Plea For Help! My Dog Has Started Biting People And I Don't W

I really am at loss as to what to do with my 20 month old whippet dog Sidney. Around the house he is such a gentle, gentle soul. Very loving and follows me everywhere.

I have had him since he was 13 weeks old. He was castrated when he was nearly 9 months old. He has always been skittish around dogs and has danced around on the lead when other dogs come near him. I took him to puppy association classes and then to kennel club training classes and he passed both Bronze and Silver without much difficulty. He was always wary around other dogs however and would prefer to gravitate towards me.

He has been fine in the company of other people and is very friendly on most occasions although he did keep growling at my brother when he came to stay with us last xmas.

Like everything, you look for the time things might have changed. We added a whippet bitch puppy, Millie, to our family in September last year. From the off, they both indulged quite aggressive play fighting and although they have never drawn blood, they often vigorously bite each other's necks and legs to the point it seemed beyond just play. To a large extent, I have let them get on with and only intervened when things get really rough as I thought they were just sorting out who is boss.

Sidney pulls like mad when we go out to our recreation field where I usually exercise him. Millie pulls too butthey tend to be more at ease after exercise. He loves chasing after his Kong frisbee and is very adept at catching it and bringing it back to me. I also regularly run him on the nearby beach an and he enjoys doing the same.

He is much more relaxed off the lead and used to like chasing dogs (playfully) and then letting them chase him. He would hardly ever bark or become in any way aggressive. Three or four months ago he was chasing and being chased by a German Shepherd that I had not come across before. He suddenly pulled up limping and I thought he had pulled a muscle. It was only after checking him over at home that I realised he had a couple of deep bite marks on his rear thigh. He limped for days and i got the vet to check him but he was ok.

Millie, unlike Sidney, was always a much more barkey dog. She gradually startetd barking at other dogs and Sidney gradually picked up this habit when on the lead. When I took them both to the vets the other week Millie started barking at a Rotweiler in the surgery and Sidney ended up showing more aggression than the bigger dog. It got quite hairy.

My wife caught Sidney barking and lunging at the postman. Things got worse a couple of weeks ago when I heard a commotion in the garden after the window cleaner came to do the windows. I went outside to find that the lad was fending both dogs off with my plastic chair. He said that Sidney had "nibbled" his hand.

Things got worse the other day when I had them both out for a walk and Millie had a poo and I bent down to pick it up. Just as I did so, a lady wearing shorts passed by and I heard her shout out. When I looked up; she was clutching her calf and said my dog had bitten her. I apologised profusely but she said it was ok and thankfully did not make a big deal of it. I could only see what looked like slight scratch marks so I tried to convince myself it was a mistake.

When I took him on the field, he chased his frisbee for ages and then spotted a labrador in the distance and ran after it and proceeded to snap at it three times and the other dog yelped. I was horrified but the dog owner swiftly left.

Thinks got worse again tonight when i was out with both dogs on the lead. Again, i bent down to pick up a poo and at the same time a woman jogger passed by. I wasn't quick enough whilst juggling the poo bag, he lunged forward and I clearly saw him nip her on the leg. He drew a small amount of blood (a scratch on her calf) but, although it was not serious. It might as well have been a 10" wound!

Well, I was absolutely mortified, ashamed, sad and full of so many emotions I could hardly speak. I feel like I don't know my own dog any more. The jogger exclaimed that my dog had bit her and I again apologised but she seemed more interested in continuing her run, mutering, "well, I suppose it doesn't matter".

I worry what will happen next. Will he bite a child or cause a serious injury??

Does anyone have any suggestions? I think I'm going to have to put a muzzle on him. I have never had to muzzle a dog before. What sort of muzzle would be best?

I think he may be feeling he needs to protect his bitch so is being over-protective of her, She has just started her first season at the weekend but that does not account for his previous misdemeanors.

I feel that I am a complete failure as a dog trainer and rapidly losing my confidence in having them out together. I have now resolved to take Sidney out alone so that I can give him my full attention. I don't want it to end in the courts with my dog being put down as a dangerous dog. He hasn't even growled or barked at these people so I don't know where the need to snap has come from!

Please help me help my dog.

I have three bitches, 4 and 2 years and 5 months but have not experienced any aggression problems with them either together or with other dogs (despite provocation from other dogs). The first thing I would say is muzzle your two before there is a really serious incident and you are reported to the police, who, heaven forbid, decide to take action. Then find a really good dog behaviourist and, if you don't know one, I am sure people on this site can point you in the right direction, depending on where you live. Don't despair, the professionals can pinpoint behaviour in your animals that you are probably not even aware of and with help, I'm sure you'll get your dogs back on track. Good Luck and let us know how you get on. :luck: :luck: :luck:

My heart goes out to you, this sounds like a nightmare situation for you all

I'm afraid I have no suggestions as to why this behaviour has started, but it does seem to relate to the acquisition of Millie. I also have a whippet dog who is very nervous around other people, especially children, and barks/growls at any child or teenager below 16 ......... don't ask me how he knows their age, but he somehow does!!!

Because of this, and his lack of recall, I have to keep him on a lead at all times although I am lucky in that he can free run at home as I have my own land.

He was also neutered at 9 months old, and lives with 6 other whippet girls. He is very much at the bottom of the pack so I don't think his aggression is protection - he has always been a nervous dog.

You are right in your decision to muzzle Sidney. This will protect both him and you from the inevitable problems which will arise if he nips the "wrong" person.

I find these are the best muzzles for whippets .......

http://www.jansgifts.co.uk/itempp.php?code...amp;type_id=114

They are lightweight and you can ensure the right size by following the measurement guide on the website :thumbsup: It may take a while for him to get used to it, but he will and you will feel much safer because of it

I agree with the above post that you need to get help with this behaviour and I wish you the very best of luck in sorting things out :luck:

I do hope life will get better again soon for you all :thumbsup:

I'm so sorry you are having these problems, it must be very distressing.

Firstly, I would definitely muzzle him for now for your own peace of mind and for his own safety - you've been lucky so far that nobody he has nipped has decided to make an issue of it. You can get lightweight wire whippet muzzles from Jans Gifts

http://www.jansgifts.co.uk/list.php?type_id=114

If possible I would walk them separately for now. They sound as though they are winding each other up to some extent - until you can be confident both will behave well with other dogs and people on their own then it will be very difficult to control their behaviour when they are together.

As far as advice is concerned, I don't feel it is responsible for anyone to try to advise about aggression issues across the internet without having seen the dog involved. I would strongly urge getting a good behaviourist to visit and see both dogs and the dynamics between them both and you as the owner. The APBC would be a good starting point to find someone http://www.apbc.org.uk/ though some APDT members also do behavioural work http://www.apdt.co.uk/

Good luck, I'm absolutely sure with a committed owner like you and the right advice you will manage to sort this out and get your boy back on track :luck:

I think this is one of the few down sides of adding to your whippet pack. Whippets seem to be easily prone to fear agression, especially when you have more than one. I've read lots of instances of this on K9 over the years and have suffered with my own, although not to the extent that they'll bite/nip people. They'll only bark and lunge at other dogs larger than them(although Fred has now grown out of this).

Good luck...I can't offer much advice, as I've never fully resolved the problem myself.

I've had similar problems to you with my male whippet. Since he was about two and a half years old he's barked at and lunged at other dogs (usually entire males), nipped a male jogger, barks at and tries to grab the arm of a male friend of my son, barks and lunges at the postman. I now make sure he is fully supervised when visitors come to the house and if he's exercised off lead he has to wear a muzzle unless he's in an enclosed field.

He's only like this with the odd few men - most men he does get on with. Like you, I was shocked and dismayed when my dog started displaying this behaviour as it gradually unfolded over the months. Apart from these problems he is the most loving dog you could ever want and now I'm managing the problem in the way described I've come to terms with it. Unlike your dog, Ziggy is an only whippet and was neutered a bit later at 20 months.

My whippet Badger tries to bite passers by when on his lead, he has done this since cutting his foot when he was about five, I bent to examine his foot and he bit a woman who was walking past...he had never ever done anything like it before or even showed any inclination to do so...the same day he bit another dog which again he had never shown any sign of doing...two days later I managed to get a whippet muzzle and ever since then he is always muzzled when on lead with no exceptions.

My advice would be to muzzle your dog when out, if you don't and he bites the wrong person he could be taken and destroyed under the dangerous dogs act...there is a section( can't remember which one) which states that a dog can be seized if it causes a person to feel fear...let alone actually biting.. it would be irresponsible in the extreme to carry on walking your dog unmuzzled..in fact to be honest he should have been muzzled after the first incident. any one of the people he has bitten so far could have you prosecuted for their being bitten by your dog.

It is not uncommon for dogs to be aggressive to other dogs when on the lead as they are unable to take flight if scared( that doesn't necessarily mean your dogs aggression is from fear, since there are many causes), he may be protecting you or the bitch..it can be complicated but I would suggest muzzling him and walking him on his own to see if he still reacts to other people or dogs..if he still behaves badly, ask a family member to walk him and see if he still does it, this would prove whether he is trying to protect you...it may seem strange but sometimes dogs do not know what is expected of them and they get confused about their role within the pack..he may actually think he is meant to be the alpha and is unable to cope with the responsibility and therefore behaves really over the top and aggressively in defending his pack....in these type of situations, going back to basics and looking at his role within the family and re-enforcing some basic rules at home and observing exactly how he behaves and how his manner is around you and your bitch at home, will help you to get to the bottom of the problem.....

again with the barking issue I would be looking at both dogs and getting back to basic training to regain some control of them, although they may initially appear perfect at home, I beleive if you stand back and watch how you all interact, the clues are all their,its just easy as owners to be blind to what's under our noses. Getting back to basics and re-affirming training is a good start.

Good luck.

Really sorry youve got this problem and hope you get badger some help that works for him .

jansgift as limited muzzles (size 8 only) and they will not be getting any for awhile if at all , so this is another site that hopefully will have more sizes .

http://www.greyhoundandwhippetshop.co.uk/muzzles.htm

trish g said:

Really sorry youve got this problem and hope you get badger some help that works for him .
jansgift as limited muzzles (size 8 only) and they will not be getting any for awhile if at all , so this is another site that hopefully will have more sizes .

http://www.greyhoundandwhippetshop.co.uk/muzzles.htm

Click to expand...

I think you mean Sidney not Badger I don't have a problem with Badger he's lovely, just has to be muzzled when walking but he's been that way for 8yrs now :lol: :lol:

Thanks to everyone for their advice and concern.

This doggy household is going back to basics in the hope it will help.

We hope things will improve formall of us.

:thumbsup:

I spoke to the chap who runs the local dog training classes and who helped me with Sidney's training some months ago. He was very concerned that such a previously placid dog is now displaying such behaviour. He has offered to work with me to try and identify the problem.

I am taking him down on Sunday to see how he reacts around other dogs and people but as Millie is in season (and I think she is partly responsible for his defensive/aggressive behaviour) I am not sure if he will display the behaviour that has been worrying me when she is not there. Anyway, I am giving it a go.

If necessary, he said he will refer me to one of his contacts who is a dog behaviourist.

That's really good, hope you uncover the problem...just remember all training etc should be positive...the minute there is any negative treatment of your dog,look elsewhere for help.

keep us posted as to how he does.

GOOD LUCK!! :huggles: im sure things will sort themselves out soon especially as he was so placid before xx

It sounds like your dog thinks he is the leader of the pack. I agree, that you probably need specialist help, but you can start working on this yourself. Your dogs need to realise that you are the pack leader and you do not require them to defend you. Simple things like totally ignoring the dogs for 15 minutes when you come home after leaving them (no eye contact either). Feeding yourself first or appearing to eat from their bowls before giving them their food helps put them in their place (below you). Only give them affection when you choose and not when they ask for it. I can recommend Jan Fennells book 'The dog Listener' as a start. There is a lot of commonsense and practical advice in there. A muzzle and total control on a lead is absolutely necessary unitll this gets sorted out. If the law is the same as in Scotland, two reports of agresssive behaviour to the police and a dog is required to be distroyed. I do hope things turn around for you :luck: :luck:

That sounds very positive, I hope you manage to get some insights into his behaviour - often some quite simple changes can make a difference, but it can take an outside pair of eyes to really read what's going on between the dogs and the humans in the household.

I'd agree with the point about making sure any behaviourist you consult uses positive reward-based methods. There are unfortunately a few die-hards out there who think yanking dogs around by the neck and squirting water bottles at them is acceptable training

Just a thought, but as this was quite a sudden change in behaviour it may be worth ruling out any physical cause? Things like thyroid imbalance can have quite a profound effect on a dog's behaviour and are often missed.

Good luck! :luck:

Whippets Rule said:

trish g said:

Really sorry youve got this problem and hope you get badger some help that works for him .
jansgift as limited muzzles (size 8 only) and they will not be getting any for awhile if at all , so this is another site that hopefully will have more sizes .

http://www.greyhoundandwhippetshop.co.uk/muzzles.htm

Click to expand...

I think you mean Sidney not Badger I don't have a problem with Badger he's lovely, just has to be muzzled when walking but he's been that way for 8yrs now :lol: :lol:

Click to expand...

put it down to my age :lol:

Another thing it might be worth getting him checked by a vet - sometimes thyroid problems can cause aggressive behaviour in dogs that have been fine, it might not be the addition of the bitch that has caused him to behave in this way.

If its not health problems and hes only just started this behaviour it could be down to him feeling pushed out by the bitches presence - I have 1 male and 3 bitches in my house ( not Whippets ) but my male was here first and is very much the bottom of the pack in relation to the girls who boss him around - Your male could be trying to dominate others so that he feels above someone in the pack order.

Some males need a firmer hand then others and I would define where he stands in the pack situation in your home - I wouldnt allow him to sit on sofas beds ect as that can in a dogs eyes mean they are equal to you or above you in social standing - most behaviors a dog displays is very much based on pack mentality and by giving him defined boundrys in his pack will / should make him a better dog.

Good luck with the training and I hope he improves soon

I think taking sidney back to obedience is a good start, this is an environment where has was in a "thinking" mode and may takesome of his thoughts of aggression out of him, but keep him muzzled. Plus the instructors know of his previous behaiviour, start there and let us know how he goes. Best of luck

Hi ...just picked up on this topic... Looking at his photo and noting where he is from.. I believe Sidney (or William) as we called him is one of a litter of pups we had. I hope he is behaving better and that you are all doing well. Kath Whitehaven

Sidney is behaving much better, thanks Kath. Millie, our whippet bitch, is the mental one. I worked out she was the main cause of the problems She is very hyper and nervous and is permanently attached to my leg and makes him skittish sometimes. I have learned to get her settled a bit better and Sid has calmed a lot with age and touch wood it is about 18 months or more since he has tried to nip anyone although I try not to be complacent. He really is a typical whippet boy - soft as anything and loves his cuddles. Hope all your whippets and family are doing well.