I need to rehome don't I.....

[letsallcountsheep]

I have a 7 month old Collie cross. She is lovely, well trained and full of energy.

She came into season about 3 weeks ago, the temperament has changed a little, she's become a little possessive over me and food

2 incidents worry me, when my daughter and I were stroking her my daughter leaned in to give her a peck on the cheek and she nipped her nose, she sometimes gets over excited giving kisses but it scared me enough to pull her away and smack on her nose to stop her. The second happened this morning, I was making my dogs lick mat, I was walking to the freezer to set it and my cat(12) walked across my path, my dog snapped and went for her, she didn't actually get my cat as she ran away. I locked my dog in the kitchen while I checked my cat.

I have a dog walker while I work part time in an office. So she's not home alone all day, she says both incidents are completely out of character and could be because she is in season but I don't think I can relax with her now.

I mentioned we might have to rehome her to my daughter and she was heartbroken as am I, I tried to explain it to her but she's SN and 7 loves our puppy to bits. 😢

WWYD rehome now or see how she is after her season has finished. I will be getting her spayed so no more seasons after this

Don't let your daughter kiss her, don't ever smack her nose. That itself could have made the situation worse.

She has been walked in season yes, on the lead. All the dogs in my walkers pack are neutered, she loves socialising with them.

You're considering getting rid of your seven-month-old dog because she's been grumpy in season? That's shitty.

This grumpy behaviour is very likely down to her season. In dog terms she is a stroppy teenager. She's only seven months old, still a puppy, and she's going through the horrible experience of being hormonally all over the place while presumably not even being allowed an off-lead walk at the moment, and almost certainly being pestered by male dogs when she is on the lead. The poor dog is really fed-up to back teeth at this point.

Your daughter shouldn't be getting up into your dog's face (and you mention 'possessive over food' too - your daughter shouldn't be going near the dog while she's eating either). A dog is not a toy.

You shouldn't be smacking her, and especially not on the nose. That's a surefire way to make your dog nervous and reactive to people putting their hand out to her.

A collie cross probably wasn't the best choice of dog if you have a young child and a cat. Collies are bred to instinctively herd and she is telling your cat that it was in the 'wrong' place - but she probably doesn't want the cat around her while she's in season, is all. Snapping at her like that is her way of telling her to go somewhere else.

Get your dog spayed and teach your daughter better dog manners.

I've owned dogs for over 20 years. Never ever heard any reputable trainer recommend using tapping as a standard training method for puppies and have never used it for my dogs.
I know it's not what you want to hear OP, but I think what people are trying to explain (some more kindly than others) is that your behaviour is causing the issues, not your dog's.

Please don't let your daughter or anyone else for that matter get into a dog's face. It's not on.

Hitting a dog is not and has never been training, it simply leads to animal to associate a hand with pain, which in some dogs can lead to aggression.

Teenage dogs can be arseholes, so I imagine that ramps up more for a dog in season. Your little one should already know that dogs dislike things like cuddles etc and only tolerate them, a dog in a bad mood is far less tolerant. You will also know that collies can be a bit of a snappy breed, snappiness is obviously different to nastiness.

I wonder if the dog walkers other clients are aware that their dog walker hits dogs.

A tap on the nose is not a smack, if you want a dog to stop what it is doing you tap on the nose.

Er, no you don't? It's a really, really bad idea.

Dog's noses are really sensitive. A 'tap' on a dog's nose hurts. All you are doing by 'tapping' a dog on the nose is making the dog wary and defensive when people put their hand towards their face. It's a big factor in dogs snapping.

Fucking hell.

Why is your bitch not neutered? That would end these issues.

I don't think children should be rolling around with and kissing dogs. That said my 16 year old does it with our delighted Labrador 🙄. But I know this would have gone badly with our Collie, who we had when he was a toddler, and we 100% didn't allow anything like that. He tripped once as a toddler and fell on top of her accidentally in her basket and she reacted by snapping as a warning but we didn't tell either of them off! (We did move her basket to a place the toddler couldn't get to).

dont let your child put her face close to the dog's face
she is not a toy

I would seriously consider getting her training. And involve you and your daughter. In fact the whole family needs to be involved. Learn your daughter that she is an animal and animals are not to be kept kissing on the mouth, especially if they are aggressive. It makes me cringe if one day this goes entirely wrong. Learning an animal's body language is first and foremost but training here is absolutely essential. I mean for your family on how to handle her properly and recognise when she is telling you she is unhappy. Showing whites of the eyes is stress.

She needs neutering first and foremost.

Maybe feed her outside and keep everyone away from her when she is feeding so that she feels safe and unbothered.

Collies are high energy and are working dogs primarily. Does she get enough stimulation? If not, get a dog walker for when you are busy for the in between.

'2 incidents worry me, when my daughter and I were stroking her my daughter leaned in to give her a peck on the cheek and she nipped her nose, she sometimes gets over excited giving kisses but it scared me enough to pull her away and smack on her nose to stop her.'

You are smacking the dogs nose? Please get the poor dog rehomed away from your cruelty and ignorance.

my dh tapped our previous dog on the nose, it is obviously a common method

You’re the one who said you smacked the dog. You only changed it to tap because of the response you’ve got.

anyway if you and your “trainer” give the poor dog a wallop across the face when she warns you she’s unhappy then she’ll stop warning and go straight for the attack. That’ll be your fault too

For idiots, yes.

Rehome the dog and do not get another one. it will not be the dog's fault but if she really does bite, it will be much harder to rehome her.

It’s an outdated, painful and useless method is what it is. The dogs nose is very sensitive. I bet he rubbed the dogs nose in its mess to housetrain it too

You should rehome the dog for its own sake and before your daughter gets seriously injured.

FFS - you don't let children roll around with dogs, or kiss them on the face!

This morning was just a reaction in the moment same as with my daughter.

Yes, I researched the breed, I feel she is getting enough exercise and stimulation, I have researched on stimulation toys/puzzles which she does so she doesn't get bored. Thankfully she hasn't wrecked/chewed anything in the house which tells me she isn't under stimulated.

I am not going to rehome atm, I was hoping and in a round about way some of you have confirmed this behaviour is due to her being in season. She is a lovely dog.

I'd get a new dog walker. She encourages you to abuse your dog, she shouldn't be around animals. You need to get some training in too, it sounds like you don't know or understand dogs at all. But in all honesty, a Collie sounds totally unsuitable for your family. She should be out and about busy every day with her owner, not cooped up with someone that works every day.

I'm really shocked a collie would go for a smaller animal. It's not like that's what they've been bred for. Baffling.

Stupid breed to get with cats and a small child.

Your headline is “I need to rehome” but what comes across and what I think you mean is “I want to rehome”. And that’s absolutely fine. Collies and collie crosses are active and highly alert dogs. They’re not bred to be family pets, though in appropriate circumstances they can be. You and she will be happier if you can find her the home she needs and you can get a more suitable dog. Perhaps an older Labrador.

Dog would be better off without you.

You hit your dog FFS. Taking dog training advice for a dog walker is as stupid as buying a collie cross when you don’t live on a farm.

Unless you give your head a good wobble, and rehome the dog, you’re gonna end up with the dog attacking your kid. Collies are really the last dog you should be tapping or under exercising.

Irresponsible, foolish and abusive.

She might not be a lovely dog much longer if you keep letting your kid pull her around and smacking her on the nose if she dares to react

My dog had a bit of a personality transplant when she was in season. She never had a second and was spayed asap.