Difficult situation RE dog reactivity

[damnderek]

Please be sensitive. I've nc as this is difficult. We have 2 rescue dogs. One is a collie type. We've had him 3.5 years. I take him to the stables and I used to run with him. He gets at least twice a day walks. Fed good quality diet.

He's always been reactive but it appears to be getting worse. He first snapped about 2 years ago. Unprovoked. Really strange. Frightening. He just turned and snarled at my son. I was there, watching.

He is very collie-ish in nature. Sensitive and herdy. Anyway this seems to now be getting more frequent and aggressive. He hasn't bitten anyone but he jumps and snaps as if started. He'll then slink away grumbling.

We have tried meds and some alternative stuff like zyklene. He is on long term loxicom. We've had training and a behaviourist home visit. We've taken him to the chiropractor, used plug ins, collars, thunder shirts etc. We have a stair gate to keep him out of the lounge if we're busy (using wii for eg). He's scared of peoples feet as we think he's been kicked in the past.

Last night after kids were in bed he was next to me on the sofa. Twice he jumped and snapped. Like I'd frightened him. Definitely not provoked.

We have had a long discussion and frankly I'd like to pts now. He's 8 and I think he's in pain. Chronic, not acute but in the background making him cross. (Fair enough).

We're going to increase pain meds, and review in a month but I'm on bloody eggshells.

I don't really enjoy walking him now as he's reactive to other dogs. He's fine with dog 2 at home, but meeting other dogs is unpredictable. Worse on lead. I can control him. Nobody else is at risk but it's pretty miserable.

Thanks for reading but please can anyone suggest anything we haven't tried or give some thoughts about when enough is enough.

So sorry damnderek. I'd like to give you huge hug. I truly believe you are doing the right thing for your family and especially your dog. He deserves to feel happy, safe and comfortable.

I'm so sorry to hear that

So sorry to hear there is nothing more you can do. for tomorrow.

Thanks all. Can't quite believe it tbh.

Oh @damnderek. So sorry to hear this. You are doing the right thing for the Ddog and your family.

@damnderek
I’m so sorry. Sometimes even our best isn’t good enough and there’s nothing left to do.

The incident where he growled at your DD while she was just sitting eating a banana was so strange I thought she must have been a boisterous toddler.

At 8&10, they’re not nearly as unpredictable as younger children, he’s clearly very stressed.
.
for you. They break our hearts these little furry bastards.

Yes the banana did make it sound a bit toddlerish! That was the very relaxed calm 10yo. I watched it happen. No prodding etc just sat eating quietly.

@damnderek this is the worst part, the decision making and the waiting. Tomorrow will be awful but it will get better and I’m time you will be able to remember him as the loyal loving dog he was and not the dog that savaged your child.

I believe letting my dog go while I told him I loved him, with dignity in my arms was the best and kindest thing I could have done for him given the circumstances and I don’t regret it even though I miss him so much. My dog was much younger than yours but I think I did underestimate how much stress and fear he must have felt in his short life.

I hope all goes well for you

Thank you. I really REALLY appreciate these messages.

Just sat down near him. He grumbled and moved away. Def not happy. Dh and I just looked each other. Like yep. We're done.

"Vet was amazing. Said it could be sciatica neuropathic type pain, but nothing tangible to go on."

It could be, but, if they can't find any it's probably not.

My dog has uninvestigated spinal issues because finding out what it is wont change the treatment, but, any vet that examines his back can find the same area that's painful.

"My gut fielding is that I don't trust him anymore"

My dog is a nightmare, loads of medical issues and reactive/aggressive to almost everything and I think you have to have definite lines somewhere - that's one of mine, I can cope with him being like that with strangers, but not us, if I couldn't trust him with just us in the house I'd have him PTS.

It's not fair on anyone.

Ah what an awful position to be in op. But the best for everyone. Poor ddog can't be happy being so negative to his family.

update

Ortho surgeon has reviewed X-rays. On closer examination it's looking like there's knee problems. Back knees. Cruciate ligaments.

Reduced range of movement, discoloured fluid on joint space (and history).

So ... for now... we do know he's in pain. We need to manage that.

No jumping, lead walks, crate, no car journeys, not allowed in sofa...

Codeine and loxicom to continue. Then maybe Physio, hydro, acupuncture etc. Not surgery though.

So we'll see. I feel good about it but it will mean everything is much harder for now. Then if he still doesn't settle down we'll know we REALLY did try everything.

You really are going above and beyond op. What a lucky dog to have found you.

Thankyou

I had a springer that was nervous and reactive. I did training and a behaviourist. I tried everything. One day he just jumped off the sofa and went for my sons neck as he walked past. I was so shaken by this as he escalated very very quickly. I then spent ages talking to the behaviourist and a wonderful amazing springer rescue. The behaviourist said that if I didn't do something in three months he would be pts because something awful would happened. He needed more help than I knew how to give him. But the springer rescue said they would take him and he went to a specialist springer Foster home where he could be looked into and helped if they could,rather than just having him pts. I miss him everyday. But from what I have been told he was helped and re homed but to a person who knew what they were doing. I totally understand. I really do. No judging from me. I would have had him pts if it wasn't from the wonderful springer rescue people.

@Myownwendyhouse wow. How scary.

Life is looking good here now. Increased pain killers.

no jumping at all

He isn't allowed on the sofa. Cushions up at all times. Looks weird but I don't care!

Short lead walks. Brain games. No car journeys, Stables.

He hasn't grumbled since Thursday. It's been lovely.

We're rescue collie people too, and had similar issues. I do think you're doing the right thing and I'm glad it's working, but at the first sign of snapping again I really would PTS, as the pain meds will not be touching it.
Don't forget that almost all rescue dogs where the history is not known are guessed ages, so yours may be 3 or 4 years older than you imagine.
We had a '10 year old' when we got him, in hind sight we think he was probably 3 or 4 years older, and he suffered with arthritis. We had him PTS before his snapping got too bad, but he had 2-3 years on (mild) pain killers.

Thanks @Ariela

He was from a breed specific rescue where we got him from a lady who had rescued him as a 5mo old in RSPCA kennels. So there's a patch of unknown history but we think the age is correct.

I agree about 'last chance' though.

The kids aren't actually here this week, so he really does have every chance to succeed.

I truly think ur doing the right thing. Putting to sleep for me was a very last option. I was lucky to have so much help with the rescue centre and my behaviourist. And I am glad that I just didn't rush to have him pts. I just didn't understand enough and wasn't trained enough to help him to the level he needed. So I wanted to give him a chance at life with someone who could really make the correct decision for him.

You sound like a loving, caring dog owner who has gone above and beyond your duties. Having a dog put to sleep is awful but I have always taken solace in the fact it is the last loving act you can do for them.

Aw, I’ve been away and just caught up.
So glad you’ve had a good couple of days.

It wasn’t the banana that made me think your DD was a toddler, it was DDog’s reaction.
I’ve got preschoolers and teenagers and dogs will grumble (half heartedly) at the younger ones approaching, to let them know they don’t want to be bothered.

They never do that at older members of the family. To be doing it to a 10-yr-old family member would be an indication of a very unhappy dog IMHO.

Really hope sorting out the pain issues makes a difference. I appreciate how bloody stressful these situations are and think you’re handling it brilliantly.

Thankyou

We have a different dog this week.

No grumbling at all. It's been lovely. although expensive

Just had another stairgate made to lessen the running/jarring.

Sofa cushions up at all times (unless human bum on them)

Dh going to vet tomorrow to proceed with hydrotherapy, Physio etc.

UPDATE

It's been a lovely month. Dog has been wonderful. Lead walks and brain games, painkillers, zyklene, adaptil plug in and magnetic collar. Crate/stair gates as necessary to keep him calm and quiet. Hasn't grumbled at all.

We've started taking him out with us to pubs/cafes and he's been good as gold.

So...

He's been and had loads of tests etc including fluid taken from his inflamed joints today. Ouch.

He's really unhappy and in pain. It's like he was when I first posted. So clear that he was in agony when I first posted. We should find out cause of inflammation next week, but in the meantime his behaviour has obviously all been about pain. We thought we'd ruled it out as he was on loxicom but he needed the pardale too.

The rest is probably snake oil but sod it, whatever works!