my new dog growling

Question
i just got a lab and golden retriever mixed from the pound and she is growling and showing her teeth I need her to stop that especially with the other dogs

Answer
Dear Joshua,

Thank you for writing to me.  This is a very volatile situation that needs to be addressed immediately.

First and foremost..get her to the vet and have her checked out for any medical problems...that includes a sophisticated test for lyme and a thyroid blood test.  Do not accept high or low normal..it must be right in the middle of normal.

Next, if everything medically checks out, you will have to consult with an aggression specialist.  Your dog may be reacting out of fear, being in a new place and new humans and dogs.  We don't know her background and it's possible that she was left at the shelter due to this behavior.  Do absolutely nothing to escalate the situation..remove anything that is a trigger...toys, bones etc.  Feed seperately.  This is a must!!!  Keep her away from dogs and humans for the time being..by tethering her to something stable.  Be especially careful of children going near her. Give her lots and lots of exercise until she is exhausted.  A tired dog is a happy dog.  Give her something to do that will distract her..like a cube with kibble in it.  They sell these on the internet.  Give her a raw marrow bone, scoop out the marrow and replace with cream cheese or peanut butter..you can even add some kibble.  Do not allow the other dogs access to her when she has these special treats.  It could cause a deadly fight.

Keep a squirt bottle of vinegar handy..even several around the house.  If she shows her teeth or growls you can always give a squirt, avoiding her eyes, and then a command.   When she responds to your command, give her a reward and praise.  She will soon get that you are not going to tolerate poor behavior and that she will be rewarded for good behavior.  I have seen this turn nasty dogs around into pussy cats!!

Never praise or reward in any way for bad behavior.

Get some books from Amazon or Dogwise about dog behavior.  Some selections might be Calming Signals, The Other End Of The Leash, Getting In Touch With Your Dog, Dogs Never Lie About Love, The Dog's Mind, The Dog Whisperer (Paul Owens), Natural Dog Training (Behan).  You can never know too much when it comes to dealing with dog behavior.  You can also search sites on the internet about dog aggression, bringing a new dog home from a shelter etc.  Many times, the dogs from shelters are so terribly stressed that it takes time for them to unwind.

Make her work for everything...sit before getting food, sit before being walked.  No couches, beds or chairs.

Give her some Rescue Remedy...12 drops in her water and rub some on her teeth if she lets you do that without showing fear aggression.

Last but not least, I am sending you to a colleague of mine who is also on allexperts.  Her name is Jill Connor or Conner and she's a dog psychologist who is familiar with aggression.  She will guide you through this.  You will need to search around for her but she's the very best for this case.

I wish you luck.  Do not give up on this dog.  Follow Jill's advice.

Best Regards,
Shelley Davis