I have an 8 year old Lurcher who for his whole life has been the sweetest, most friendly, laid back lump of dog. We could take him anywhere and he would happily mix with any dogs.
He was entire up until last June, when he had to be neutered due to prostate problems.
A few months later, probably about 3 months, he had his first ever scuffle with another dog. In fact it happened twice in as many weeks. Both times were when off-lead out of control juvenile labs that careered across a big field and jumped on him, so at the time time, although concerned I put it down to him telling them off for being so rude. It was all noise and bluff, no injury and on the second occasion the lab had also made the mistake of grabbing my boy's tennis ball, which he dropped as the lab jumped on his head. I stopped taking his ball out with us after that, just in case that was the trigger, as he has a ball with him both times.
Next few months were uneventful. We took him away with us over the Christmas holidays and he was fine on the beach around lots of dogs of varying breeds, although most were on lead, as was he, so he didn't actually interact with any of them.
Fast forward again to February and he has suddenly started barking at other dogs. I know a bit about behaviour and whilst the barking itself doesn't sound aggressive, I'm concerned at his body language when he does this. He does seem hyper excited, but he stiffens up and pounces up and down and his whole demeanour looks too tight for it to be just excitement.
We haven't had any more 'incidents' but over the last week or so, every single walk he has ended up barking at other dogs, not every dog - he seems to pick and choose. Each time he's done so he's been on the lead, with the other dogs at a distance - both on and off lead, but not actually approaching him.
On Friday he was surprised by an out of control, off-lead Staffie. She was friendly but charged at him when he was lying quietly by my feet and he shot towards her and barked, but settled again straight away as soon as the owner managed to catch her and was calm enough to do some sits, downs and watch me's while she was still close by.
Yesterday he took exception to a border terrier in our local park. He didn't bark, he did something very odd. I wasn't their myself, but dh said he dropped into a stalking position and fixated on it. Dh put him in a sit and rewarding him for focussing on him instead of the other dog and he was fine once it had gone.
Dh took him out again today (I'm not well at the moment, so can't walk him enough myself). Apparently today he decided to bark at two different dogs, one a small terrier, the other something like cockerpoo. Dh said they were both long coated and he couldn't tell if they were dogs or bitches, but neither dog had approached him and all of them were on-lead. Again he sat when asked and was rewarded for sitting quietly while they passed by.
He's booked into the vet for a check-up this week, as obviously I want to rule out the possibility of an underlying health problem.
The only other change in his life was us getting our new pup last August. Pup is now almost 9 months old, had delayed vaccinations due to illness and I have spent a lot of time and effort on getting him past his own fear of other dogs due to the delay in socialisation. Now they can't be walked together, as I don't want my old lad's strange behaviour setting the pup back.
Could it be the castration? I have usually heard it said that there is not normally an effect on behaviours in adult dogs that have no previous behavioural issues, but I also know that removing testosterone can cause dogs become anxious/nervy and in the worst cases develop fear aggression, as they no longer have the hormone balance to help self-calm. In fact my younger boy hasn't been castrated yet, as we were advised by several behaviourists, trainer and our vet to delay as he is a prime canditate for his fear of other dogs developing into aggression and I want to be sure he's over it before I consider getting it done. Ironically he has been really well behaved on both of the recent walks where the older dog has barked and just watched calmly.
Any ideas, thoughts, advice would be greatly appreciated. I am worried sick about him as it's like walking a different dog it's so out of character and it's such a big change after 8 years of having an easy laid-back dog.
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The doghouse
Sudden change in dog's behaviour - 8 years old, suddenly reactive to other dogs
8 replies
moosemama · 23/02/2014 19:21
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