How to have a rescue dog not growl, bark, snap, etc. at you?

Question

We are dog-sitting my sisters rescue dog, and he is not comfortable with us, obviously. He stays in the kitchen/ desk area. Whenever one of us walks out there, he barks at us. He ran after me barking but stop when my mom hit the mail on her leg and said stop. It's sad, because we want him not to be afraid of us. He peed himself already when my mom tried to calm him and pet him to reassure him, that we and he are okay. When my mom comes up to him, he is barking but he would roll on his back as she pets him, obviously a little scared still. 

I want to know what we should do

Do we just leave him alone and let him bark at us?
Is it ok that my mom goes up to him and he rolls on his side/back and pets him?

He is only gonna be here for 2 days but still. I don't want him to be scared of us, as bad as he is now. 

Any advice is appreciated, please.

? · Accepted Answer

Show him you won't hurt him like get down on one knee and say like your talking to a baby come here us ok. Get him some tots to play with. But some treats and when he doesn't bark it snip at you give him a treat. Just show him your not going to hurt him. Don't yell at him cause that will make him more scared if he bite you tap him on the nose and say in a powering voice NO!. Don't make to fast of moves. And if that doesn't work look him in the eyes and give him the look that you are the boss and that you are bigger then him

? · Answer

I get this all the time when we get a new dog into the shelter.  What I do is sit some where close the the dog and not look him in the eye.  Staring promotes a challenge.  Pass along treats to him little by little.  After a while he will come closer and you can try to pet him.  He also sees your mother as a dominate pack leader.  Showing he's belly is a sign of submission.

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How to have a rescue dog not growl, bark, snap, etc. at you?

2 Answers