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The doghouse

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

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Original poster

Dog snapping

18 replies

NoTeaForMe · 01/06/2023 18:08

Our dog is still a puppy really. He’s 1 in a couple of weeks.
He was a very mouthy/bitey puppy, nothing to worry about as such but he did bite a lot. He still mouths now, more than I’d like. Particularly at my youngest daughter. Her dressing gown etc but sometimes skin.

The last couple of weeks there’s been a bit of a shift in his behaviour. He has shown resource guarding tendencies towards things he has taken. He’s fine to go near him with his toys, will drop them for you etc but if it’s something he knows he shouldn’t have he’ll steal it and can growl/snap. Swapping for treats doesn’t work and I actually think it may have led to a little mistrust as he knows you’re tricking him to get what he has.

The big problem however is his harness. He has decided he doesn’t like putting it on or off. He will hide in a corner and look very sad when you put it on him but has started baring teeth, growling and even snapping (made contact with skin with pressure, no mark left and certainly didn’t break the skin but could definitely feel it.) when you take it off. It’s made us both quite worried which I’m sure isn’t helping but I feel is natural. We also do rely on dog walkers twice a week. They didn’t come last week, this week or next but I’m v worried they won’t want to carry on and then I’m not sure what we’ll do.

We are hoping for a vets appointment tomorrow (we have to phone in the morning) to check him over in case there’s something wrong. But I’m worried about that meeting. What they will say about him and what this all means. Has annoying had one of these appointments and can tell me what was said?

Not sure what I’m after really, just hoping someone can advise. Feel quite out of my depth.

We have two children who love him to pieces.

OP posts:

hermioneee · 01/06/2023 18:18

Can you attach the lead to the collar for now? Work on desensitising to the harness?

Keep everything he shouldn't have out of reach- I know it's hard with children around but it's so important he doesn't have an opportunity to go wrong. The more he practices stealing and mistrusts you the worse it will get.

With biting at your daughter I assume it's still nipping etc? Rather than aggressive ? If so that's a separate thing to the above and is probably him directing his excitement still on to her.
How did you work with the nipping when he was a younger? He needs to be taught to do something else when he's frustrated/ excited.

Undisclosedlocation · 01/06/2023 18:19

At his age, escalating difficult behaviours is a very typical teenage stage and usually resolvable with help. Often problems have been there for a while (like the reluctance with the harness) but age gives the dog enough confidence to put its point across more strongly and can catch owners off guard. I would be asking the vet for a referral to a behaviourist for some hands on training help once the all clear has been given health wise.

what breed is he op? And has he been neutered yet? If not, hold off until you’ve seen a behaviour specialist, as it can sometimes make things worse not better. In the meantime, use a collar and lead and leave it with the harness…..rule number 1 is always to try to prevent the dog rehearsing undesirable behaviours.

hermioneee · 01/06/2023 18:20

Oh and to answer your q I worked with a behaviourist with my teenage spaniel. He's a dream now but at the time his issue was self control - a lot of nipping, jumping etc. Also hated being touched. He's the best now. But it is overwhelming at first I agree.

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 01/06/2023 18:24

He reacts the same to the collar unfortunately so it makes no difference. He also pulls still on the lead so not keen on the collar yet.

it’s rare he grabs something but obviously mistakes do happen. He grabbed the post yesterday and growled/ snapped at my husband.

yes, it’s not aggressive to my daughter. Just painting a picture I guess. That he’s still mouthy at times.

we always made the person being bitten go really boring and others would distract him with toys/fun training. It didn’t always work though!

OP posts:

Undisclosedlocation · 01/06/2023 18:27

I work as a trainer and have helped many, many families through this issue OP.
Try not to panic. You need an experienced person to go through his whole history and lifestyle to get to the root of the problem and it will require some hard work and changes from you all, but it’s not insurmountable in the vast majority of cases.

Sarvanga38 · 01/06/2023 18:28

He reacts the same to the collar unfortunately so it makes no difference. He also pulls still on the lead so not keen on the collar yet.

One piece slip lead, preferably in leather so it maintains its shape and you can easily get the loop over his head? I would then aim to attach a proper lead to his collar when out and about and less ‘focused’.

Obviously you need a longer term behaviourist plan, but might get you through?

Undisclosedlocation · 01/06/2023 18:31

Do you leave a collar on him generally? For now, I would keep a collar on and attach a house line which he trails around. Easy to manoeuvre him then!

Undisclosedlocation · 01/06/2023 18:32

Pulling on lead is a problem for another day OP, focus on the important buying stuff first.
collar only for now

Thesunwillcomeoutverysoon · 01/06/2023 18:38

Pick up his collar and lead and just sit down.. He will pick up quickly it means go out =positive experience. Our first dpuppy swirled round like a knob so I just sat holding the lead until she calmly allowed it put on.

Thesunwillcomeoutverysoon · 01/06/2023 18:38

2bazookas · 01/06/2023 18:43

we always made the person being bitten go really boring and others would distract him with toys/fun training. It didn’t always work though!*

Of course it doesn't work; his bad behaviour is rewarded with attention, fun and games . He'll make the connection even if you don't.

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 01/06/2023 19:27

Thank you for all of that.

Nothing we do makes him happy to put his harness on. We’ve sat with it for an hour. Left it on the floor covered in treats for him to sniff. He knows when we’re wanting to put it on and he hides. He does let us put it on, though not happily, it’s the taking it off that’s become the real issue.

we’ve always avoided leaving a collar on him as we were told it was a risk, especially as he sleeps in a crate. Is this not the case?

He hasn’t been neutered yet and I’m reluctant to do so until this is solved. I think this is all down to nerves rather than being vicious and would worry that being neutered would make this worse. My husband thinks this is what the vet will suggest.

OP posts:

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 01/06/2023 19:28

2bazookas · 01/06/2023 18:43

we always made the person being bitten go really boring and others would distract him with toys/fun training. It didn’t always work though!*

Of course it doesn't work; his bad behaviour is rewarded with attention, fun and games . He'll make the connection even if you don't.

We did/do make this connection. We did start shutting him out the room when he got mouthy or we’d all leave the room. Lots of advice out there to say that when they’re teething they need to bite so to distract with a toy for them to chew though.

OP posts:

EdithStourton · 01/06/2023 19:54

Does he find the harness uncomfortable? A lot of them seem to catch dogs in what you might call their armpits.

A slip lead could be helpful for now. You can teach a food motivated dog 'lead on' by holding it open in front of him with a treat in your hand the other side.

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 01/06/2023 20:02

We’ve changed harness this week in case it was uncomfortable (though I don’t think it was as he’s fine with it on and happy on his walk) but especially because we don’t think he liked taking it off over his head. This one unclips at the side. It’s made no difference.

OP posts:

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 03/06/2023 09:29

We’ve been to the vet and she says she sees nothing medically wrong with him. I think we were both hoping for a small issue that was easy to solve!

Next step is a behaviourist. We emailed someone local yesterday and if we don’t hear back Mon/Tues we’ll find someone else as well.

we’ve put the harness away and have left his collar on. Don’t feel 100% confident with him having it on when we’re not around, especially in his crate but needs must for now I think. He’s ok with it on. We can stroke him all round it and he’s fine, but then this morning did a sharp turn of the head at my husband when he got close to the collar. Still snarled a bit taking the lead off him yesterday.

this is really hard and we can’t help but feel so disappointed and sad at the whole situation.

OP posts:

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 03/06/2023 10:32

Please don't leave him crated wearing a collar - if he gets it stuck on something it could kill him.

Sapin · 03/06/2023 11:41

Great that you’re seeing a behaviourist. Please make sure they are properly qualified and force free or this situation could escalate because this is a dog that is desperately trying to communicate something to you (especially around their association with harness and collar) and needs to be compassionately helped with whatever it is.

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