Behaviour help!

[WaffleMum]

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Hi all,
Wondering if anyone can help. We have a 1 year old rescue toy poodle who had an awful start in life. When we got him he was terrified of everything, skinny and just generally in poor health. We’ve had him 6 months and he’s put on weight and is much less scared of life! To help with working patterns we have a dog walker twice a week. At first, he went along happily but then suddenly turned very aggressive to the point of wanting to bite. We were both devastated. She agreed to keep working with him and now just drops in, plays, lets him out for a wee and then leaves. This made a difference and he was happier with her again. The last week, he’s started growling at her again. He’s not biting but will not let her touch him. He will still chase ball and go out in the garden for a wee/poop but won’t let her near him again to have a pet or a cuddle.
For context, he’s not like this with anyone else - just her. We have friends over and he’s fine! She is the only other person that comes to him when we’re not here though…could it be he just doesn’t trust her anymore?
Anyone ever encountered this and have any advice for us? She’s brilliant and we really want it to work but I fear he’ll never trust her and get out walking with her again.
Help!

 

[JudyN]

A dog with his background could have an awful lot of anxieties, and his experiences could have permanently affected how he developed. It's possible that there's something about this dog walker that reminds him of a past experience, or something could have happened on a walk with her that scared him, even if he didn't make it obvious to her, and he associates her with whatever happened. And I should mention that some dog walkers don't always treat our dogs in the way we would, or don't respect their feelings about a situation - ignore this if you have 100% confidence in her.

Or it could be that he needs you there to give him confidence.

In your situation I'd consider trying another dog walker, but let them come round the house several times while you're there, so he comes to see them as another family friend. Then they could visit him while you're working, play with him and let him out to toilet, and only when he seems 100% comfortable with them try taking him for a walk. And I'd make the first walks very low stress, no traffic, no other dogs or people getting up close, and allow him to turn for home as soon as he wants. Of course, you need to vet the dog walker very carefully, but having them visit your house while you're there a few times should help with that.

 

[WaffleMum]

Thank you so much for that - she’s been absolutely brilliant throughout it all. We do have a behaviourist so have asked their advice too but it’s just so strange to me that he’s the only person he growls at. She’s completely convinced nothing has happened but as our behaviourist said, it could be something from him perceiving it as a scary, bad thing rather than something we would see that way.
I just don’t know how much more time she’s willing to give, or how much time we give it if it’s all a waste!

 

[JoanneF]

He’s not biting but will not let her touch him

won’t let her near him again to have a pet or a cuddle

Is there a good reason why she should need to touch him or cuddle him?

I'd put money in him having given more subtle signals that he is unhappy with her touching him, but she hasn't seen them. That isn't a criticism, they can be very subtle. Or, at least, subtle to us; however your dog probably thought he was being perfectly clear - but since his signals are being ignored (in his view) he is having to make his message even more clear by escalating to a growl. The next levels would be snarl, snap then bite and you don't want him to feel the need to do that.

I'd suggest your dog walker just lets him out, plays ball if he wants, but doesn't try to touch him. Definitely no cuddling, dogs often find that unpleasant, like being restricted.

If she needs to move him from place to place, she should lure him with a toy or treat rather than touch him.

 

[WaffleMum]

This is what we’ve been doing for a couple of months now - do you think it’ll take him a lot longer to build that trust? He comes and says hi at the door when she gets here and he’ll go out in the garden and play - this is progress from literally snarling and not getting off of the sofa which was what he was like two months ago! Are we just rushing him do you think?
We’ve agreed for the next few visits she’ll follow the same thing of coming in, giving treats and playing ball, letting him wee and then leaving him be without touching. We’ve been training some commands so she’s going to try that with his favourite treats too!

 

[JoanneF]

I don't think it's so much about building trust, as him learning that she is listening to him. IDK, perhaps that boils down to the same thing?

Anyway, I'd definitely continue with her doing this, and as I can't see any reason for her to need to pet him or touch him, keep doing it for as long as it's keeping him happy. He doesn't need to actually walk if he is getting exercise with his ball and a toilet break.

 

[WaffleMum]

He’s getting a 30 minute walk with me and my partner every day, longer at the weekend. He has a good hour of playtime between us with ball and in the garden chasing.
I think I just worry that they don’t have a good bond - he’s so affectionate with everyone else in our lives and I think his behaviour towards her is making her not like him! He absolutely dotes on my friends, my stepsons and family that visit. Within minutes of meeting anyone new he’s like ‘give me love! Give me attention!’ so I think my concern is that if he doesn’t like her, is he getting what he needs?
Really appreciate your responses - food for thought!