Advice needed. I am afraid that I may have to put my dog down.

spookylukey

Has he been checked by a vet for any medical problems? I don't have a dog but I know a change in behaviour of other animals can often be because they are unwell.

elfen

Erm, I've had experience of a bull mastiff cross before. It was the one that tried eating my ear off the side of my head. Apparently it was good with the family but bad with others.

I know this may sound harsh, but if you can't find a behaviourist who can help, and he's already bitten/attacked others, you may need to think of having him put down. I know it's not a solution, more the last resort.

Winewaiter

spookylukey wrote: »

Has he been checked by a vet for any medical problems? I don't have a dog but I know a change in behaviour of other animals can often be because they are unwell.

Well I am just about to book him in for an appointment for the vet mainly to be neutered and will ask him to check him out. He doesn't seem unwell and it's not such a sudden change. There has been one small incident after another with him initially barking at friends/family. Then the electricity man, then the drunken man. Just seems to be getting worse. Do appreciate all the advice and help from this forum. Thanks

Winewaiter

elfen wrote: »

Erm, I've had experience of a bull mastiff cross before. It was the one that tried eating my ear off the side of my head. Apparently it was good with the family but bad with others.

I know this may sound harsh, but if you can't find a behaviourist who can help, and he's already bitten/attacked others, you may need to think of having him put down. I know it's not a solution, more the last resort.

This is exactly what I am afraid of but will do everything I can to avoid that. Was just wanting to ask if others had had success. I have been recommended a behaviourist and will definitely try him out. I love the dog - he is lovely. Hope he can be lovely with others again. People used to love him:(

hethmar

Dont give up yet - but I think a behavourist may be the way forward. Check your insurance policy to see if they will pay towards it. And yes, you are probably reinforcing his fear of strangers, but we all make mistakes We do what we think is best. I would never leave my dogs outside a shop - though they are small and both very calm and well behaved, if a kiddie stuck their fingers in their mouths or eyes - well ................

I think your electric man deserves a bottle of scotch if he hasnt brought a case against you, bless him. People are normally swift to jump.

Just to add, a friend of ours has always had that breed, two at a time and they have been/are big softies.

Winewaiter

hethmar wrote: »

Dont give up yet - but I think a behavourist may be the way forward. Check your insurance policy to see if they will pay towards it. And yes, you are probably reinforcing his fear of strangers, but we all make mistakes We do what we think is best. I would never leave my dogs outside a shop - though they are small and both very calm and well behaved, if a kiddie stuck their fingers in their mouths or eyes - well ................

I think your electric man deserves a bottle of scotch if he hasnt brought a case against you, bless him. People are normally swift to jump.

Just to add, a friend of ours has always had that breed, two at a time and they have been/are big softies.

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Thanks. I will take the advice about leaving the dog outside a shop. Although at the moment I am too afraid to take him out as a result of that incident. Although a passerby said it was the drunken man's fault for taunting the dog. Even so, so glad we had the muzzle. The electric man after his shock at being bitten was more concerned about me as once I was able to grab the dog and lock him in a room, I was a nervous wreck - reduced to tears at what the dog had done! He was a very nice man. Needless to say he hasn't been back. Wouldn't have blamed him if he had sued. Our dog used to be a big softy believe it or not. Thanks again.

tankgirl1

Sarah Heath is a very well respected veterinary behaviourist, and is in your area.

http://www.behavioural-referrals.co.uk/index.php

Indie_Kid

I second checking out for medical problems. One of our dogs (lurcher) became very snappy and aggresive when he became ill; as did our jack russell. (although it was only when her legs started going)

Has he always been like this?

Bubby

Winewaiter wrote: »

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Our dog used to be a big softy believe it or not. Thanks again.

If this is a sudden change of behaviour then I would be taking the dog straight to the vets to see if it is a medical issue.
In terms of a behaviorist I would be far more worried it couldn't be fixed if it was a behaviour that had always been there. In the mean time please ensure you are very careful when strangers come to the house and always use a muzzle when out.

Sarsie

Your dog basically isn't confident in your leadership.

This will sound silly because why shouldn't he be, after all I expect he is very well cared for... But they think really differently to us.

Basically we people like equality and fairness, dogs don't get that concept at all, everyone in a dogs world is part of a pecking order from the top to the bottom, no equals. We as humans equate peckng orders with bullying but dogs equate them with emotional security. If your dog doesn't have faith that you are the absolute boss then he panics at that role being unfilled, so he tries to take it over himself and sort out the deficit. The trouble with humans though is that they are prone to not get what the dog is on about, they tend not to obey, it's so hard to run a pack with human beings in! So dog gets stressed out, snappy, anxious, over protective and is on guard to anyone and anything. It doesn't look to humans for reassurance anymore coz *pah* stupid humans aren't the boss, dog is... Even though dog isn't managing it very well. The net result is an aggressive dog, who is really just trying to tell you he wants a boss he can rely on but you don't speak dog and he doesn't speak person.

As a cheap starting point I recommend a book called Dog Training For Dummies by Jack Volhard and Wendy Volhard (on Amazon for £7.71, might be cheaper still elsewhere) which I have found invaluable, both for my dogs and for the dogs of frends and relatives.

Lots of little things you think are insignificant are a really big deal to your dog. Like if he eats before you do or the other way round, if he is allowed upstairs when you're downstairs, even how you hold the lead on walks and if you shout at him when he barks and so on... These all mean extra things to dogs beyond the obvious which people would be surprised to know!

I'm not an expert on dog communication, but I know enough to know that you have a communication breakdown here. So I reckon if you learn up on how to get through to him you may be able to save your relationship- I'm sure he is a superstar underneath all the anxiety and confusion.

Although he is also a young male in his prime too (neutering will help) so he is bound to be a bit more challengy than perhaps is usual, he is absolutly not enjoying the position he thinks he is in, that is important to understand. He hates this as much as you do. He thinks he is trying to head up a pack who just don't get it. He will be stressed and miserable, just like you would be if you were heading a family who acted like martians and it was really important to you they all worked together but you couldn't make yourself understood no matter how hard you tried.

Hope this helps, but that book is a good place to start, and there is a woman who does TV programs whose name escapes me. She is a slightly-built and fairly pretty lady with a habit of dressing retro (I think she drives a classic car too but I'm not sure). She speaks very quietly, she never gets excitable and she retrains problem dogs... If anyone can work out who I'm talking about please do watch any of her programs, they are really useful in beginning to understand the world your dog thinks he lives in.

Good luck with him, I'm sure you're both just misunderstanding each other and that it'll be really easy to sort out when you can see what he sees and how to get through to him.