Has the trainer given you suggestions?? "She's just being protective" is not an answer that helps! He should reinforced to you that her behavior is not acceptable, not making excuses for her. If you don't feel the trainer is helping, don't hesitate to find a new one. You won't necessarily be compatible with all training styles, they are kind of like therapists in that aspect.I think it is amazing that you are doing everything that you can to help her. Most people would have returned her without a second thought.
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I am still working with the trainer. At first I wasn't sure how he was helping we but on thanksgiving she did much better with having company over, he also got her properly crate trained, we leave the door to her crate open and she goes right in and it's come in handy for when guest are over. She still has issues with other dogs and people at times however I think she is starting to feel safe and like this is her home and we are her forever family. It has/is challenging but 100 percent worth it. She is the sweetest little doggy but unfourtantly she wasn't treated as good as she should have been so we have many years to make up for.
She does still bark at guest as they get up but she isn't as intimidating anymore, she looks genuinely happy when guest are over. I do have to gate her because she gets overly excited which is something that the trainer is working on with her.
Here is her official graduation photo from doggy obedient school, she was very proud.
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, these are tricky little dogs. They have a period of three years to become adults and if anything bad happens in that time, they tend to develop that behaviour you are writing about. - sorry to say that. I personally am the biggest Spitzfan on earth but I know that they can lead you to moments of total frustration as sometimes development seems to took really really REALLY long-. Not the tricks, not the obedience, they get those things really quick, even faster than other breeds. But building trust into humans (for example), especially if misstreated in those first three years seems to take eons and feels like "1 step into the right direction, 2 steps back". Don't give up, she'll pay back thousend times, but I guess she'll never be a happy go lucky dog, loving foreign people and letting them pet her. That breed tend to be more misstrusting to everybody they don't call "family", but this is how they are supposed to be. In my opinion this is one of the best character traits that breed has- you'll never have to fear that a foreign person will be able to steal the dog, you'll never have to fear that a foreign person poisons her and you'll have a walking guard, better than a Rottweiler (had Rottweiler as well). Additionally to that this breed (called one of the last primordial races) has a hughe hughe HUGHE set of communication patterns we are not used to. So to speak in easier words a Labrador will tell you " I don't like that" in a very friendly, but direct way, a Spitz starts with very very small hints we won't get until we adapt to that special dog (which may take years as well...
) and then escalates which we consider beeing unpredictable. I personally wouldn't try the packleader part of Milan method as that breed is so sensitive and can be broken so easily. Best way would be imho to go on like you did on Thanksgiving, giving her space she can leave if she wants to- that was great, good job! One thing I would use from C. Milan the "no touch no talk no eyecontact" thing for visitors. Let her come and let her decide when to leave. And give her tons of laughter. They love that. Obedience is always a good idea. If you want you can add little tricks, they love doing tricks. My dog brings my shoes once she realizes that I want to leave the house and closes the door after coming home (was not funny once- I had no keys with me, dog inside, me outside....- I just wanted to feed the chicke)says yes and no (she started that by herself, very useful) rings the potty bell once she wants to go outside and pee, brings the phone, delivers messages, goes to the bakery and brings buns, searches items I lost, detects foulbrood in beehives, brought the chicken to bed, guided the goose back from her walks (still no idea why a goose wants to walk around when she can fly, but...)the list goes on and on- and she learnt that within weeks (except for the foulbrood that took longer). She learns within minutes, assumed the cookies are good and I am in a happy, funny mood. If a do training with her in a grumpy mood (even if I would not recognize my grumpy mood, dyknwIm- those moments you are slightly grumpy but didn't realize yet?) she wouldn't learn- this is how sensitive they are. The last Spitz I had did the same things, except for the buns, she ate them up on the way back. Hahaa. I had to laugh so hard, it took me weeks to figure out that she ate them, I always thought she lost the buns on the way. This is how they are at its best- funny, playfully, loving their family to the dearest, willing to give everything but always with a little "twist". I didn't write that to frustrate you or to brag with my dog(s) but to show you what will be the reward for your efforts. If you have any questions, write me a PM, I have been with that breed for 21 years now. You do great, thanks for your endavours for your little pretty madame.