Growled at my kids

[legalseagull]

I'm going to try to be completely honest and impartial here. Looking for advice on WWYD if this were your dog.

Gorgeous 7 year old dog we've had seen a pup.

Hes ALWAYS had problems with being possessive. Up until about age 3/4 I genuinely thought he would need to be put down let alone given away. He's lovely 90% of the time but if you do something he doesn't like - like take something he shouldn't have off him - he'll have hackles up, snarling, and on one or two occasions has air snapped.

He's now almost 8yrs old and has chilled out lots - mainly because we've learnt how to manage him. I know what to do and how to handle his triggers. This means we are generally living with a happy dog without incident.

This weekend he went for another dog (he's normally great with other dogs but hates flat faced breeds) I went to pull him away and he spun round and air snapped at me whilst growling.

The same evening I left the kids (4&5) with my mum whilst we went for a rare night out. The kids tried to push him off the sofa (a trigger that I would always immediately stop if I were there). Hackles up, showing teeth and growling at them

He's always been brilliant with the kids. Never shown any aggression with them at all until now.

I love him so much but WWYD?

Yes when I say the kids were pushing him off they weren't. A 'nudge' is a better way to describe it.

Pushing, shoving, nudging - it doesn't matter, they shouldn't be doing it. If the dog doesn't respond to the "off" command and can't be lured with a treat then he shouldn't be on the sofa in the first place.

It's not pain. It's just not wanting to do something and feeling threatened I suppose

Sorry for the multiple posts but you don't know it's not pain - he's at the right age for arthritis to start and it would explain why he responded aggressively to a light nudge.

Please do the right thing and get him checked.

Vets first.

Second resource guarding is more normal than not for that mix of breeds. Not a given but needs very very careful handling and prevention as a pup and management into adulthood.

Is not a rehome or pts situation IMO but you need to never leave your dog and kids when you are not around to police. I lived with a bite risk rescue for over 16 years and she was never around children unless we were there and more often than not she was put in another room if they visited (very rare). She was a wonderful dog with us but worried about close contact from anyone.

It sounds like your dog gave very good warnings and you heeded them so he would be unlikely to feel he needs to escalate next time but do make yourself aware of trigger stacking because his reaction may be stronger if he’s further up the chain, so to speak. Pain is classic for doing this. I’d not be happy with a check up. Discuss a pain trial with your vet.

To add, I’d only physically manipulate a dog in an emergency. I’d toss a treat and/or teach an ‘off’ command. In the rare cases you need to move them you can then generally get away with it!

I have to lift my dog into the car and also sometimes over things on walks but I conditioned her to that as a tiny pup and into adulthood.

Vet check - dogs can be stoic with pain but at his age there may be arthritis or hip issues going on. Keep an eye for any further air snapping, as this can also be illness related.

No-one would like to be nudged off the sofa and your dog communicated this the only way he can. Be really firm with kids about the seriousness of attempting to dela with the dog themselves. Too many kids treat dogs like toys or try to be bossy with them, copying how they think the adults deal with dogs.

Be strict with the dog about the sofa etc so the dog understands its boundaries in the house.

It sounds as if you have worked really hard and I think maybe you relaxed a little and have been caught off guard here.

He's reacted this way since being a puppy.

That doesn't mean he's not in pain now

He needs to see a vet. It would be neglectful of you not to take him.

I'm not meaning to avoid those saying take him to the vets. He's been to the vets recently for something else. He HATES the vets and gets so so stressed and tries to bite them. The behaviour isn't new is my point. He's always behaved this way.

People understand that it's not a new behaviour, but you still owe it to him to be checked over just in case that's what's triggering it to start again.

A basic vet check-up won't look for pain unless the owner specifically asks about it. You need to go in and ask them to check his joints, ears etc. and make sure there's no signs of wear and tear, arthritis etc. If he's a bite risk then he should be muzzled for vet visits.

He may well be fine, but at least you've then ruled it out for certain. Different species I know, but my cat was diagnosed with arthritis today - he showed absolutely no sign of it until Saturday but a vet check today showed he had limited movement in his legs and considerable pain around his hips. I'd never noticed because he never showed any signs of being sore until 48 hours ago.

Animals are so good at hiding pain.

Pain trials are quick and easy and most vets will prescribe them. If the behaviour improves then it’s pain and they can then look for the reasons.

As above my last dog feared contact. You can imagine how she found the vets. She was sedated when needed and yes, we did a pain trial when she was elderly and finding life more difficult. It worked and we mutually decided to keep her on the painkillers given her age (14/15) and struggle with vets rather than look for why.

No behaviourist or vet will advise pts without that.

If your dog gets upset when disturbed from sleep it might be a good idea to crate train him. Make the crate a cosy den by putting a cover over and nice soft bedding, it will be somewhere he can go without being disturbed if he wants and it will also seem safer for him. Be very strict with the kids about not disturbing him in there or getting in with him etc. You can also put him in the crate if you need to leave him with a babysitter and the kids etc. Obviously as an older dog you will need to take plenty of time crate training and make it a positive experience for him and definitely don't shut him in until he is comfortable with that.
I would say the altercation earlier in the day may have left him stressed out so that he is more likely to over react to something upsetting him later. He also probably felt a bit less secure with you out and left with your mum who he doesn't know so well.

I usually push for a vet check on any change in dogs behaviour but as this behaviour has been happening since puppyhood and also the breed mix pain would not be the first place I would go to

The most vicious case I have every worked on was a resource guarding cockerpoo. Unfortunately it is a very common behaviour.

A dog that RG will always be a stressed dog.
A RG dog does tend to get worse rather than better and can RG the most almost anything.

However the good news is that it can be made much better with advice from a good qualified behaviourist.