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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Sprocker suddenly got snappy

10 replies

holidaynearlyover · 25/10/2021 14:43

Our sprocket is nearly 2. Yesterday my daughter had a friend round, our dog was asking to be stroked, the child did stroke the dog and then for seemingly no reason snapped at the child. It was a warning snap and really out of character so we wondered if the child had done something that we missed.

Today a different child round and again she stroked the dog- the dog had gone up and 'asked' to be petted and again for seemingly no reason he snapped. The children doing the stroking are teenagers so not little children and I've been in the room so know they weren't provoking the dog.

About 2 weeks ago he snapped at a man that was stroking him on a walk, we'd never met this man before and he was bending over the dog so we wondered is that was why. I'm now getting concerned that there is something else going on for a dog who had a fantastic temperament to suddenly start snapping 😞

OP posts:
Pippyweather · 25/10/2021 14:46

Has it perhaps got a sore area on its back or ear that hurts when being stroked? Have a good old press on its back and part the fur and see if you can see anything.

Mbrightldn · 25/10/2021 14:49

If this is new behaviour and he isn’t being provoked, I would check with the vet that he isn’t in pain or sick. Dogs are very good at hiding when they’re unwell.

holidaynearlyover · 25/10/2021 15:26

That's a good point about maybe him being checked over by the vets, it really is out of character

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icedcoffees · 25/10/2021 15:30

It could be pain - dogs hide it really well, and the fact that it keeps happening when someone strokes him makes me think pain is a possibility.

Whereabouts on the body was he being touched when he snapped?

Grumpyosaurus · 25/10/2021 21:09

Grass seed?
The grass seed season is far enough behind us for a seed to by now have worked its way to somewhere really unlikely - well down into an ear canal, right into a leg muscle.

Chunkymenrock · 25/10/2021 21:13

How was he 'asking' to be stroked? Just curious about this body language.

holidaynearlyover · 26/10/2021 18:57

@Chunkymenrock

How was he 'asking' to be stroked? Just curious about this body language.
@Chunkymenrock Went up to child, sat down very close tail wagging and looking into their eyes, I can't really explain it but all signs looked good to me. Rubbed up against their leg (they were sat on the sofa so not stood a long way bending over).

He's just snapped at our other dog (who has been top dog forever) I'm wondering if he's trying to find his feet. We'll definitely take him to the vets to get him checked out

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Claudia84 · 26/10/2021 20:42

Hi - just to say sometimes what you think is 'asking' is more like they just want to sit super close. If it's not pain related it could just be that they never really liked it but hadn't been 'listened' to so is just being clear..
A bit like sometimes I like sitting right next to OH but I don't actually want a neck massage at the same time and it would annoy me if every time I came near him that's why he did it..
Just a thought anyway. Try just not stroking for a few days.

holidaynearlyover · 26/10/2021 21:50

@Claudia84 thanks, funnily enough my husband said that any visitors must not stroke. The trouble is he runs up and rolls on his tummy sometimes, to be fair that's outside so I did wonder if he's not liking people in our house now but was fine in the garden.

Bloody covid 🙄

OP posts:
JayAlfredPrufrock · 26/10/2021 21:52

Vet check to rule out pain first.

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