please please read

[Brewster]

Please help me out!

We have two dogs. A 8 year old american cocker spaniel - typical girl and really rolls with the punches, cant really phase her.
We also have a 6 yera old bernese mountain dog who is very timid and shy.
We have always had issues with her being timid and not as appraoshable or as friendly as the cocker.
In the past they have had a few growls at each otehr and the odd little scuffle but in the past 2 years it has gotten unbearable.

THe berenese has had a TPLO and TTO on her back legs and takes metacam and seraquin daily. Teh recover was long for both but we are now back up to half hour walks daily and some days a 10-15 min evening walk too.

We have a 2.5 year old and it is only very recently that the bernese has allowed hinm to touch her or come near her. She used to just run away when he came near

So...now ..the problem is that most evenings (ocassionally in the day) the bernese starts to growl. nothing seems to set it off. sometimes the cocker is nearby or walking past other times noone is even moving.
The growling sets the cocker off growling back and it then escalates into a fight. we usually step in in time but like tonight I stepped in and just as I was about to put the baby gate over to have them in separate rooms one shot past and they had a fight.
If we keep them separated at night then it ends up that the bernese is on her own away from us all and that is just horrible.

I cant find rythm or reason to the growling. speaking to tthe vet it isnt due to pain though her arthritis is getting worse.

we have had 2 behaviouists in but neitehr was that helpful though we did do what they said.

she does seem happy and settled with no growling when she stays with the lady we leave them with when we go on holiday - - FYI the cocker is there too everytime yet no growling!

my theory is that the arrival of our son was not welcomed by her and her world was turned upseide down. she now isnt getting the sleep she needs in the day as he is obviously loud and runs about the house and then by the evening she is just pissed off with everyone.

I cant bear keep shutting her away from us but the fighting needs to stop....

any advice?

Thanks so much for reading all this!

Do you have two bitches? How has your relationship with the dogs changed since the arrival of the baby?
Dogs can become protective and territorial with the arrival of a new being.

Neither of our older dogs especially like children, and we have never allowed the children to approach the dogs (we still don't), although we don't separate anyone.

Has your Bernese got a place of his/her own, away from everyone? Dogs often don't like interruption. If the dog approaches the child and wants to be with them, it is very different to the dog being approached by a small and unpredictable being.

There are people here with far more knowledge and ability in the dog world. Where are you Vall?

Bump for Vall

The same thing happened on one those embarrasing pets on TV - although was cats.
I think they solved it by giving each pet a designated 'safe' place of their own to eascape to - somewhere ds can't/isn't allowed get to?
Also sounds as if the Bernese is protecting someone - either you or ds - you need to ascert yourself as pack leader - so no-one is allowed to even growl without your 'permission'.