to deal with what we've got, in the absence of knowing :).

I wonder about the instructor approaching "more directly from the front" although perhaps you don't mean straight on, as that could be a bit challenging for your dog. Also, going in more slowly could be perceived as a bit threatening, even though that's not what is intended. Casual/incidental approaches with your dog NOT in a commanded position might be worth exploring. Try having the instructor have his back turned and YOU walking your dog up to and past. You can lower intensity to begin with by using distance and you can also position your own body to 'split', as the criteria intensity is increased (as appropriate). YOU offer your dog a treat each time as you approach, reach and pass. As your dog improves/shows he's ok with this approach and you've increased the intensity by reducing distance as much as is possible, the intensity is increased again with the instructor standing (at ease, casual like) facing your dog (but not making eye contact) .... or even a little bit angled towards rather than straight on .... . You go back to adding distance and repeat the exercise/s from the beginning. And so it goes. Speak with your instructor about this suggestion first though - he is the one who sees your dog, not I, and it can be difficult to make suggestions that are appropriate for the dog, owner and situation without that advantage.

Edited February 22, 2012 by Erny

[Ben and Jerry]

Thanks Erny. We will see how we go next week and see if we can cut out the stands for now and give the casual interactions ago instead.

[Rebanne]

why not try an approach while the dog is in a sit stay? They are often more solid in that before a stand. Just a simple walk by, then a chuckle under the chin maybe, then a run of the hands down the back, then onto a stand with you standing beside him etc. If the instructor is good this shouldn't take long at all.

eta spelling

Edited February 22, 2012 by Rebanne