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My Husband Is "Enemy #1" to My Mini Aussie

by KristyMN
(Minnesota )

Moses, Fierce Protector of Mom

My 11-month-old rescue Mini Aussie was a breeder surrender who was passed around for many months before we adopted him about four months ago. He bonded with me right away but alternates between cowering, growling, and barking/lunging at my husband and any other men who enter the house. He does better with my husband when I am not home, but he is very unpredictable in his behavior around men.

Husband feeds him, sits near him, gives him treats... nothing seems to help. He can’t take him on walks because the dog tries to run away from him the entire time. I know the dog thinks he needs to protect me, but it’s ridiculous.

Advice appreciated!

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Talking to your pup
by: Dianne

This may sound bizarre but have you tried talking to your pup? When you both are calm, talk to him, telling him Daddy is not bad, that he's good and that Daddy loves him very much and won't hurt him. All complemental things about your husband, all said in a calm and quiet tone. I know, this sound really strange...

You'll have to do this for quite a while from how it sounds, maybe if he likes being brushed you can tell him these things then as well, make it an enjoyable time for him. Do this when your husband is out of the room so he's not preoccupied with protecting you. When your husband is around, call him Daddy so your pup can see who you mean by "Daddy". I don't know as if I would let your pup see you and your husband hug, he may take that as him trying to harm you, but just gentle, quiet movements.

Explain to your pup that you love him very much and thank him for protecting you, but that your husband is good, kind and will protect you both, so he doesn't have to worry.

I wonder, if your husband were to stop all but basic contact with him, if that would help. Maybe have your husband be the one who feeds and waters him. It may be that a man was the one who always seemed to be taking him somewhere and leaving him, and now that he has you in his life, he wants to keep things as they are and is afraid that you might go away too. If he sees good coming from your husband, that he can be trusted to provide for his basic needs, that might be a start. Then gradually have your husband start interacting with him again. Maybe sitting by him but not petting him or talking to him. You'll get a feeling when you can start this I'm sure. If he can associate your husband with calm and security, he may start to open up more. Lots of quiet praise from you when he shows even the least little improvement towards your husband. It may be that he's a little better towards him when you're gone because 1, he doesn't have to protect you and 2, he wants to be on the best behavior he can muster so, in his mind, he's not rehomed again. At some point, and you'll know when, have your husband start praising him quietly and calmly so he sees good coming his way from a man.

It's so hard to figure out what goes on in those little heads when they've had a hard start in life! I'm just going off of a similar experience I had with my rescue pup. He was in abusive situations from pretty much birth until 3 mos of age when I got him. He was Aussie, Border Collie, Blue Heeler and just a bit of coyote thrown in for mix, so there was a lot of 'complicated' going on in his mind. He was very abused by at least one man that I know of before I got him.

I'm sure that with time and patience, your pup will come around, they are such smart dogs and pick up on things quickly, but trust with an Aussie, once lost, is really hard for them to develop again, so it takes time. It took my Charles a year or a little better to come around. I hope you are able to devote at least that much time to your pup in order to break the cycle that he's still dealing with. Each time they're rehomed, it's ingrained a little deeper until there comes a time when they aren't able to be trusted because of a past that was foisted onto them by humans.

Case in point about them picking up on things; when I was playing on the computer and my husband wanted to check his email, instead of saying, "hey, can I use the computer for a bit?", he'd just make this little throat clearing sound. Our Festus who's Aussie/Heeler, picked up on that. Now when he wants me to do something for him, he makes the same little throat clearing sound and if I don't attend to his wishes fast enough (yes he's very spoiled), pretty soon he sounds like he needs an inhaler. He also figured out how to open the screen door by watching my husband. Now he lets himself out regularly.

As a pup, he used to cry when the boys would get on the school bus. One day I said to tell him they were going to school, but would be back home later to play with him. They did so, gave him pats and got on the bus. Festus watched out the window but didn't cry. When they got home, he was overjoyed.

Sorry about this being so long, I hope it helps. I'm sure he'll be a wonderful part of the family once he gets over this emotional issue.

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