Wirefox terrier

O

OscarSophie

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Hi. I need some advice. I have an 8 year old WFT dog. He has been with me since 4 months old. He has had many problems needing veterinary care over the years concerning his liver and bile duct but is currently stable. He has been diagnosed with canine OCD and autistic spectrum disorder. He is obsessed with many things like brushes, hosepipes and cables and he has many rituals. All this is fine, but the main problem is his aggression towards me. Over the years, he has bitten me on my arms and hands and I have scars to show for it. Nothing serious though, till recently. He gave me a really vicious bite on my thigh three months ago and shook his teeth into me causing a permanent red mark. I understand that he can’t control his aggression if I interfere with his rituals, but there are so many of these, he quite dominates my life. He “turns” on me in anger most days. At other times, he is very affectionate and he has never been aggressive with anyone else. I love him and care for him, but I am scared of him at times. He seems to be getting worse. My vets say that behaviour therapy would not work because he is so complex. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? My other WFT bitch is so easy in comparison.
 
CorvusCorax

CorvusCorax

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OK so you may not like what I am going to say, but here goes.

Forget autism and OCD for a moment, if you can.
What you have is a dog with strong prey drive who does what he wants and when you try to stop him or interfere in his life, he bites you and you stop.
Every time, this has worked. He wouldn't still be doing it, otherwise.
And that is why it has escalated to where you are now.
It will not get easier as he gets older.

I personally think you and your dog have been let down by your vet.
If you want me to give you some advice about steps you can take and measures to put in place to make both your lives better, feel free to PM me.
 
Rowreach

Rowreach

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Definitely take CC up on her offer, she knows her onions.

You say you have a WFT bitch as well, but do you know the breed otherwise? I owned and bred them for many years, they are not the easiest dogs in the world but establishing a good relationship with them can be very rewarding - or very disheartening in some cases. The behaviour you describe is quite typical.

Contact CC - and good luck with your dog.
 
O

OscarSophie

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CorvusCorax said:
OK so you may not like what I am going to say, but here goes.

Forget autism and OCD for a moment, if you can.
What you have is a dog with strong prey drive who does what he wants and when you try to stop him or interfere in his life, he bites you and you stop.
Every time, this has worked. He wouldn't still be doing it, otherwise.
And that is why it has escalated to where you are now.
It will not get easier as he gets older.

I personally think you and your dog have been let down by your vet.
If you want me to give you some advice about steps you can take and measures to put in place to make both your lives better, feel free to PM me.
Click to expand...
Thank you for taking the time to read and get back to me. I’d appreciate any advice you can give me. I should say that I don’t stop what I’m doing. I put him outside if I need to brush the floor, but he gets snarly with me when I let him back in.
 
O

OscarSophie

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Rowreach said:
Definitely take CC up on her offer, she knows her onions.

You say you have a WFT bitch as well, but do you know the breed otherwise? I owned and bred them for many years, they are not the easiest dogs in the world but establishing a good relationship with them can be very rewarding - or very disheartening in some cases. The behaviour you describe is quite typical.

Contact CC - and good luck with your dog.
Click to expand...
Thank you. He responds better to my partner (male) who doesn’t live with me. Perhaps I’ve “ spoiled” him....Oscar that is.
 
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