Giving up 12 week old puppy

[Ridusofyourstupidity]

Please please be kind.

I’ve been quite honest on here about losing my last puppy suddenly to anaphylactic shock and getting our new puppy a few weeks later. Now I’m not sure I can keep her due to her behaviour. It goes beyond anything I’ve experienced. She is 12 weeks old, weighs over 14kg and can reach chest height when she jumps against me.

She is repeatedly attacking me on a near constant basis with seemingly no reason. She will be chewing on a toy, lying down and get up to lunge and jump at me and bite my stomach, legs and arms while growling if I’m standing in the room even if I haven’t moved to draw attention to myself. If I ask for a sit or similar to distract her she’ll snap at me and ignore the request, although she does know ‘Sit’, ‘Down’, ‘Touch’ and will give both paws. When I have to carry her in from the garden she’ll growl and snap at my face. She is a large breed who isn’t meant to do stairs so this is unavoidable.

I can’t enter the room without her attacking me, she’ll bite the backs of my legs or jump up at my side to bite my arm. She’ll try and mount my leg while biting me if I’m still Leaving the room does nothing, she’ll try and block me leaving and she’ll continue when I return, even if calm. Toys do nothing as she will ignore them to jump and continue biting higher. Or she’ll pull my clothing like a tug toy while growling. I’ve tried every kind of toy but she let them go, snarl and dart under them to get back to biting me.

It is either very rough play or something more but it’s unmanageable. I’m now having to leave her alone in the kitchen as I can’t be in there with her, even when calm she will without warning launch at me. I keep trying to go in but it soon becomes too much as she doesn’t stop trying to get to me to bite. 15 mins is the most I’ve lasted with her ignoring toys and being latched on to me.

She’s incredibly difficult to walk even with no distractions as she’ll still attack me and bite me while we’re walking. She refuses all treats on a walk (I’ve tried several) and will pull, be incredibly hyper, running from left to right, and lunge and bite when I stay still.

I’ve done everything we covered in the puppy classes with my last puppy with her from the day we brought her home and none of this has made any difference. She has a marker word and all other commands are the same as before so everyone is on the same page. I’m not sure I’m going to make it through until Friday when I have a private training session booked. I’m utterly miserable and defeated.

Honestly the "breeder" isn't a breeder. At best she's an irresponsible dog owner at worst she's a "backyard breeder" who decided to try and make some quick money. Have the parents been test for hips/eyes etc? Have their temperaments been evaluated independently? Were the pups temperament tested? I bed exactly none of that happened. People who purposefully cross breed aren't breeders. They are dog sellers.

People who breed potential aggressive guarding breeds know their lines very well. They keep track of any sharpness or aggression that's seen and breed away from it. You simply can't do that with a cross. Any reputable breeder would be horrified that their dogs were used to create a cross breed especially if they weren't sold as breeding dogs. Only the very best of a breed should be bred.

Any decent breeder would take a dog back with no qualms. Her making it out to be your fault is ludicrous from the description you've given.

Your mistake wasn't in getting a new pup it was in taking a huge gamble on a poorly bred dog. When you're ready go meet some reputable breeders of purebred dogs (the kennel clubs assured breeders is a place to start). Someone who does temperament test and can tell you what they were hoping to achieve from the mating. Someone who shows and has their dogs independently evaluated.

@Ridusofyourstupidity I've just read your updates, sorry I just replied straight away after reading your first message - I didn't realise the thread was from Monday.

I am sorry that the breeder is treating you in such a way, sadly a lot of breeders who do it for the wrong reasons are like that

It seems to me that it’s the breeder who should be for the high jump.

Rid, none of this is your fault. This dog is clearly a huge undertaking and an enormous liability. You can’t keep on like that.

We don't know what to expect from those two breeds, let alone crossed.

Pp who have knowledge of the mastiff seem to say this is not actually unusual.

OP believes breed traits are not relevant, so shouldn't come into play, as training is training, and all breed traits can be overtrained.

We don't know about the breeder per se.

Only that this isnt unusual for a mastiff, and yes, maturity and training will produce beautiful adults, but, might not. I wouldn't take it on, as I don't know the breed or what to expect.

Sadly, neither does OP from the sound of it and doesn't consider that important.

A sad end.

I had a dog I just couldn't handle

She was a spaniel and SO sensitive. She was scared of everything. I have anxiety issues and we were just feeding off each others fear.

We weren't right for each other.

I rehome her and now she is with a couple who have no kids and have a lot of land (no cars, about) and she is a different dog. So happy and care free.

I thought it was ME who was a shit owner. I got in behaviourists and everything.

I got another dog and he is perfect.
We have non of the same issues and I am so relaxed with him.

Sometimes you just get the wrong dog.

It doesn't make you a failure or a bad person.

Sorry to hear your update OP. I hope you get your money back too.

You didn't respond to me or any other posters about diet. If you do get another dog one day, or indeed keep this one in the end, then please take on board the protein adjustments you can do to manage behaviour. Especially when young. It really does make a difference. The raw fed diet proponents can be a bit religious about it, but a meat only diet isn't right for dogs. they are omnivores not carnivores. Please read the link in posted before for the science behind this.

I wish you the best of luck whatever happens with this puppy. You must be heartbroken.

I think it's the right decision to send her back to the breeder. Ignore that the woman is being 'funny', it might just be her way or it might be that she's peeved, either way it's not your issue. She'll take the dog back and yes she might sell it on to someone else, but it might be that the someone else is the right fit.

I've had many dogs. Had to return one as he was attacking my DD2 without any provocation: I witnessed it and know that DD2 hadn't done anything to provoke the dog. He went to a farm and was as happy as larry. Had to have another dog pts when his behaviour went from borderline to dangerous. That broke me for a long time. Had other dogs where we've just been the absolute right fit, everything from first home pups to older rescues.

She went for me very badly in the car yesterday, thankfully I wasn’t driving but it was a prolonged attack. I think the sound of the rain on the car window spooked her and she just snapped. I was lucky I was wearing two thick sleeves and I was able to keep her away from my face. It’s definitely the right decision. I really cannot imagine making the decision to have one ever again, I can’t put myself through it again. It is heartbreaking but ultimately I could throw all the time and money in the world on behaviourists and she still wouldn’t be the right fit for my family. It’s better to return her and the breeder find the right owner for her.

I think you’re doing the right thing. And it could well be there’s actually something medical underlying it. Hearing? Pain?
This isn’t simple puppy behaviour.
I’m sorry OP. I know you must be truly gutted.

There’s honestly no signs of anything medical, and the vet cleared her. She started snapping and growling the day after we got her but we didn’t think much of it then. It’s progressed over the last 5 weeks.

The only dogs I knew like this were either victims of cocker rage or serious health/joint pain issues or brain tumour (unlikely in a pup.)
Either way this isn’t something you feel you can take on.

I'm so sad for you OP, after reading this thread.

I've got 2 spaniels who are both a little on the wrong side of crazy at times, and there are times that I've really struggled. It's the worst feeling in the world because it's farneasier to blame yourself than think the worst of your dog.

FWIW I think you've made the right choice. You have to be physically safe in your own home. Another dog will find its way into your life when the time is right

I would think joint pain being the mix she is, but if it is that, she’s hiding it well. No trouble moving at all and the vet was happy with everything. Also would she only turn on one person if she was in pain?

My partner can play with her and she will be fine. I stand in the kitchen and she flings herself at me. It’s not even all the time, though it feels like it. Two out of 5 times she’s fine, but that’s worse because I can never tell exactly what it is that triggers her.

My partner and I have just been in the kitchen with her, she was laid on my feet. My partner left the kitchen and she immediately jumped up, turned and lunges at my stomach.

OP I know you’ve made your mind up & I think it’s the right decision, but have you considered anything sensory like a perfume you wear, or noisy jewellery or something?
There’s other things dogs can sense that we can’t - medical conditions their owners have, people are even talking about 4g or WiFi signals being disrupting to some dogs.
It sounds bonkers to me what I’m typing but it’s not associated with text messaging or phone notifications?!

I don’t wear jewellery or perfume.

Medically I’m at the hospital next week to confirm Rheumatoid Arthritis, but that’s the only possible thing. And no, not connected to my phone. It happens throughout the day, at any point.

Dogs will do this to one person. I mean take out their angst or aggression to one. Theres clearly something around people being around you.

I would try the long line before returning but you msy have already made your plans.

When are you taking her back?

Really sad but your safety is the main consideration.

After yesterday in the car I’m confident we’ve made the right decision. She goes back tomorrow. It’s just hard because she has no idea what’s happening and it makes me so sad to think that she’ll wonder what happened to us and why we took her back.

I feel for you. My dog was like this as a puppy. Thankfully she's a medium breed but the first year (with a 1 year old DS) was hell.

She grew out of it quickly and now, age 11, I can't even imagine her being like that. She's amazing and we love her so so much.

Get advice, take additional training and definitely speak to your breeder again.

that she’ll wonder what happened to us and why we took her back

No, she absolutely won't. So console yourself. For her it'll all be about her excitement of her familiar home she's returning to.

Maybe you can demonstrate her behaviour to the owner and feed back their comments?

Tough for you but she'll be fine, unless ita a shit breeder, then I wouldn't take her back .

As you have confidence in the breeder you should have no worries

Really hope you find something suitable soon

Sorry to flounce off and then come back anyway

You didn't flounce! You must be emotionally and physically exhausted. I can't imagine.

I think this is one of those rare occasions where making a unilateral decision is actually really helpful of your partner.

I hope tomorrow goes ok for everyone

OP just read this fromstart to finish. YOU are 100 percent doing the right thing taking her back
no-one should be attacked in your own home. at 3 months she could do some damage to you, imagine fully grown?! does not even bare thinking about

hope you are ok OP, you have tried so hard. Dont let this put you off.
fwiw - i have been in a similar situation

She wont be feeling bad about it OP. No dog is happy when theyre in that state.

My partner is now having a change of mind.