# Spanish Water Dog behaviour



## Bazzasmisses (Jul 30, 2013)

I am new to the site and in need of advice..! I have a 2 yr old Spanish water dog. Over the last 6 months he has started to bark and growl at people coming into the house. We have followed advice to 'change his position in the pack' i.e feeding him after us, making him wait to come in or out house last etc, but alas no change. Today he was jumping and barking at the postman, he has never been this aggressive to anyone before. Im afraid that if we dont vgange his behaviour that he could bite someone. We have 2 kids 5 and 8. id appreciate any advice ..!


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

Where did you get this advice about his position in the pack? That stuff is disproven, and a load of rubbish. I'm not at all surprised it hasn't worked.

So, any books by Cesar Milan or Jan Fennel should be burnt. If you got this advice from a trainer, have nothing more to do with them.

Are there any problems other than with visitors to your house? What's he like meeting new people away from home?

Most dogs bark at the postman. The dog sees it as part of his job to guard the house - that's normal behaviour. Every day, around the same time, this intruder comes and pushes things into the house. The dog barks, and the intruder goes away. Of course we know the postman was continuing on his round, but to the dog, he made the intruder go away by barking. The simple solution to this is to confine the dog away from the letterbox when the post is due, or fit one of those outside letterbox thingies.

It's not possible for anyone to make a specific recommendation for how to sort this out without seeing his behaviour, so you should see a qualified dog behaviourist. My way would be to get him to associate visitors with good things. Fit a babygate and have him behind it when visitors come. The visitors should ignore him (nothing to do with pack position but attention can cause stress to him). The visitors should ocassionally chuck a dog treat to him when he's not barking or lunging. If he behaves well with this, the visitor could move closer to the gate, but facing away (less stress) and drop treats to him. In due course, if he behaves nicely, he could meet them without a barrier.


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## hazel pritchard (Jun 28, 2009)

Hi you may be able to get some advice on here although its a rescue they say they also offer advice.

Spanish Water Dog Rescue


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## CarlyWoody (Jan 22, 2013)

To desensitise my dogs to the bin man and the post man, I would get up when just before they were due, have my dog on a lead and LOTS of tasty treats in my hand. I would put my dog in a sit and then reward every time they "checked in" or looked at me. If the bum was still on the ground and focus is (mostly) on me as the respective nasty people went by, LOTS of treats as well as good girls and voice praise. If she got up, back in a sit, get focus back and try again. As she got better, we got closer to the pavement so that the stress was stronger.
Overnight fix? No way, but nothing worth getting is easy.
When she got better, I would give my postie a treat to give to my dog (I know my postie though!) She now thinks the postie is the best person (next to me of course!)  Bin man doesn't stop doesn't even wave the sod


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## briarlow (Dec 31, 2008)

they are a guarding breed. With my dogs I either take them outside to say hello first and then walk them in together or put my dogs away in the kitchen for a while until things have calmed down and then let them say hello to the visitor at their own pace.


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