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Got of an odd one, my dog in the last few months has started getting very territorial around 'his space' such as in the car and in our garden to the point where on the weekend, he actually lunged/jumped at a builder who was walking across the garden next to where he was tied up, and not in a friendly way, and the only other time I've seen this is when someone stuck their arm into the car to pet him, when he was in there on his own, and he really didn't like that.
So my question is, I want to nip this in the bud if at all possible, so any dog owners got any advice?
Really odd thing is the builder said don't worry about it all dogs go for me ..................
and yes, I know next time it might be a childs face......
Is he an old dog? They do tend to get grouchy as they age...
have a read up on behaviour mate,
i wouldn't ask on here as the child's face arguments will have 50 odd folk telling you to have him put down.
you are right to act now and nip this in the bud, but seek proper advice rather than STW nonsense.
you are right to act now and nip this in the bud, but seek proper advice rather than STW nonsense.
I agree with this.
Any idea if there's been a trigger for it? (I assume not as you haven't mentioned).
Check amazon and associated reviews for a good book maybe?
Any other behavioural changes? Might be worth getting him an MOT at the vets.
[i]seek proper advice rather than STW nonsense[/i]
he's asking for stw nonsense, though.
Stick a banana up each of its nostrils.
They won't ever bite a childs face with 2 bananas in their nasal passages, I heard.
I've heard that dog breeds can get 'grumpy' when old. Somebody warned us about this in our Labrador (apparently a known breed for being sweet dogs but then get old and very grouchy)
Don't know how you stop it though.
Weird - the only time my dog went for anyone, it was a plasterer. (It's cos he was wearing a cap indoors, she don't like that).
Sorry, that's not advice.. Only thing we did with my dog was not let her have any territory of her own, from the beginning made sure anyone could stand in her bed & she wasn't allowed to "own" any particular space (furniture, whatever). She's a right softie anyway.
Not much help, I'm afraid.
As above - get a "dog whisperer" in, they're not expensive.
Oh, and also, my dog goes a bit schizoid at humans carrying unusual things if he's over-heating, so the weather might be affecting him if it happened on a very hot day.
It's cos he was wearing a cap indoors, she don't like that
If that's true then 😆
Is he an old dog? They do tend to get grouchy as they age...
...And have been known to struggle with new tricks too.
Go and visit an expert.
it needs a hug. deadly gets like that sometimes.
He's 3 so still quite young, one major change is I am currently renovating/rebuilding my house and its taking a lot of time and stress (especially when dealing with builders) so it could be linked to that.
Also he was baking himself in the sun before the 'incident', which might not have helped. Odd thing is he is very very passive, so it was completely out of the blue. Mind you the builder did say don't worry about it, all dogs hate me!?!?!
I might take him to some dog training courses, to see if that helps if I can find a suitable one.
I would suggest seeing a vet, as usually it's a sign they have something niggling them.
Also Dog Training ASAP... None of this, I'll do it next week. This won't go away. 😉
Cool, will book him into the vet's and get a training course sorted as he's too big to be aggressive. Also he has been acting a little odd, thinking about it (leaning on things, when he's standing up like the fridge, walls in the garden etc)
Both my sister had dogs like this and neither felt comfortable with tem around the kids. Don't know what happened to one but the other who bit my nephew ended up going to someone who took him to a proper trainer and apparently in a few months the dog chaged and was lovely.
I would suggest seeing a vet, as usually it's a sign they have something niggling them.
Not a dog but my cat, this is the first sign that he's really not well.
Coincidently, just seen this on telly. Freaky
also may have felt vulnerable tied up - no room for manoeuvre.
Usually some event. I have a pretty big terrier, it was bitten on the ass by a daschund and now is agressive with 1/100 dogs we meet, no one can figure out why she's fine with 99 and may turn on 1. Also when we had a child she became super territorial around the house, postman, visitors etc
sounds like the dog was scared on both accounts.
imo the First time he felt safe in the car, then suddenly something comes through the window, the dog now feels trapped and goes on the defence, ( in a dogs case to show aggression )
the second incident sounds quite similar, as their was strangers in the garden right next to him and by being tied up hes now trapped so again lunges at the builder in defence rather than attack.
Try bark busters....not cheap but made such a difference to our westie, he was a pest very territorial and anxious.
are you sure the builder had not antagaonised the dog out of your sight? Worth noting. we had a dog when I was young who seemed to hate the neighbour till I caught him flinging stones at the dog when he was behind the gate.
Try a book by Jan Fennell we followed most of her techniques to good effect with our current pup.
Check at vets to see if he is in pain or ill and then seek prof help. Has he had his nuts removed?
Our dog was aggressive when he was younger, but mostly towards my Mum and my brothers when we were growing up (he did what ever my Dad told him to do).
The vet said he was too aggressive and suggested getting him put down.
My Mum instead took him to a dog whisperer who immediately suggested cutting his balls off, and put him on a training plan. My Mum did exactly what she said, and strictly followed the training plan (attending all sessions and doing all homework - I remember as part of the plan was me and my brothers had to do the homework with the dog).
He was no longer aggressive...although he would still growl if tried to take something off him that he felt was his (like a bone or something), but that I think is normal behaviour for a dog.
I do sometimes wonder if it was only the training that solved it. My and my brothers were approaching our teens at the time, so as the years progressed the dog may have treated us differently in the family as we grew older.
Out of interest, why do you have to tie him up in the garden?
Ask your vet to recommend a dog behaviourist.
Have him checked out at the vets and then if nothing wrong ask for them to refer him to a behaviourist.
If you have him insured then check your policy, some will pay for behavioural work too.
It is worth getting a proper behaviourist too as seen lots of dogs messed up by poor advice. Act now and nip it in the bud.
Good luck.
imo the First time he felt safe in the car, then suddenly something comes through the window, the dog now feels trapped and goes on the defence, ( in a dogs case to show aggression )the second incident sounds quite similar, as their was strangers in the garden right next to him and by being tied up hes now trapped so again lunges at the builder in defence rather than attack.
Is there any conceivable situation or response where you would ever consider a dog to be actually "threatening" or at fault ? 🙄
hmm, guess that question was aimed at the poster you quoted, but from my POV it's useful to know what gives rise to behaviour in order to correct it, or at least manage it, so the dog doesn't wind up in a bad situation and end up dead.
reasonable dog owners understand and accept that dogs have to fit in with society.
Surfer the dog cannot be at fault, its a dog. Behaviours happen for a reason the dog cannot be expected to understand the reasons.
Surfer; Imaging you are chilling in the car then someone puts their hand through the window to pat your head, what would you do?
Same in the garden, you're chillin' enjoying a bit of a sunbathe and some strange bloke walks through for no reason (that you know about) at all. How would you react?
Always surprised by strangers who assume they can ruffle my dogs ears then when he growls assume an air of indignation.
He (mine) was beaten as a pup. Damn sure if a complete stranger came and did that to me I'd be not too impressed.
If it acted this way out in the open then, yes, problem but on "his" territory more understandable BUT OP is doing something to curb the behaviour.
I suggest tieing him up in the garden and then getting a random selection of tradesman to saunter past. Chippies, sparkies, plasterers, tilers.... see if there's a pattern to them. Maybe try a few cowboy types as well as Checkatrade registered ones. If he can pick dodgy tradesman out of the line up, I reckon there's a potential TV program in this. Can't think of a name though.
Surfer the dog cannot be at fault, its a dog. Behaviours happen for a reason the dog cannot be expected to understand the reasons.
Yep, only stupid owners.
Ask your vet to recommend a dog behaviourist.
This.
Thanks for the help everyone, its much appreciated. In answer to the questions
Yep, he was neutered at 10 months just before we got him, as he was a rescue.Check at vets to see if he is in pain or ill and then seek prof help. Has he had his nuts removed?
are you sure the builder had not antagaonised the dog out of your sight? Worth noting.
99% sure the builder hadn't wound him up, as the builder is scared of dogs as they always go for/bite him 😐
Try bark busters
Will give them a call today
Out of interest, why do you have to tie him up in the garden?
We are having a lot of work done on the house, and I can't keep my eyes on him all the time and if he isn't tied up his is pretty much permanently in the pond pulling rocks out, or digging through the rubble pile looking for scraps of food. Also the builders are notorious for putting there sandwiches on the floor, rather than in there van, and he has been known to steal them as if its on the floor its fair game in his eyes.
I suggest tieing him up in the garden and then getting a random selection of tradesman to saunter past. Chippies, sparkies, plasterers, tilers.... see if there's a pattern to them
LoL might work, oddly he must have been near around 60 builders in the last six months, he growled at one about 3 months ago (but that was to do with the bloke going mental and shouting swearing etc at someone) and this is only this he has been really aggressive towards
Yep, only stupid owners.
Effectively, its my dog so its my responsibly so I am working on getting it sorted. You could blame the dog, but ultimately that isn't going to fix the issue.
Anyway he's booked into the vets for the end of the week so they can give him a check over, and I will ask them about a behaviourist as he is on petplan