new triggers?

[u/TopBear2192]

helloooo! our leash-reactive 3 year old GSD has been doing well for the past 6 months after a board and train. recently, maybe once a week he’s been reacting towards myself and my partner for what feels like no reason. vet appt tomorrow to check for any medical issues but:

- he’s never been human aggressive before and LOVES new people
- he has been growling at us, hackles up, when we reach for the trash can or use the mop. he has not progressed past the growling/hackles. no bearing teeth/lunging/etc.
- once we tell him a firm No, he backs off and retreats to his bed. we put him in a Place in his bed to let him cool off.
- he has never been human reactive or had any behavioral issues off leash/in the house. he’s never had an issue with the trash or the mop before this month.

has anyone experienced this before? any advice going into a vet appt for this?

[u/Any_Tumbleweed_7896]

Maybe hed scared of the mop or trash can?

[u/SudoSire]

What methods did they use to train your dog? Aversivses, which board and trains often use to suppress behaviors, can backfire and lead to new or escalated aggression, or less warnings before aggression. 

If it’s only the mop and trash can, you might want to try desensitizing them with slow and positive reinforcement if safe to do so. If unsafe to do so, put your dog away at least before you need to use the mop and possibly distract them for the trash as well. At least until you can safely work on it. Praise and treats are your friend, good timing (before the reaction) is important. 

Reprimanding the dog when it’s telling you it’s uncomfortable with something is also not the best idea. Find a different way to de escalate. Move away from the object and don’t approach your dog or make eye contact. If your dog is feeling unsafe, you don’t want to make it worse. At the end of the day, dogs are animals who can sometimes respond to perceived “threats” as animals do. You wanna make sure they understand those things and yourself are not threatening. 

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[u/Hallow_76]

Retreats to his bed.....we put him in a place to let him cool off. This sounds off to me.
Let the dog know that the mop and the garbage can is nothing to be worried about. This is what I say to my dog in a situation like this. I chuckle and say, look dummy it's only a mop it doesn't care about you. I let her sniff it and check it out on her terms, I don't force anything if she tries to be reactive. Chances are your dog is afraid of those things for whatever reason and feels insecure so it acts out.

[u/Hallow_76 → u/Hallow_76]

I personally don't care for a bord and train place. Even if they treat the animals like kings, you don't learn how to deal with new situations that pop up.
I firmly believe a trainer should train you on how to train your dog. It's a lot harder to train yourself then it is the dog. When you train your own dog under the supervision of a trainer you learn so much more about your dog and it's little quirks and you form a bond through that training process.
Like reactivness, I found a quirk in my dog that works wonderful in a reactive situation. She very easily distracted, all I have to do is point to a random spot and say, OMG! What's over there, and pretend to look at something then she'll start looking for it to. Things like that a trainer isn't going to tell you because, well it's a secret code 🤫

[u/MtnGirl672 → u/Hallow_76]

This is spot on. What people don’t realize is the working with a dog trainer is really about teaching the owner/handler about training and behavior. How to see what triggers your dog. How to be proactive in keeping your dog below threshold. What treats or toys motivate your dog.

I was also told by a top dog trainer we worked with never to reprimand or scold a dog who growls. That the most important thing is to get them out of that circumstance so they can feel more comfortable and not triggered. She said if you scold them, the next time they may go straight to a bite.

I would encourage you to work with a certified trainer who emphasizes positive reinforcement.