325-335 - a setback, visitor problems, muzzle recommendations?

Obedience and other training has been going sooo well - but we’ve struggled with guests since Cybi reached adolescence and it’s been an ongoing thing where he just barked like a loon. He got much better after a residential stay where he got to practice calmness but as we don’t have lots of people to visit we haven’t been able to practice so much.

He has become really good at settling quickly when family come in but we had a HUGE setback last night and I am gutted.

We specifically avoid strangers coming to the house and meeting him unless we are able to meet outside and walk in together which is a much better experience - but we had a food shop delivery yesterday. Normally they drop the bags at the door but this driver was trying to be helpful and wandered straight in and then into the kitchen. Cybi is penned in like an open, large dog pen so while I wasn’t delighted he’d done it I knew it was safe despite the barking that ensued. The guy then (totally well meaning but totally dog-illiterately) walked straight up to Cybi as he was going absolutely mental to try to stroke him. I got between them and asked him to give him space etc - have never seen Cybi growling so angrily and I also was genuinely in shock that he man was still trying to approach him 😫 he eventually listened and backed off when he realised he wasn’t going to make friends, and left, but all I could think was how much damage had probably been done during this one interaction.

Today my mum brought Bren home after school and while she went to say hello to him as she normally does and to give him a treat he growled at her 🤦‍♀️ I am gutted that this has happened and undone so much work.

I can’t help but think Cybi wasn’t in the wrong - he’s bred for suspicion and defense, I was home solo with a toddler and a random man walked in (innocently) who I was uneasy about and he approached while I said no, it’s not an unreasonable thing for him to think wasn’t acceptable and he needed to scare him off. Just really unfortunate! I’m also ordering a muzzle tonight (I’m thinking muzzle movement brand) to begin to condition it ahead of whatever we end up doing for this, and life in general as it’s a good tool to have.

Aside from this there’s a lot of positives lately - I can’t really remember all the things I’ve been doing unless I do a daily post but unfortunately that feels impossible right now 😅 so things that spring to mind -

Hind end awareness
Slam down
Fixed front feet positions
Proofing front gate/end of driveway boundary
Spin into basic position
Sit in front of me
More proofing his street heel 😫
Conditioning the grot so I can move away from penh reliance
Socialising with a safe friend (he was rude, no one was surprised, got there in the end!)

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