Please help

[Rowlsey]

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Hi everyone needing some advice on my 5 year old mixed breed bitch. Have had her since the age of 5weeks old. Is very loving but can become very aggressive when dosent want to do something. She growled @ my husband twice tonight because he was bringing to the bathroom to get her paws washed after being out on a walk. She will only go out with me. Hides under the table if anyone else gets her lead. She as the run of dwn stairs in the day when we are @ work. Family members come and let her out for the toilet. She sleeps in the ulity room @ night. Should I put her in there in the day to ? Any advice would be grateful I cant afford a behaviorist at the moment.

 

[Mad Murphy]

Is the behaviour new?
If this is a new event or out of the ordinary your first port of call should be a vet to make sure there is no physical cause for the behaviour.

 

[Rowlsey]

Is the behaviour new?
If this is a new event or out of the ordinary your first port of call should be a vet to make sure there is no physical cause for the behaviour.

No this as been going on for a while now. Been to vets. Tried behavioural traning. Shez a really good dog apart from these issues when she dosent want to do something.

 

[Mad Murphy]

Ok, what was the first time she ever did it? Was there a trigger for it?

You say you tried behaviour training.. maybe if you could explain a bit more wht type of training and say what, if any improvement there was..or if there was none what went wrong.
There are some great people here with a lot of experience who could give some tips..

 

[JudyN]

The best approach isn't to try to make her do what she doesn't want to do, but to try to make it something that she wants to do. That means thinking through everything she needs to do that she doesn't want to do and working out a way of making it rewarding. So, as an example, your OH could reward her just for taking one step to the bathroom door, building up to her going into the bathroom with him, and then gradually working on paw-washing - which might start initially with training 'paw', then doing it with a cloth in his hand, and so on.

For people other than you taking her for walks, you could get them to pick up the lead, give her a treat, and put the lead down again and not walking her, until she will actively come over to someone who picks the lead up, then have them put the lead on her, treat her and take it off again, and so on... Then they lead her up to the front door, treat her, and release her again... You could also at this stage get them to put the lead on and then you take her for a walk. This could be tricky though as she is probably overbonded to you so anxious about separation from you.

As you can imagine, all this could be time-consuming and could be speeded up with the input of a good positive behaviourist who can see exactly what's going on, so you might want to put away a little money so you can afford one in the future. Also, pick your battles, so it's not so overwhelming for you - if you can deal with her paws for now, for instance, then you can just focus on success in one area, which will give you a confidence boost when you get results, and also give her and you a chance to relax and de-stress over other aspects that hve been a battle.

 

[JoanneF]

Just to add something to the great advice above, you might find an Adaptil collar or plug-in diffuser helps her to relax a bit. It is a synthetic product which replicates the hormone a bitch has after having puppies and has a calming effect on dogs.

 

[Flobo]

Also there is a spray ,' natural de-stress & calming' ,from 'pet remedy' that is all herbal, you can spray in the air, on bedding or on a bandana maybe. I've used this with good effect with my boarders on firework nights, may help if used with some of the other suggestions above.

 

[Rowlsey]

Ok, what was the first time she ever did it? Was there a trigger for it?

You say you tried behaviour training.. maybe if you could explain a bit more wht type of training and say what, if any improvement there was..or if there was none what went wrong.
There are some great people here with a lot of experience who could give some tips..

 

[Rowlsey]

She went socialising classes. My husband tried taking her 4 a walk tonight and she hid under the table. So we left and let her come out on her own accord.

 

[Rowlsey]

The best approach isn't to try to make her do what she doesn't want to do, but to try to make it something that she wants to do. That means thinking through everything she needs to do that she doesn't want to do and working out a way of making it rewarding. So, as an example, your OH could reward her just for taking one step to the bathroom door, building up to her going into the bathroom with him, and then gradually working on paw-washing - which might start initially with training 'paw', then doing it with a cloth in his hand, and so on.

For people other than you taking her for walks, you could get them to pick up the lead, give her a treat, and put the lead down again and not walking her, until she will actively come over to someone who picks the lead up, then have them put the lead on her, treat her and take it off again, and so on... Then they lead her up to the front door, treat her, and release her again... You could also at this stage get them to put the lead on and then you take her for a walk. This could be tricky though as she is probably overbonded to you so anxious about separation from you.

As you can imagine, all this could be time-consuming and could be speeded up with the input of a good positive behaviourist who can see exactly what's going on, so you might want to put away a little money so you can afford one in the future. Also, pick your battles, so it's not so overwhelming for you - if you can deal with her paws for now, for instance, then you can just focus on success in one area, which will give you a confidence boost when you get results, and also give her and you a chance to relax and de-stress over other aspects that hve been a battle.

 

[Rowlsey]

I am seriousl thinking of a behaviorist looking for one in my area. I am pulling my hair out with her.

 

[leashedForLife]

.

I know that U can't change her history, but why did U get her at only 5-WO?
Did her dam die? - Was she a singleton, & mom's milk gave out with only one pup nursing?

Pups aren't up on their legs or very active B4 five-wks-old; for the 1st 3-weeks, they're on their bellies & crawling, then wobble about briefly for longer & longer moments over the next 2-weeks, spending longer times on their legs & developing muscle, balance, & endurance ... the period between 5-WO AND EIGHT Wks-Old is crucial for shaping normal dog-behavior & dog-social norms, as *that* is when pups engage in active play with their siblings & mother, & learn to play politely, to signal intentions clearly, to understand what other dogs are saying & feeling & comprehend THEIR intentions, etc.
All behavior is a conversation - it's a response to something or someone. // Dogs who don't get to spend those 1st 2-months with their littermates & dam can be badly warped for their lifetimes, as they can't interact with other dogs normally, & many will be lousy pets - since before they can be good pets & sociable with humans, they need to be normal dogs, if U see what i mean?

One of the most-common side-FX of single births in dogs is a SEVERE intolerance of interruptions or frustration, leading to such bizarre behavior as a 6-WO puppy who growls blood-curdling deep threats when s/he is picked-up while walking from point-A to point-B -- such solo pups have literally never been forced to cope with frustration, all 8 of mum's teats were available, no sibling nudged them aside, stepped on them as they slept, wanted to play when they were sleepy or wanted to sleep when THEY wanted to play, gnawed on their ears or tails or paws with needle-like milk teeth, took their toy or treat or stood in the bowl so they couldn't eat, etc, etc.
These singletons will react with serious aggro at a very-young age, under very-mild provocation - in fact, under what normal pups would not even recognize as 'provoking'.

It sounds to me - based entirely upon Ur own description, above - as if Ur now-5-YO, adult dog has a milder version of "I can't deal with frustration / I'm in control". // So how did she come to U at only 5-WO?
And does this sound like what U are experiencing? - any frustration, however mild, makes her react?

- terry

.

 

[Rowlsey]

I had her so early as they were going to kill the pups. The owners were reported to rspca and band from having animals! All pups were rehomed

 

[poptart]

How does she get on with your husband the rest of the time? Is he the only one she does this with?

 

[Rowlsey]

How does she get on with your husband the rest of the time? Is he the only one she does this with?

No she does it with my daugter to she only wants me to take her out on walks .

 

[leashedForLife]

I had her so early as [the breeder/s] were going to kill the pups.
The owners were reported to RSPCA and [were later banned] from [owning] animals!
All pups were rehomed.

.

Presumably the pups were "rehomed" by the RSPCA? - in that case, the vaunted & venerable British defender of innocent animals screwed-up royally, & U'd think they'd KNOW BETTER, after more than a century of experience, & would have held the pups with their dam or dams until they were at least 56-DO / 8-WO before they made them available to the public for adoption -
surely they have foster volunteers who are experienced at rearing litters & re-feeding dams?

I'd think this litter especially would be held for a few weeks, as they came from a lousy home & were probly not very well cared for - the important details, such as a good diet for mum-dog, with adequate calories, & the dam fed puppy concentrate as well as the pups fed puppy-food, b/c she needs the extra calories when she's breastfeeding.

If the RSPCA placed those pups from a bad 1st home at a mere 5-WO, they blew it, & my overall rating of the RSPCA as a knowledgeable & truly humane institution just fell a few more notches.
- terry

.

 

[arealhuman]

Wow - quick to reach a conclusion there @leashedForLife without any facts.

 

[leashedForLife]

Wow - quick to reach a conclusion there @leashedForLife without any facts.

.

The OP stated that "the owners were reported to the RSPCA, are no longer permitted to own pets, & all pups were rehomed."

Presumably those pups were 'rehomed' / placed with adoptive families, VIA the RSPCA - & presumably, that's how & where the OP got their dog, originally. And as i stated in my post above, if my presumption is correct, & the RSPCA placed 5-WO pups coming from a bad situation with adopters immediately, RATHER than keep the entire litter intact with their dam until they reached 56-DO / 8-WO, then - in my considered opinion - they, as a "humane" organization, blew it.

Where am i going off on a rant based on false statements? - I have only what facts the OP provided, & i *did* qualify my statement by saying that IF THE RSPCA DID THIS, they screwed-up; as an organization, they're accountable for the actions of their employees & representatives.

- terry

.

 

[JudyN]

Maybe, as they aren't likely to read this and explain their reasons for how they acted (there may have been good reasons), it would be best not to attack them based on limited information though

 

[leashedForLife]

Maybe, as they aren't likely to read this and explain their reasons for how they acted (there may have been good reasons), it would be best not to attack them based on limited information though.

.

Attack them? - hardly.
If they did place 5-WO pups in adoptive homes, yes, i'm critical of that decision - no matter WHY it was made, sending 5-WO pups as singletons to pet-owners is a bad choice, period - IMO, & IME. Furthermore, yes, it lowers their credibility in my eyes. // Everyone else is also entitled to their own opinion - the foregoing is mine.

- terry

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