Porter's Page!

Ummmm... Do you see anything inconsistent in your OP?

Look, I'm a random guy on an internet forum... that has trained dogs professionally. The first thing any dog owner needs to understand in getting a new dog is a consistent and accurate assessment of the dog they are going to be living with. You can't have a sweetheart dog... if the dog seems ready to bite your face off. Which is it?

 

Just looking at his picture. He's really a gorgeous boy.

Whose dog is he? Yours? Your dad's? Lab's aren't as hard about that as say a Chesapeake but somebody needs to be his Alpha. Are you in a position to take him with you everywhere and just spend time socializing with him. He's gotta find his place. Howzabout a kennel? Does he have a dog kennel / porta-pet in the house? Kennel training is critical. The Denning instinct is strong in these guys. NEVER as punishment. NEVER. But as a place he can call his own that he can retreat to that's comfortable and warm and safe.

We start that behavior at about 8 weeks. My boys will "kennel" on command from a 1/2 mile away. One command and they're gone! Up and in!

Edit: Does he have thumbs? Seriously, are his dewclaws still intact or is he 4 toed?

 

Will respond later tonight. I am on the road right now.

 

Family dog, dew claws are intact, and he is very obedient; He comes when called, etc...

 

He also does have a kennel, in my bedroom; The first night we had him, he howled, but now he feels safe in there and will hang out there when the door is open sometimes.

 

He doesn't seem ready to night anyone's face off; He just barks and occasionally growls at strangers, especially men. He also seems triggered by certain clothes rather than the people wearing them, as was the case with my grandma; My grandma was actually the one who got down on her hands and knees and got him to not be scared of the stairs at her house in Maine. The fact that we are in the middle of a pandemic and many people are wearing masks isn't helping either.

I honestly think part of the reason Porter is so standoffish about strange people coming into his house is because we got him literally a week before the COVID was declared a pandemic and the whole country shut down, and we still don't have people coming on regularly.

I see nothing inconsistent in what I was saying; Porter is NOT the least bit mean or vicious and has never shown any signs of wanting to "bite someone's face off"...

 

hey didn’t forget about what I said. I just reached out to find a trainer. Been busy at work. I’ll report back soon as my buddy gets back to me.

 

My ex and I had a rescue German Shepherd that was absolutely accepting of us and the first people he met with us (my parents) but really struggled meeting anyone else. We went through three trainers, including the one the foster family had used and had three different theories/approaches. Finally found one that truly seemed to understand the cause of his issues. And we made progress in time. I have copies of the files she gave us buried in the email inbox. I'll see if I can find them and PM them. This trainer refused to use a choke or shock collar and only used a clicker & treats to reward positive behaviors.

 

@Travlr

He spent the first five months of his life at an Amish "breeder" (Cough, cough **Puppy Mill** Cough, cough), before the they surrendered him to the rescue we got him from; It was not like one of those factory farms in Missouri according to the rescue, but it was still a puppy mill, and we believe that part of the reason Porter is so quirky is because he was neglected and deprived of a lot of attention critical to a puppy growing into well-adjusted adult dog; He also used to freak out when we tried to "lure" him with a treat, and we have to get him professionally bathed because we can't get him anywhere near the bathtub in the house. I am friends with some of the staff at this groomer, and introduced Porter to them when he was a puppy, so they are able to give him a bath without issue.

 

So, "occasionally growls at strangers, especially men.", "triggered by certain clothes", and "is so standoffish about strange people"...

is not inconsistent with...

"NOT the least bit mean or vicious and has never shown any signs...",

???

Look, as said... a random guy on an internet forum.

But there are all kinds of inconsistencies as I have read through the posts. The best I can advise is that you take your dog to a trainer. In fact from what I've been reading I suggest you find a basic obedience course so you can learn a few things about training yourself.

There are all kinds of things that could be affecting your dog. It doesn't seem like you are willing to be critical of your dog and he may need you (or someone) to be able to evaluate properly..

 

@Travlr

He also seems to freak out whenever he thinks he's going to be confined to a dark space. Last month, he almost got hurt at my friend's house when he tried to beat the garage door. My friend's house was built in 1958 and is basically a ranch house on a sloped lot, with a drive-under 2-car garage that does not have automatic openers. My house was built in 2016 and has a garage door with laser sensors that stop the door in its tracks and send it back up if anything interrupts the beam; My friend has NO garage door openers. I had opened the garage door and gone inside, and Porter followed me. Being a heavy old garage door with no opener, the damn thing didn't stay put, and came back down; Porter freaked out, attempted to beat the garage door, and ended up with the rubber weatherstripping catching him on the back just ahead of his hind legs. This did not seem to faze him, and he just scooted out without incident; I of course freaked out, thinking he would have some sort of spinal injury, and ripped the garage door open. Not only was Porter not injured, but amazingly enough is still not scared of garage doors. That happened on like December 29th of last year and two weeks later, he's fine; He is now kept on a leash when any garage door is in operation though...

 

Hey! Behavioral Teacher here - sounds like he was locked up a lot & just needs freedom till you get a trainer. Maybe he was left outside a lot or whatever but def caged alone all the time. For every bad day, it takes 2 good days to undo a bad behavior! He's a beautiful lab! I'd recommend more gestural promoting then voice commands & talking. GL - Godspeeeeed!

 

Okay...dewclaws intact. Probably a good guess he wasn't bred for any significant traits. Backyard breeders in most cases are the scourge of dog society. Just look at the average Chocolate Lab in the last 20 years. Some seriously bad behavioral AND conformation issues. In plain terms, their really fucked up.

Hopefully Porter's not on that level. One thing to consider with the indoor kennel is get an open sided cage type so he can be in it yet see his friends and family from all angles. Transport porters, that's not so important. Big enough for him to stand up and turn around and he's good.

I'm not gonna fire any other BS in your direction. Sounds like there may be some more experience willing to participate.

Oh....last thing....tiny little pieces of cheap Bar S hot dogs FTW when it comes to training treats. Cut the weiner in half lengthwise, then cross cut in 1/4" slices. He can eat a zillion of them with little effect and they're gone in a blink so no waiting on his reward. You can keep on moving and they'll do anything for a shitty hot dog. I eat them, too when training. You can spit them at him when you're doing the "look" command.

 

But he's never bitten or tried to attack anyone; He warms up to most people (except my last girlfriend; long story). He just barks and growls, and then after that stops he just avoids them until he determines they just want to pet him.

"Mean and vicious" would be my uncle's Aussie Shepherd/Border Collie mix who tore open my hand when we were visiting them for Christmas in 2001; All I did was reach down to pat her on the head, and she tore open my hand. 20 years later, I'm amazed that I didn't need stitches.

Porter isn't like Kelsey in the slightest; If
I thought he was dangerous, I wouldn't regularly bring him to car shows and other events; He loves kids and lets them climb all over him. He also loves other dogs. When he's on neutral territory, like a cruise night in a shopping center parking lot, he runs away from strangers and tucks his tail between his legs but does not bark or go on the defensive.

If the "stranger" is a woman with a dog treat, he is very easily bribed and warms up to them quickly; As stated above, he readily goes up to children even if he's never met them.

 

@Travlr

I have volunteered at a dog shelter years ago, and I have been bitten before, but it comes with the territory; You can't be as much of an animal lover as me and be afraid of getting nipped defensively by a dog that was probably abused. I got also bitten on the finger by a rat at a pet store (a white domestic "fancy" rat, not some feral rat, LOL)...

That said, Porter does not bite when scared and cornered, because some idiot at a car show actually grabbed his leash and pulled him towards him despite me repeatedly me telling him not to and nothing happened aside from Porter just trying harder to get away. I've had Porter for almost two years, and I feel I know him well enough to say that he is not mean or dangerous.

 

But are hot dogs really healthy for dogs? I rarely eat them anymore!

And here is a picture of one of Porter's dew claws; He thought I was trying to play and getting him to sit still was impossible!

 

@GrizzledBastard

A bit hard to see, but they are there; My last Black Lab had them as well. My cousin had a Yellow Lab who was born with them, but they were surgically removed; I don't know if my aunt and uncle had this done or if the breeder had it done.

Also, I did not know that about Chocolate Labs!

 

Let me know when you are willing to listen, think, and accept advice, about the troubling behaviors you are here asking about.

 

I'm willing to do all those things; I just don't think my dog is dangerous...

 

Are you willing to consider that he might be if you don't handle him correctly?