Help with 6 year old dog

[flippyflapper]

Hi everyone,

So we have a 6 and a half year old cockerpoo, we got him from rescue at age 2yr, he was given up from a family who separated.

He has always been stubourn, as in he wont play unless he brings toys to you and the demands it, he wont sit with us unless on his terms, has always been very disobedient, but as a family we new his querks left him alone when he needed and always reinforced discipline.

Over the last year he has got worse, he is snapping, humping my younger kids and literally pining them down and scratching them, we took him to classes close by and we have been doing everything told. Omg don't even get me started on his barking, it NEVER stops, our neibours are getting more and more annoyed, we have tried vibrating collar and the spray collar, also basic training.

So to my real problem, we took in a puppy 5 months ago (who is actually such a good pup) ddog likes her, they will cuddle up and play, he is loving the extra attention as we are training new pup so ddog gets treats for also doing trainning (cant leave him out) but his behaviour has got worse, he has gone for me my husband, kids and today my mum, it can be a simple thing like telling him to get out the bin and me shutting the bin lid, he bit my hand, he was trying to eat puppy dinner even tho we feed ddog first (even tried to feed them together) and my dh told him no he snapped and growled at him. Like i said above when he wants to play he bring his toys to you so my dd aged 8 did the usual picked his ball and threw it and before she did he went for her hand!

He is getting aggressive with other dogs so now have to keep him on a lead.
Ive got a dog trainer coming Saturday to help again.

He has been to vet- nothing wrong at all

He has his own bloody room down stairs which is his space and no one touches him when in there so its his safe haven.

He also has been neutered before we got him.

Please help any advice at all, i really don't want to rehome as i think he would be pts

[frostedviolets]

I agree that he may well be considered unrehomeable by a rescue, if it was me, he's seen a vet and got given the all clear, he is biting and injuring people, if he was mine I'd have him PTS.
The only thing I can think of apart from that is trying a different behaviourist?

[adaline]

How much exercise does he get, and what kind of food is he on?

A 3yo cockapoo should be getting about a good two hours a day minimum. Lack of exercise and poor diet can lead to all sorts of behavioural problems.

Our dog is two and if he gets cheap treats I really notice a different in his behaviour. Similarly if he doesn't get enough exercise, he gets really silly with his behaviour.

[tabulahrasa]

What sort of trainer is coming?...

Because IMO you need a qualified behaviourist, you’ve a dog that sounds like he has a couple of issues including resource guarding and you’ve made it worse with your discipline and things like aversive collars...

[flippyflapper]

To answer a few questions he has two 1.45hr walks a day, when its summer its 3 as we at the park more.

I'm using a diffrent behaviourist who has been higly reccomend in this area.

He is 6 not 3

Food wise has been the same since we got him as he has a very sensitive stomach any slight change he has a bad tummy, always has, treats we always used cooked chicken or ham (his favourite)

Yes i agree i have made things worse, i no its my fault i just don't want to get rid of him so tried everythint whixh is obviously made him worse.

He is a soppy dog also, he isn't all bad, he is a lazy one too, after walks he will sleep most of the day, just went he doesn't like something or in one of his moods he snaps and bites.

[adaline]

I agree with PP that the use of shock collars and aversives won't have helped you.

What do you do currently when he gets overstimulated?

[Hoppinggreen]

Well getting another dog was probably not the best move but that’s done now.
You need professional help if the dog has escalated to actually biting and if you have children too it’s even more important.
Realistically he’s a 6 year old dog who has been rehomed before and has issues, rehoming again will be tough. If you do go down that route try the specialist cross breed rescue

[flippyflapper]

I wouldn't call it over stimulation as such, he will bring a toy to play, when it starts we stop playing and send to his bed!
We are trying to ignore him at the moment after telling him no, isnt working.