Hi Timmy7676,
Thanks for getting in touch!
Let me get started by saying that you should take all my advice with a grain of salt as I haven’t met your dog or seen them in action so it’s difficult for me to know exactly what’s going on here.
However, it sounds as though your dog could be possessive over you. This behaviour often develops when there are no boundaries between the dog and the owner.
You also mention that your dog is afraid. Perhaps there’s some male-related trauma they’ve experienced in the past?
Whatever the case, you can address both these issues with some training. Here are some things you can try:
- Tell your boyfriend to ignore the dog when he comes near you. Looking your dog in the eye and talking to them directly could trigger them, so just keep the pressure off.
- When your dog is being aggressive, you should remove them from the situation (e.g. take them out of the room) until they are calm again. When they are calm, allow them to re-enter. It’s important that you do this, and not your boyfriend.
- Reward your dog for good behaviour. If your dog ever lets your boyfriend approach without being aggressive, praise them with treats. Better yet, tell your boyfriend to do the rewarding.
- Encourage your boyfriend to strengthen the bond with the dog by doing some training with them or taking on some of the responsibilities like feeding or walking. Take it at your dog’s pace though, and only do what feels comfortable for them.
I hope these few tips will help. Don’t hesitate to get back in touch if there’s more you’d like us to know.
However, in cases of aggression, I do recommend you meet with an animal behaviourist face-to-face so they can observe your dog and give you a more detailed diagnosis.
Best of luck!
Justine Seraphin, BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare
