Searching for help for 'Mac'

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oz.russell

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Hello all, I've been a regular visitor to this forum for a while now as I've found the advice and topics very helpful at times and the topics interesting. Now that I have finally registered as a member, my first post is tinged with much saddness. My wife and I are confronted with the most heart wrenching decision about the future of our beloved Trailhound, Mac. For almost the entire time (3 years) we have had Mac we have had to live with aggression. Trainers, behaviourists have been unable to find an answer to the triggers of his aggression. Macs behaviour has grown to a point where our failings as owners has brought us to the point where we are considering pts. It's something both of us have never considered a possibility but feel we dont know where to turn next.
The consensus is that its fear aggression but has a random nature. We feel sometimes that we are making progress but then go back a step after another biting incident, which unfortuantely leaves an increasing cautious and nervous household mood which obviously doesn't help the situation.
So my plea is for advice or referrals or anything that may be of use because we feel that Mac shouldnt be destroyed as a result of our inability to be trusted leaders. He is a handsome boy (as in the profile pic) that just needs some help as we do.
Many thanks.
 
Sorry to hear this. Is it dog aggression or people aggression?

Have you had him to the vets? If behaviourists have not worked (and I mean good ones who can deal with this sort of thing as a speciality) it might be a neurological issue.
 
CaveCanem said:
Sorry to hear this. Is it dog aggression or people aggression?

Have you had him to the vets? If behaviourists have not worked (and I mean good ones who can deal with this sort of thing as a speciality) it might be a neurological issue.
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I would second this, discussion with vet would be my next port of call.

A Medical Issue/cause can easily be ruled in/out these days.
 
As a last ditch attempt you could try Angela Stockdale (if you haven't already of course). She specialises in agression and travels all over the country and works abroad alot too! Due to the latter its not very easy to get hold of her but if you leave a message she will get back to you.

I hope you find a solution.
 
This is my 3rd attempt at replying! so is no longer the novel I origionally wrote (twice).
Thanks for all the advice.
We are well known at the vets who cant find anything wrong short of doing an MRI so we have reached a certain point there.
Mac is both dog and people aggressive although when we took him on from the Dogs Trust at the age of 1, he was only dog aggressive.
Believe it or not, other issues (possessive (food and toys) and issue towards people) started after seeing behaviourists including an aggression specialist and a collegue of Jan Fennell.
So our confidence is a little shakey to say the least which is why we dont know what to do.
 
CaveCanem said:
Also OP, try PMing Cayla on here x
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I don't mind if you want to Pm and off load some back ground information and what has been covered to help the issues and to the extent of his aggression:) Im not saying I can solve the problem for you but if you think it may help, I dont mind having a listen and seeing if anything stands out in regard to the aggression:D
 
I was thinking about this today and the fact that you called him a trail hound. I looked at your photos and he looks like a foxhound to me - is he?

Is he a show bred hound? Its just that hounds of that breeding (if he is a foxhound) don't really make very good pets if they were working bred and thrive on living in a pack. I am wondering if he is having major insecurity issues - feel free to ignore me, was just pondering about it.
 
Hiya,
You're right about the confusion! We were too. Trailhounds are bred for cross-country racing. A scent trail is laid and the dogs follow this trail to the finish line. How derived they are from Fox Hounds, I'm still not sure.
http://trailhoundwelfare.org.uk/
http://www.norfolktrailhounds.co.uk/
How much of a pack life he had prior still is a bit of a mystery. We never managed to get any history from the breeder or Trailhoundwelfare who passed him and 3 others of the same litter onto the Dogs Trust.
I think you are right though about the insecurity and fear!
 
oz.russell said:
Hiya,
You're right about the confusion! We were too. Trailhounds are bred for cross-country racing. A scent trail is laid and the dogs follow this trail to the finish line. How derived they are from Fox Hounds, I'm still not sure.
http://trailhoundwelfare.org.uk/
http://www.norfolktrailhounds.co.uk/
How much of a pack life he had prior still is a bit of a mystery. We never managed to get any history from the breeder or Trailhoundwelfare who passed him and 3 others of the same litter onto the Dogs Trust.
I think you are right though about the insecurity and fear!
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Thats fascinating - thanks for those links and I admit that I didn't know this sport existed - but I bet its fantastic fun :)

On those sites they repeatedly say that trail hounds make great pets too. What have the Trust said about Mac's issues?
 
Not read all the replies but have you looked at the book Think Dog: an owners guide to canine psychology by John Fisher? And have you tried doing some high energy exercises (agility/obedience) it will divert the dogs attention and give them positive experiences with other dogs/people and socialisation classes? :D
 
CaveCanem said:
Well wasn't that a responsible thing to do...:rolleyes:
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I secerley hope that this is not intended as it was received!

A lack of history knowledge is not through lack of trying!
Spose we could have turned our back on him and he could have been homed by a family with little kiddies and we could all have seen how that would have resulted on the tele!
Perhaps judgement could be saved for those who needlessly breed dog after dog and then give the responsibility of them to someone else!
All I've tried to do is give a good home to one of the said animals!
I posted on this forum for assistance, nothing else
 
Yes, obedience classes. He does very well and we have plenty of 1st place ribbons. He is quite intelligent and learns very quicky. He also gets bored very quickly unfortuately. The dog aggession is a bit of a problem at classes but we can manage that to a degree but its the random aggressiveness to people we need help to treat
 
oz.russell said:
I secerley hope that this is not intended as it was received!

A lack of history knowledge is not through lack of trying!
Spose we could have turned our back on him and he could have been homed by a family with little kiddies and we could all have seen how that would have resulted on the tele!
Perhaps judgement could be saved for those who needlessly breed dog after dog and then give the responsibility of them to someone else!
All I've tried to do is give a good home to one of the said animals!
I posted on this forum for assistance, nothing else
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Good grief, it wasn't aimed at you, I thought you would have gathered that from the tone of my other posts... and from my other posts on here.
I meant the breed rescue hoiking them onto the Dogs Trust.

Sorry, I seem to be making a habit of pissing people off unintended today :(
 
OP my dog was from the Dogs Trust - I think from the same centre as yours. Have you spoken to them for advice? There is a behaviourist on site at that centre and if you leave a message he will call you back and talk to you, and you can also go back for a one to one session with him.
 
my friend has 2 trailhounds, they came from dogs trust... the dog is the most laid back and friendly chap you could ever meet(he was their first) the bitch is a bit different and was very nervous when they first got her but has come on in leaps and bounds and is now much better, neither of them have ever shown any aggression apart from minor disagreements between each other with bones. this is just a growl if they feel the other dog is too close but nothing much. however a human can take the bones away from both with no probs. i think you must be unlucky or my friend is very lucky....:D
 
oz.russell said:
I secerley hope that this is not intended as it was received!

A lack of history knowledge is not through lack of trying!
Spose we could have turned our back on him and he could have been homed by a family with little kiddies and we could all have seen how that would have resulted on the tele!
Perhaps judgement could be saved for those who needlessly breed dog after dog and then give the responsibility of them to someone else!
All I've tried to do is give a good home to one of the said animals!
I posted on this forum for assistance, nothing else
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I also took it as CC meaning it was not responsible of the breed rescue to hand the dogs over the the dog trust, I think CC def knows you are now responsibly trying your best with your boy, and the fault lies with the breeders and possibly the breed rescue for handing them over to a rescue with probaly no or limited knowledge of the breed, after all being a breed rescue they would have alot more knowledge re the types of homes the dogs needed and the and traits they display, to beable to pass this onto a new owners like yourself, instead you are having to do it all yourself in order to do the best for him.
 
houndly said:
What totally unpleasant, ill informed and ignorant comments to make.
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Yeah you're right, the breeders and breed rescue did the right thing totally by passing the problem on to someone else to deal with.
Maybe you are more 'informed' than me, please elaborate?

Sorry OP for derailing the thread, maybe Houdly has some fantastic advice for you via PM.

I won't be commenting on this thread again having been called all sorts, but I will bump it and hope wish you all the very best for your dog - I do actually know what you are going through and I dearly wish you can get out the other side.
 
We have thanks. The worry we have with the trust is that if someone comes to assess Mac and he displays aggession they will remove him whether we agree or not! I believe its part of the re-homing agreement.
 
Confusion over for now I believe. Reading back I can see the relevance. I think from now I will always quote what I comment on to prevent it happening again :).
I think perhaps that too much weight was given to the general nature of this breed and maybe a little assumption crept in? It is pretty evident from other owners stories that we have been very unlucky with Mac. Our obvious lack of knowledge on how to re-assure him hasn't helped matters.
We are continuing to get very helpful advice and at this stage we are putting pts to the side for now. Thanks again
 
oz.russell said:
We have thanks. The worry we have with the trust is that if someone comes to assess Mac and he displays aggession they will remove him whether we agree or not! I believe its part of the re-homing agreement.
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I didn't know that, I'll have to have a look at my agreement this evening.

However if it had got to the point that you were considering pts I would have still thought it worthwhile to go back to the Trust and speak to them first:)

Houndly - you'll be from the breed rescue then...:rolleyes:
 
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