18 month old cockapoo bit me

[pamelat]

We have had our cockapoo from 8 weeks old. We did the whole biting puppy bit which was natural etc

I have been a bit concerned that he's still 'mouthy' in excitement but it's not in anger, more play. We are following all the guidance around that.

I have also been a bit worried that since turning one he has growled, predominantly at my husband, if asked to do something he doesn't want to do. Ie. Get off the bed.

I have really told him when he has growled at our children and slapped/tapped his nose for it. With them he seems to have stopped and tolerated them.

He's definitely my dog and prefers me because I walk/feed etc.

He is actually quite anxious if I walk away when out in a family group or if he is taken from me by anyone, but fine once I'm not there or if he is home alone.

This is relevant because today I was taking the children out and my husband was working from home. The dog ran to get in the car with the kids and knew when I took him out that he was staying home. He growled in a grumpy way, and I picked him up and carried him from the car to the house. He carried on growling and i told him no. I think I tapped his nose (this is all quite gentle) and told him off. He lunged at my face aggressively and his teeth made scratches down the side of my nose.

I actually cried in shock and was upset. I put him down and shouted quite loudly at him. He did cower and knew he was in trouble. I made him "go" in the house and left on bad terms with him.

I suppose rather than biting me, he lunged at me with his teeth bared? I am just worried at this unnecessary grumpiness and if he were to do this to the children?

He was probably tired as he had a full fun day of walking with me yesterday, 12 miles. I know he would have felt that he was missing out but staying home but I'm surprised that he did this. Maybe he is too?

He is such a loving day but definitely a grumpy or perhaps spoilt one? What do you advise?

Previous poster

Cockapoos are not mongrels - mongrels are 3+ breeds of unknown

Cockapoos are cross breeds and given the cost you’ll find most of the parent dogs have had every test going and have more paperwork than most!

Mongrels are actually a mix of two and above, not three. HTH.

Cockapoos are cross breeds and given the cost you’ll find most of the parent dogs have had every test going and have more paperwork than most

That's the most hilarious thing I've read on Mumsnet, ever. Don't be so absolutely ridiculous.

Why on earth are you ‘tapping’ his nose and picking up a growling dog. There’s so much wrong there, where to start?

Get some professional help quickly and stop all the punishments that you’ve been dishing out. Sorry to say you’ve caused this with your ‘discipline’

Dogs like this are mongrels - a mongrel, by definition, is a mix of two or more breeds. A "cockapoo" is no better than your old-fashioned Heinz 57 mutt. They've just been very cleverly marketed by unscrupulous breeders who are out to make money.

Most come from puppy farms and have absolutely no health tests whatsoever. The mothers are kept in kennels and bred and bred until they can't be bred anymore. The "lucky" ones will end up in rescues, the rest are "disposed of" once they're of no further use (eg. when they can't be used to make more money).

Most of the puppies are removed too early, put in homes with stunt dogs and sold for hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds to unsuspecting buyers. Very, very few of these dogs are from decent breeders and even fewer will have been health-tested. When you cross random dogs together and don't check their temperaments, health or anything similar, and just let them go to anyone who has the cash, unfortunately this is the kind of thing that happens.

People then end up getting dogs when they clearly have no knowledge of how to look after them. People who have done their research will not think it's acceptable to smack their dog across the nose, to punish it for growling and to manhandle it and carry it about like a toy.

Apologies for the slight rant, but it bothers me when people get dogs, don't look after them properly, and then end up with a dog who's become aggressive through fear. I mean, if someone kept smacking me on the nose, I'd bite them too!

Then, the dog ends up in rescue, or, ends up being put to sleep because plenty of places won't take dogs that have a bite history.

Actually I’d say it’s a crossbreed not a mongrel. I’d take a mongrel to be 3 or more breeds or unintentional/uncertain breeding.

Anyway, does it matter? The dog doesn’t know or care what it is and it makes not one iota of difference to the dogs behaviour. The dog hasn’t arrived as a puppy with a host of behaviour problems due to lack of socialisation and nothing to say it’s come from a puppy farm. His behaviour is a direct result of his owners management of him.

Btw, worst, most poorly socialised dog I ever had with terrible behaviour problems was from a champion Crufts breeder, considered the best breeder of that breed of dog. Pedigree as long as your arm with cruft winning grandparents. Dog was a total psycho.

Anyway, does it matter? The dog doesn’t know or care what it is and it makes not one iota of difference to the dogs behaviour.

Hmm, I think in this situation it does matter.

A good breeder would have asked plenty of questions, including about how the dog would be raised and handled. They wouldn't let their dog go to someone who thinks smacking it on the nose is a good way to discipline it.

The problem is that unscrupulous breeders and puppy farms produce the overwhelming majority of dogs like cockapoos or labradoodles or whatever the latest cross trend is. They don't health test the parents and don't care what temperament they have. Breeding dogs of unknown temperament and selling the pups to whoever has the money is a recipe for disaster.

Dogs need stability, love, patience, care, hard work and lots of training from their owners. They don't need to be told smacked on the nose by owners who are obviously in way over their heads.

Owners who are concerned about their dogs behaviour would consult a behaviourist or at very least speak to the vet. They don't smack their "much loved" dog on the face.

Sorry Viva, you're wrong. The definition of mongrel is two or more breeds.

Yes, it does matter. This is why so many dogs end up in rescue.

Depends which dictionary you look at, there’s different definitions.

But I disagree that it’s why dogs end up in rescues. Don’t see many cockerpoos, etc in rescue kennels. See plenty of staffies, collies, other recognised breeds. It’s perfectly possible to have a cross breed/mongrel and be a responsible owner. I don’t have a cockerpoo but I know for a fact some breeders heslth check, have long waiting lists, vet the prospective owners, will take puppies back if necessary and have the puppies in the house growing up and spending time to socialise them. And plenty of owners getting such dogs will have done their research about dog behaviour and training.

I know other KC assured pedigree breeders who aren’t anywhere near as good, including having the puppies in a shed in the garden with little socialisation.

Plenty of recognised breeds are puppy farmed too. They're not just responsible for all the crosses.

Of course there are bad breeders out there but there are far more dodgy puppy farms. In fact, lots of "breeders" are nothing more than a front - they know people are wising up and that they want their pup to come from a "nice family home" so they pay people to pretend to be the owners.

The buyer then goes to a "naice" house with a nice family (including children and probably other pets) and you see these nice freshly washed pups in a nice home with toys and beds and food and you think you've done your homework and buy your puppy because of course puppy farmers don't own nice houses or have children....

As soon as the pups sell, it's onto the next litter. The dams are bred until they can't breed anymore and either end up in rescue or get disposed of a different way.

There are plenty of crosses in rescues, it's just they're more popular than staffs and collies so they get rehomed much quicker - indeed many of them don't end up on the rehoming pages because the interest in them is so high.

Too many people forget that cockers and poodles are both high energy working breeds that require masses of attention and stimulation, and that ideally need to be worked on top of that. Crossing the two together doesn't automatically give you a cute pet that's suitable for suburban family life.

He sleeps in your bed, so he thinks he is above your children in the ranking. Then he sees you taking the children out, and he gets left at home. It’s only a matter of time before he bites one of the children. He must be so confused about where he fits into the family.

I volunteer for a very large well known dog rescue. I can assure you, poodle crosses are one of the most seen dogs we get through, but they are rehomed immediately due to cute factor. Staffs are there longer.

Please ignore any advice about 'ranking' aa pack theory has been completely disproven.

It sounds like he is resource guarding with things like the bed and also sounds like he has separation anxiety. Please stop hitting him as it will only escalate his fears and anxieties. You need to see a positive reinforcement behaviourist.
Punishing a growl will lead them to biting as they will be less inclined to growl in the future - and skip to the next thing that will get you away from them.

@TheReluctantCountess pack theory has been thoroughly debunked. What you have written is simply not true.

Hey. I think your husband should share the feeding and walking because your dog is guarding you as the only high value resource.

Also don’t carry him. Don’t let him on your bed for now particularly while he is developing challenging behaviour, he thinks it’s his bed. He’s not your baby, he needs his own bed that is his own space.

The other advice re positive reinforcement is good. Good luck.

Ok. So forget what happened today. Focus on what to do next.
All of the family need to get involved in the dog especially as he sees you as his Mum.
Everyone needs to give him a job to do and reward him for what he has done. Everyone must have a go at feeding each day, let the dog know the whole family is fun and he gets a reward for good behaviour. PM me if you want anymore advice.

@Wolfiefan I didn’t know that.

You need professional help otherwise next time it could be much much worse.

And don't ignore your dog. You picked him up, he told you please get off me and put me down - you hit him. I'm not surprised he bit you, I would have.

Has he had his sprouts cut off because that can totally be a factor in his behaviour. Also he is a crossbreed no matter how much you paid for him !

He isnt be simply tolerating your kids. He does because you have smacked him into not growling. Which means he may just bite them.

He still isnt happy, but just been taught not to show it.

You need to stop being the only person who does things with him.

Have you ever bought a an researched a cockapoos Mrs? As I can tell you I spent a year trying to find mine and everyone I approached had all the paperwork via of eye tests etc

Why would anyone pay that much for one otherwise - they average about £800

Mongrels are were the breeds aren’t known or bred deliberate which is total opposite of croosbreeds but don’t let that stop your agenda

Maybe it’s different near you

Poodle cross breeds near me have never shown in rescues or we’d have gone to them first before paying £900!

@tinseltitsandlittlegits neutering won’t magically change behaviour. And if it’s down to fear then it can make things worse.

I wonder if he bit you because you carried him
I think it's ok to tap their nose but I don't have a dog and I wouldn't get one

Don't frighten him until you can get support incase he bites the children

I don't know what to suggest
I feel sorry for these responses to you from
A lot of angry posters

I don't know how to train a dog but I do know spaniels are really smart so maybe he is bored

Have you ever bought a an researched a cockapoos Mrs

No, because I would never, ever buy a designer crossbreed for stupid amounts of money from a puppy farmer. HTH.