Lennon is very tense around strangers and children.
They are wary about how he is with their own children aged 9 and 10, and when they have friends round.
They have had 17-month-old Lennon since he was a puppy.
When the gentleman in particular comes down in the morning, Lennon’s ears go back. He trembles and creeps forward. When the man goes to stroke him, he grumbles and bares his teeth.
This is a very definite warning. He feels acutely uncomfortable, and like many people, the man doesn’t stop.
A strange thing is when he goes to the kids, seemingly for a fuss, when they touch him he bares his teeth. They stop and then he ‘nuzzles them for more’. Or that’s how it seems.
It’s all about being approached.
Like many dogs he’s most fearful of men, followed by the children and their friends. He’s fine with the two ladies in his life.
His depth of anxiety when approached by other dogs or people when out can vary. It can depend on his own feelings and how much stress he has already been under. The same goes for when the man touches him. He can tolerate one, two or maybe three touches before baring his teeth. ‘Trigger stacking’.
When the couple are sitting on the sofa in the evening and the children are in bed, Lennon may go over to them to be petted. This is for lady to touch him, not the man. He wouldn’t approach if the man was standing up.
They will now give Lennon choice
Not only the man, but the kids as well won’t approach him at all, especially if lying down.
The man will only put his hand out to him if he has food in it. This applies also if he approaches the man. He only gets near to man’s hand if it has food on it. No touching.
As Lennon is a fussy eater we need to find something he loves. We decided sprats being the only thing that would work. We laughed about how the man would constantly smell of fish!
When the man lets him out at night – he won’t occupy the doorway but stand sideways. Lennon should then feel a bit more confident about coming back in.
Operation Calm
‘More confident when approached and touched’
This is their goal end goal.
