Barking / Behaviour advice please

[ingles2]

Quick summary first...
We live in the middle of nowhere, no neighbours at all. Only people who stop at our drive (other than friends) are postman / binman etc
Pippa our cocker spaniel is nearly 5, soft as anything, and completely adorable BUT she has always barked at people visiting. Now she is a guard dog, but the last 2 weeks her behaviour has gone nuts when someone approaches or a car pulls up. Really barking, aggressive jumping up, shaking the gate etc. and she won't stop on command.
Yesterday she took the biscuit when the meter reading man came and actually went to bite him!
How do I stop this?
As I said she's lovely with us, friends and when she's out it's just this gate thing. She's well, no problems but about to come into heat.
Help!
x

dog PMT

are you going to get her spayed at any point?

I did wonder if it was that fox...
We keep trying to have puppies but she refuses all suitors

Sorry no advice but did lol at the bit about her being a guard dog. One of ours is a cocker and loves visitors but if he did fancy himself as a guard dog then all a intruder would have to do is push him away with his foot!

I think spaying can cause problems in females (to do with this) but I can't remember what.

My old dog was a big guarder....they told me it was something to do with maternal instinct kicking in when it got to that stage in her cycle. She was better after being spayed but I think it has to be considered on an individual basis (and she's older than they normally are when they are spayed, isn't she).

Might be worth having a word with the vet about her behaviour, especially if it seems it's cycle related iyswim.

LOL hercules... until recently ours would have been the same, but she has got the bark of a much bigger dog and is very protective of us, particularly the dc's. I'm going to have to forget puppies and get her done aren't I!

It might be best to get her done as she sounds like she might not be the best to breed from. Imagine people coming to visit to see the puppies with mum and mum attacking them.

I would go on to cockersonline forum and ask there as well before making any major decisions.

She's always barked and jumped at the gate but really that's what I needed her for. I think you are probably right Fox and her cycle has made it worse in the last couple of weeks.

Actually she would have been great to have puppies from, she really is completely soft and has been wonderful with the kids and any kids who visit. I really don't think she would have a problem with people who visit to view the pups. It's Men really, ones with clipboards and packages

Do go to cockeronline forum then before making any decisions. They are really good there!

Is you're dog Kennel Club registered?

Is he/she a perfect example of his/her breed? i.e. perfect conformations, meets the breed standard. perfect temperament with no signs of aggression or shyness?

Is he/she health tested so she/he won't pass down any genetic diseases to his/her puppies? e.g. hip scored to check for hip dysplasia?

Will you be able to afford the Vet bills that come with responsible breeding? e.g. vaccinations & worming treatment for the puppies and possible paying for a cesarean if something goes wrong when the bitch is delivering the puppies?

Do you have the time to hand-rear 3 to 15 puppies should the bitch die while giving birth?

Will you have vetted homes on a waiting list for the puppies when they are ready to go? (8wks for a large breed and about 12wks for a small breed)

If you answered NO to any of the above questions, then you should not breed you're dog.

As for the aggression, was she socialized when she was young? and how much exercise does she get?