household dog on dog aggression

[lurcherlove]

My lurcher (male approx 6 yrs) has started going for my cockerpoo (female approx 7yrs). This has really come up in the last few days. She will be sitting on the sofa, or on our bed and the lurcher will start staring at her, then growl and go for her. There’s no injuries, it’s just a lot of teeth and noise. I try to divert his attention but its like he is locked in.

We are trying to find a behaviourist to work with us, but has anyone else managed to resolve an issue like this? I’m so sad about the situation, and I feel like there is no hope and that we will never be able to relax around them again.

There was a similar situation on Bad Dog Academy recently. I think it’s on channel 4. Maybe worth watching.

It’s a slightly different situation, but it was interesting to see them work out at what points the aggression was triggered etc.

Thanks @Gundogday I will see if I can find it.

If there’s people with her when he attacks, it’s classic resource guarding.

Any other changes in behaviour?

TBH there’s not much you can or should do without a qualified behaviourist as you could make me 100x worse if you don’t go about trying to fix it properly. So, please don’t try and take guidance off TV shows - half the ‘trainers’ have no idea what they’re doing anyway.

Try Behavet. They do online consultations.

Thanks @LandSharksAnonymous there isn’t always people with her. We used to be able to leave them together without issue. But the last couple of days they’ve been having little spats while they are alone together. But now they will have a fight and she will walk away and he will follow her and start off again.

No other changes that I can say.

@S0j0urn4r there is a local trainer who is highly regarded that I have attempted to make contact with this morning. Of course it is only just 9am so not expecting anything back until later.

Have you taken them both to a vet?

If this is new behaviour then illness needs to be ruled out

@PerfectlyNormalOwlFreeMorning should that be my first step rather than a behaviourist?

This sounds like brand new behaviour and if they have been otherwise fine until now then yes, a vet check is the first step. No behaviourist will take you on without it - it's unethical for them too (so if you find one that does - run).

You will need an in person behaviourist who can see the dogs interacting in their home environment. It's not cheap but some insurances cover some sessions, so take a look at yours to see.

In the meantime, some baby gates and keep them seperate but otherwise as stress free as you can. The last thing you need is them damaging the relationship between them even further, to the point it cannot be mended.

Agree with @SirSniffsAlot vet first.

Both need to be seen- because sometimes it is the one being attacked that is unwell, and the attack dog is responding to the illness.

You are doing the right thing getting help now, it only gets worse if left , but definitely start with vet.

I agree with the pp who have suggested getting him checked by a vet. Sudden changes in behaviour and aggression can be a sign of pain.
I had a dog with many health issues and I could tell how he was feeling by his interactions with my other dog. When he felt well, they would play happily together. When he was ill, he'd attack her.

Both of them need to be checked by the vet - as PP said it’s possible your lurcher can sense or smell something wrong with the cockerpoo, but it could also be that he’s unwell himself. Both need a thorough check to make sure there’s no pain or injury, and I would also want blood tests to check for any thyroid issues too.

If they’re both given the “all clear” then you can go about finding a behaviourist - your vet should be able to recommend someone suitable and it should be covered by your insurance policy too.

For now they need to be kept apart when they can’t be supervised and on leads the rest of the time so that the lurcher can’t keep attacking the other dog.

I hope you manage to get it sorted

Yep you need the vet for a check up and a referral to a behaviourist

in the meantime if you’re noticing any triggers, try to prevent them, you mention furniture… I’d stop them both going up just now.

Thanks all. Appointments have been made with the vet so we’ll see what they bring. I feel so sad and all I want to do is snuggle with my dogs!

Lurcher was prescribed 3 weeks of pain killers. 2.5 weeks of calm but the aggression has started again.

Back to the vet, then. Did he have a brain scan last time? I read on here so often about sudden onset aggression, dog is pts and a brain tumour is found afterwards.

No my vet has a list of other things to rule out and said a brain tumor is highly unlikely. A brain scan would be the last test to do.