Dogs that bite...

Tinkerbee

Tinkerbee

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 February 2006
Messages
28,017
Location
NI
Visit site
ok, so basically, my sisters dog is the work of satan himself.
crazy.gif

Hes bitten me more times than I care to remember.
mad.gif

Today he bit my mum.
frown.gif


Ive looked at all the times hes bitten someone (mainly me) and its when you try to make him do something he doesnt want to do.
he doesnt bite when fearful/threatened, you can threaten him with an umbrella
crazy.gif
and hes as good as gold...

But if he gets the smell of something nice
smirk.gif
in the kitchen bin, thats it, you cant get into the kitchen, cant move him, nothing, and if you try, he snarls and snaps...
mad.gif


putting him in the dog room...if he takes a notion that no, hed rather not go to bed tonight, he bites.
mad.gif

Out on walks, if you try to make him wait, to let a dog past (he can be aggressive with dogs as well) he just turns round and bites you.
mad.gif


Hes drawn blood, and even given me scars.
mad.gif


I wanted him got rid the first time he did it, as imo a dog that bites (for his reasons) should be pts. but noooo, hes darling little sisters, and shes coped soooo well with all the moving, she'd be upset.
smirk.gif
frown.gif
mad.gif


Im bloody well upset. Im scared of the b*stard but dont let him know, and im the only one who stands up to him and makes him do things, which is why its (up untill now) only me to have been bitten.

Mother has asked me (apparently Im the inhouse dog behaviourist) if theres any hope...

and my answer was no, i think hes just a swine. hes always been like this, he went to training classes, but hes arrogant and doesnt do a thing...

so am I right?

or is there hope for him?

hes my sisters dog, but she doesnt feed him...I do...get bitten for it (v protective over food)...she walks him at weekends...and thats it...(he gets walked 3 times a day by the rest of us)

so should we give him another chance?

eta: he wont be pts, hes an angel at our house in ireland, and grandparents (who live on same lane) have said they will have him...

eta (again)
blush.gif
hes a westieXjack russel...not as if hes big...
smirk.gif
mad.gif
 
I'm not a big fan of smacking dogs because there's usually a good reason why they bite but if he's just doing it when you ask him to do something or make him wait i'd kick his backside (not literally but something less painful) because it seems he's got used to the idea that he bites, you back off. I've only ever had one dog that bit and I took the soft end of a broom to him, pinned him up against the wall with it and screamed at him so loud he was like a lamb forever after.

It could be that he has whats known as 'rage syndrome' which is more common in spaniels and as far as I know is incurable. My mums dog had it and had to be pts.
 
Sounds sadly reminiscent of a situation we had a fair few years ago. Someone in our family had a 4 yr old German Shepherd dog who was, at best, unpredictable, at worst, vicious
frown.gif
He snapped at me and my brother, but no one in the family would believe us when we said, because he too was an 'angel' in their eyes. One day we were looking after him at our house, mum opened the door, we walked in and he lunged straight at me and bit my hand. Another time, he bit someone at a horse show - he was in the back of the car, and someone walked past...he lunged straight at her. Again, owner was in complete denial; she said that the girl had 'invaded the dogs space'
confused.gif
anyway, one day he went too far and, again, lunged from the back of the car at my best friend and I as we walked past. I escaped unscathed, but he literally mauled her arm inside out; she has a 9 inch long, two inch wide scar to this day. He was put down an hour later.

I don't think true aggression can be solved. It sounds to me like the dog in your family would, as you have said, be better off PTS. However, I know very well how hard it is when the rest of the family are deluding themselves! It's a shame someone has to get badly hurt before action is taken
frown.gif
confused.gif
frown.gif
frown.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'm not a big fan of smacking dogs because there's usually a good reason why they bite but if he's just doing it when you ask him to do something or make him wait i'd kick his backside (not literally but something less painful) because it seems he's got used to the idea that he bites, you back off. I've only ever had one dog that bit and I took the soft end of a broom to him, pinned him up against the wall with it and screamed at him so loud he was like a lamb forever after.

It could be that he has whats known as 'rage syndrome' which is more common in spaniels and as far as I know is incurable. My mums dog had it and had to be pts.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, I dont back off, if he bites me he gets walloped, pinned to the floor and beaten with whatevers handy (only if it has been a proper bite. not just a snap)

he got leathered properly a couple of times by my granda, but hasnt made him any worse or any better...

mum and sister back off if he so much as growls so they dont help...
frown.gif


will be showing mother these responses...

little sod will get whats coming to him hopefully
 
no, we had him neutered

didnt help in any way

we;ve had him from he was a pup

and hes now 2 years old (got confused in OP
blush.gif
)
 
it would seem that he really thinks that he is the boss of you all. Typical small dog syndrome. I would give him another chance. but i wouldn't rule out proffesional guidance, just cause it didn't work somethings rattling him, it would seem to be the fact you've moved. I would suggest going to your vet and asking who they would advise for 'training/behaviour therapy'. It would make far more sense to get someone to come to your home, evaluate his behaviour and work with you on dealing with his aggression, probably he's just very insecure and has got used to behaving in certain ways in particular circumstances. A true professional should be able to help you turn him into the angel he was. I've dealt with some shits in the past, am looking at one of them now. They generally are not beyond help, mine is now the most faithful dog of the four i have. The only person he would attack would be someone who tried to attack me.
Persevere, i think it would be worth it, but you must all be 110% up for 1 last chance with you
 
Recommend you read Cesar Milan's book,

He clearly beleives he is your pack leader and until you address this on every level, not just when he bites you will continue to have the problems.

You need to assert dominance by claiming back your territory, not greeting him as you come in the door and things like going through doors first, never letting him get ahead of you on a lead and reclaim the kitchen bit as yours not his! This has to be maintained by everyone in the house. Get in his way and push him out.

But you will need to be firm and read the book, it works and if Cesar can reform ex fighting pit bulls I'm not going to argue with him!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Recommend you read Cesar Milan's book,

[/ QUOTE ]

I totaly agree, the guy is amazing! It will give you a far better idea of how to approach the situation. But as i said, try and get a professional to oversee your working with the dog, the communication with him must be clear... no mixed messages, this could lead to more issues.

Good luck, keep us posted.
 
QR

I registered just to answer this post! Hope I can offer some suggestions.

I think your dog needs a strict training program that your entire family signs on to in order for it to be successful. I don't mean strict as in hitting him, that is probably only teaching him to be aggressive to you before you are aggressive to him. I can suggest a few things that might help (tho should say I am not a behaviorist but I do have experience in rescue and with difficult dogs):

1) Sign up for a training class. Try to find one that emphasizes positive training methods. Stick with it. You need professional help before he bites someone not in your family (tho that is bad enough of course) and your family gets sued.

2) In addition to the training class, Google "Nothing in Life is Free" and follow the suggestions for that method to the letter.

3) Make sure he is getting enough exercise. Are the three walks just around the block or are they good runs? A tired terrier is a happy terrier ...

3) I prefer Victoria Stillwell to Cesar Milan. Her methods are more positive than confrontational.

Hope this helps
smile.gif


Good Luck.
 
I agree, I think you need to see a dog trainer/behaviourist, but probably as a one to one in your house with the whole family there. My first Jack Russell was very similar when I first got him, but with the help of my friend who is a dog trainer he came around after 3 months or so. Turned into a lovely little dog.
 
I think you need a dog behaviorist as I agree you are stuck in a few places with non consistancy, I suspect the beating makes him decide to be aggressive before you are know what I mean?
We have an old retriever who if you come between her and her food or do something (eg. bath) she hates will growl and try to snap, nw we're older we can deal with it by being sensible, a visitor has been bitten once, took some packaging out of her mouth (vet student so should have read the warning signs). And a builder who got too close to little sister whilst smoking (she was/is protective). In some ways it is useful if strange men are about as unless they go to grab her collar/be threatening she is fine. However I fully appreciate she is not allowed to do this so we are careful with her and tbh she doesn't do it anymore unless food is involved. There, it will always be an issue.
I wouldn't PTS in her case as is doesn't affect normal life, she/s 12/13 now and it doesn't cause problems.
In yours if a trainer cannot fix it yes I would as he sounds dangerous.
Sorry, waffled a bit there.
 
half hour walk in am
1-2 hours at lunch
half hour in eve

and the pee breaks and out in garden some of the day...

will suggest behaviourist etc, but tbh I wouldnt allow my family to have dogs, as they dont seem inclined to make much effort
mad.gif
 
I would say that even if you can't get your family to do something you can try it by yourself and see if you can make a difference.

In addition to the other suggestions and working on a training program with him then, how about a hobby for him? I don't have terriers, but I've been around them a fair bit and I know they like to be busy busy. He sounds like he gets enough exercise but how about adding something like agility? You could put up some homemade jumps in your garden or something and get him out there jumping and having fun? I know of a lot of dogs who have been turned around because the energy they have has been redirected into something like that.

Good Luck!
 
I would say give him a smack next time he does it. If my dog ever did that she would get such a wallop! my grandad had a duch called Herman. He bit him once..only once... Never did it again. It's like having a child, if theey're naughty tell them off.My dogs never bitten, played but never bitten. But it is more common in Jackies/Westies and Yorkies. Terriers...what can you say...highly strung.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top