Coming to terms with a people reactive dog

[dogblues]

I have a 15 month old cocker spaniel that I've come to realise over the last couple of weeks is reactive to people. It crept up on my slowly after he was neutered (biggest regret of my life, I thought he'd be ok as no anxious behaviour beforehand but now I realise he was showing some anxious behaviour and I just didn't realise it).

He has snarled at a couple of people when they've petted him outside the house. Fine. I can make sure no-one pets him. He barks at men on walks. Again. I can handle that. But he goes ballistic at male visitors. And last week he growled at my son. He's not bitten anyone yet, but I think that's where it's going if I don't take measures to stop it.

So I'm seeing an accredited behaviourist and have a plan. Some of it I'm fine with. No off lead. Desensitisation on walks. Even muzzle training I can cope with.

But now the children can never be alone with him without me there. (they are 7 and 4). Today he barked uncontrollably at my Dad who visits every week to look after my kids so now I don't think I can leave him in the house with my parents without me there. And he knows my Dad, so this is entirely new and unpredictable behaviour, clearly he's just getting worse.

And I guess this will have to be forever. I just don't know if I can do this.

Has anyone managed to successfully rehabilitate a people reactive dog so that the dog (and the owners) could lead a fairly normal life? Or do I just have to accept that he'll never get better and all I can do is avoid his triggers? Which will involve constant and exhausting vigilance on my part for the next ten years or however long he lives.

I just wanted to say that we had a similar situation with a cocker spaniel. I adored him, he was very well trained and attached to me, but he was also a resource guarder (including of me) which was very challenging at times. We managed it well most of the time - having sought professional help at a very early stage. However, that did not prevent us all being bitten - including DC...

Without DC at home we would have persevered but ultimately the risk to our DC, or other children visiting, was something we couldn't live with.

We went through all the options including PTS (our vet was fantastic and full of empathy) but we were able to rehome him - even with a bite history - to a couple who had previously had a resource guarder, knew what they were dealing with, and had no children at home.

We were heartbroken to lose him, and giving up a dog was something I had never expected to have to do - and I resisted for a long time - but for us it was the right thing to do in our circumstances.

We were incredibly grateful that he got a second chance with another family.

It's not easy, I know. I think I was only able to make the decision when I realised that our best efforts were not a guarantee of keeping everyone safe. You are not there yet, and hopefully it won't come to it, but I do know how very difficult it is.

We are in this position but further along than you.

Again, like so many of us, my dogs fear came after neutering at 8 months. It began with people, no biting, just snarling and snapping. We managed walks fine and in doors we respected boundaries and he was fine. We need him groomed and it was also managed fine.

He is now 7 years old and has gotten worse over the last year. He now "behaviour manages" our other dog by snapping and lunging at him on walks if another dog walks by or they see a cat. He has progressively got worse with grooming and now we are seeing the vet next week about meds to sedate him for grooming. Health wise he had a clean bill and tests show he is well. The last visit to the vet, he said he was the dog equivalent of a "grumpy old man". In 7 years, he has bitten once and that was recently. I fear that we are not going to be able to resolve this without intensive support.

@dogblues, I was wondering g where you are with this? We are having similar problems with our 2yo cockapoo, she’s shown aggression to visiting children and we are having no visitors for the foreseeable and doing everything our behaviourist recommends, but I am struggling with the time it’s going to take (i have issues with sense of urgency and immediate results!) and she doesn’t seem to be getting any calmer, still barks at everything. We are working on promoting calm behaviour, bucket emptying, happy containment, disengaging from noises and human movement. It’s hard. So hard. Kids may never forgive me if we rehome but I know it’s my decision to make as the responsible adult, I just want to do everything we can’t . Like you, the aggressive behaviour came on quite suddenly, although she has always been quite anxious, but apart from gastric issues she is not in pain. She’s a bit of a garbage dog so often eats things she shouldn’t resulting in diarrhoea etc. I’d love to know how you are getting on.