Growling at people in elevator, barking in hallway

[chakasmom]

Hello,

I am fostering a 5 month old chow puppy. I have had her in my home for 1 1/2 weeks. She has made tremendous progress in many areas, like potty training, commands, walking on leash, not jumping on counters...all things that were issues when she first walked in the door. However she has aggression issues, biting and growling. The biting is to me when she gets riled up. I am in a condo environment and I take her out to potty every 3 to 4 hours now which requires going down the elevator and walking a block to grass and back. In addition she gets at least one long walk a day (1 hour to 2 hours) or running around at a fenced in dog park.

The main issue right now is she is doing some growling at people when they get on the elevator and when we come out into the hall if someone comes out of their unit she gets territorial and barks. I make her sit in the elevator and stoop down next to her and tell her to be a good girl and pet her to try and get the behavior to subside. This is going to be a problem in a condo situation. Last night was her first puppy class but it seems as if it will be pretty basic and she needs some serious intervention. I need help!

In addition: Things I am doing when she shows aggression in the condo, put her in her timeout crate for 10 to 15 minutes, ignore her for a while when she comes out, telling her "no". When she bites on the leash as we walk I stop in place and stand still. The behavior will eventually stop but it takes an hour to get up the block because she resumes to biting leash when I start walking. When she gets riled up and bites me outside...I am at a loss her, it is hard to ignore a behavior when she is trying to bite me, telling her a stern "no" does nothing. this is not mouthy puppy play...it is aggression when she gets riled up.

Any suggestions?

Cher

[sdasilva27]

I suggest reading the how to guidelines at the top of the training forum. There is some really good info there. I think it addresses most if not all of her behaviors and how to react. If you still need help after that, let us know.

But you could try putting a gentle leader harness on her to keep her from biting the leash. The leash would attach in front of her chest which would probably make it harder for her to bite and then she won't tug on the leash when walking (if she does now, you didn't mention it so I'm not sure). I think the best thing to do in most other situations is to ignore them, even though that is very hard to do at times.

Just my 2 cents.

[Jeff&Peks]

My Chow was an elevator Chow once, just keep doing what your doing, in time your Chow will know who's who and who belongs. as long as no one is bothering her or trying to pet her she should settle down in a few days. My Chow got to know who was coming and going in the hallways with the door shut and not able to see anyone. Your hallway will most likely become part of her territory so once she see's the neighbors coming and going she won't pay attention any more. Look at the bright side, in her mind she thinks you own the whole building.

Giving her time outs from barking in the hallway or on the elevator I don't think will do to much good, by the time you get back to your apartment she has no idea what the problem is, a firm No when it happens will help she knows then your not pleased with the behavior but a few minutes after I don't think does any good.

[chakasmom]

Thank you all for your comments.

I actually have her in a gentle lead harness and collar that hook on her chest. She gets the leash very easily even if I hold the leash straight up. The crating, yes I have a crate that is used as her penalty box. I only use this method if she gets aggressive with me in the condo and then she immediately goes to this place. I do not have a solution for when she gets aggressive with me outside. She is hard to get under control, it is as if a switch goes off on her and I cannot shut it off. 85% of the time she is a very loving little girl. The other 15% she is very aggressive and out of control.

The condo situation is not the best environment for her I know. My concern is condos are known for having people in them who like to cause problems and sue. The HOA will react if people complain. People are not going to have the patience to wait for me to train her. I wish there was a quicker solution to curb the aggression in these areas. My last chow who died 5 weeks ago lived here her entire 12 years and was a very different personality. She loved most people and was very quiet and well behaved. She would bark if she felt threatened but that was in rare cases.

Info on this girl's background, she came to me with a deficit. She went from being abandoned, to a city shelter, to staying in a vets kennel. She knew nothing and had no doggie skills when she came to me. The day I met her she growled at me and when I decided to foster and pick her up she growled and did not want to go with me.

Thanks,
Cher

[Boogie and Linda]

From what you describe, she sounds an awful lot like my Boogie used to be. He was like the Tazmanian Devil when he got wound up and he would bite like crazy but it was all in play in his mind. I almost took him back to the rescue because he had bitten through my pant leg, my daughters pant leg, and three leashes within the first two days. He was only 12 weeks old at the time. Before we took him back to the rescue, we had to buy hims a chain leash that he couldn't bite through so we stopped in a PetSmart. We ended up talking with the trainer there just to see if he was really as crazy as we thought. She said he was crazy but it was nothing that we couldn't work to correct. She riled him up and he did the whole biting thing and she let out the loudest yelp I had ever heard which startled him and everyone else in the store (the manager came over to see if she had lost a finger or something) and then she stood up and ignored him. He looked at her like she was crazy and started on her pant leg. She yelped again really loudly and continued to ignore him. Pretty soon he got tired of her and laid down. Then she played with him again and this continued. We went home and worked on it and it seemed like we did this for forever but one day it finally clicked with him that he shouldn't do that. The chain leash helped too because he couldn't bite it. He would get excited and try every now and then and bite the leash but I am sure it hurt so he learned not to bite it. Oh, and a lot of people suggested the bitter apple spray for the leash and the pant legs but it didn't help, in fact it made him more crazy to lick and bite it all off.

As for the growling on the elevator, I think she is just being leary of the stangers coming in which is her "job". Would it be possible for you to carry some really good treats that strangers (who are willing) could give to her? That helped me with socializing. And there may be some people that she will still be leary of and I find those are the people that I should stay away from too. Boogie hates my adult step-son and he will growl at him and follow him all over the house always keeping himself between the two of us. All my step-son says is the dog is crazy. I told him "the dog" knows you are a shady character and can't be trusted.

[chakasmom]

Boogie's mom, the chain leash is a good idea. I have been doing the high pitched "OWS" but as you stated should be much louder and more consistent. Sometimes things happen so fast I do not react quick enough and feel overwhelmed. She is definitely a defiant toddler, but the aggression needs to stop.

Thanks again to everyone.

Cher

[jacqui]

sounds like you're doing a great job with her in a short time.I can't add anything else,everyone has just about covered everything.
she is young and I think with you working with her she'll be fine.hang in there,the puppy months go by so fast.
wishing you both all the best and keep us posted on her progress