What's his problem?!

Daisy!

This is what I just asked my dog! Right, back story is that we got a 2 year old male terrier this year. His owner had to move abroad and we said we'd take him until we could find him a new home. After an hour we fell in love and decided to keep him. He has a great life, comes to work with me everyday, has lots of kids to play with all day (I'm a Childminder) and is fantastic with them. He really is a good little dog apart from a few "issues"

Issue one: If he sees a cat he freaks out. Barking, growling...he just goes crazy. Our next door neighbour has a cat who regularly walks on our back garden wall so these freak outs happen a few times a day. What's the best way to handle this? We've tried telling him he's bold, raising our voice etc but he barely even notices. Have squirted water at him (was told to do this by our Vet) and it stops him a bit but still, it's not ideal to squirt him everytime surely?

Issue two and the one that's causing us the most heartache: Out walking him. When we first got him he would get very excited when he saw other dogs. Kind of crying and was mad to get over to them to sniff them. This was fine really, it didn't cause any bother to anyone. However things have changed, this excitedness has changed to viciousness. This is only with certain dogs. Usually small, male ones. The bigger dogs he wags his tail at and just wants to sniff or play with them. That's fine. It's the smaller ones that he has been very aggressive towards. He's taken chunks of hair out of one dog today which has led me to write this post because up to now I've been able to keep him away (he's always on his lead by the way, just today the other dog came over to him) from the dogs. Anyway I thought there must be something wrong with him, since he got neutered he's been like this with small dogs so I thought be might be in pain. I brought him to the Vet this afternoon. He said he's in top condition and that the agression towards other dogs is because we spoil him too much.

Now I'm not really buying that, there's plenty of spoilt dogs out there that don't do this surely. And why is it only small male dogs? Is it because he knows he can attack them and they won't fight back? He never picks on the bigger ones. Why has this come out of nowhere all of a sudden? I thought nuetering him would calm him down, not do the opposite. And we don't treat him any different when out walking him. I don't tense up when I see another dog coming or anything, I just keep walking as normal and if he goes for them I just pull him away and keep walking. My boyfriend most certainly doesn't take any crap from him so I can assure you he isn't sensing any tension from us.

Can anyone help me figure him out? Or will I just have to take him to a dog trainer? Sorry for the long post!

andreac

Is he neutered?

Daisy!

andreac wrote: »

Is he neutered?

Yes, if you read above, it's since he's been neutered that we've been having these problems. We've had him checked out and the Vet and Vet nurse said he isn't in any pain. I think I'd know if he was in some sort of pain anyway, he's very happy and content the rest of the time, it's just with these dogs he turns nasty.

andreac

Daisy! wrote: »

Yes, if you read above, it's since he's been neutered that we've been having these problems. We've had him checked out and the Vet and Vet nurse said he isn't in any pain. I think I'd know if he was in some sort of pain anyway, he's very happy and content the rest of the time, it's just with these dogs he turns nasty.

Sorry, i did read the post, just must have missed that bit.

I would try bringing him to classes with other dogs and get professional advice from a trainer.

Its strange that he only does it with small male dogs and not all male ones, big or small.

Daisy!

andreac wrote: »

Sorry, i did read the post, just must have missed that bit.

I would try bringing him to classes with other dogs and get professional advice from a trainer.

Its strange that he only does it with small male dogs and not all male ones, big or small.

Thanks Andrea. I was hoping there was something we could try before we take the dog trainer route but if not we'll have to go with that.

It is strange that he only does it to small male dogs....my boyfriend thinks he's a bully? Because he only seems to pick on weaker dogs and puppies. The dog he attacked today was a small, very old JRT and it was just a step too far for me. The poor old dog only wanted to say hello to him.

Oh meant to ask, is a muzzle an option first?

andreac

Daisy! wrote: »

Thanks Andrea. I was hoping there was something we could try before we take the dog trainer route but if not we'll have to go with that.

It is strange that he only does it to small male dogs....my boyfriend thinks he's a bully? Because he only seems to pick on weaker dogs and puppies. The dog he attacked today was a small, very old JRT and it was just a step too far for me. The poor old dog only wanted to say hello to him.

Oh meant to ask, is a muzzle an option first?

Muzzling wont solve the problem but it will make it safe for the other dogs to be around yours. If he is a risk to other dogs then yes, unfortunately he should be muzzled.

Have you ever tried anything like clicker training? What way do you react when he acts like this and what way do you reprimand him or what do you do when he behaves like this?

The Gride

Have 2 Jack Russell's. 2 males. They are full brothers but from different litters. They were fine at first but then started killing each other. I was advised to get them neutered. I did almost 6 months ago but it has not made any difference except they have got so fat. Its all about territory. 1 has his part of the garden and if the other goes there, they kick off. They sleep together at night and never a problem once they are inside. Both wants to be the boss.

Daisy!

andreac wrote: »

Muzzling wont solve the problem but it will make it safe for the other dogs to be around yours. If he is a risk to other dogs then yes, unfortunately he should be muzzled.

Have you ever tried anything like clicker training? What way do you react when he acts like this and what way do you reprimand him or what do you do when he behaves like this?

Haven't done the clicker training, I'll look it up though thanks. The first few times he did it I scolded him, told him he was bold...would never slap him or anything like that but the scolding didn't make any difference. Lately I just keep going when he does it, as if ignoring it but no difference there either.

The Gride wrote: »

Have 2 Jack Russell's. 2 males. They are full brothers but from different litters. They were fine at first but then started killing each other. I was advised to get them neutered. I did almost 6 months ago but it has not made any difference except they have got so fat. Its all about territory. 1 has his part of the garden and if the other goes there, they kick off. They sleep together at night and never a problem once they are inside. Both wants to be the boss.

So like your two, it's a territorial thing, I was thinking that alright. Only thing is he's only started this since he got neutered which I find very odd

The Gride

I have tried everything including muzzles but they still continue. Funny thing is if you keep them apart even for a few hours they nearly die without each other and then when they are together they sometimes want to kill each other. Its so strange. I have asked lots of people for help and i have tried everything that i was told but nothing works.

dan_d

Hmm.I know this isn't about dogs, but we have 2 female cats, and they're the same. Best of friends, but they KILL each other several times a day.Particularly over certain chairs and beds.

When the lady from the shelter rang to see how they were getting on and I told her this she simply says "they're sisters - that's what sisters do"...she wasn't wrong, I've sisters myself!

Sorry OP, it's not helpful to you, but it's more towards the other poster.

pokertalk

dan_d wrote: »

Hmm.I know this isn't about dogs, but we have 2 female cats, and they're the same. Best of friends, but they KILL each other several times a day.Particularly over certain chairs and beds.

When the lady from the shelter rang to see how they were getting on and I told her this she simply says "they're sisters - that's what sisters do"...she wasn't wrong, I've sisters myself!

Sorry OP, it's not helpful to you, but it's more towards the other poster.

op your dog needs to be socialized around other smaller dogs a bit more if you know someone who has a small dog try bringing it on a walk with you with the other owner and keep him muzzeled .let them keep a bit of distance to start out and work on them walking together slowly also i would keep a close eye on him when around the children until this is sorted because you can never know what might happen maybe keep the muzzle on him when your in work .bring some treats on the walk and lots of good boys and rubs when he is acting appropriately on the walk

belongtojazz

Hi Daisy, is it only small male dogs he has an issue with? I ask, as if you're in my area I have a small bitch who loves everyone and is always looking to make friends (we're in Meath, but only few miles from North Dublin) so if you need a small playmate to try and resolve this please give me a shout.

I would suggest bringing him to training classes, but in my experience for some reason it mainly seems to be big dogs that are taken for training, but it really does sound like a socialisation issue which can be resolved.

Best of Luck

Daisy!

belongtojazz wrote: »

Hi Daisy, is it only small male dogs he has an issue with? I ask, as if you're in my area I have a small bitch who loves everyone and is always looking to make friends (we're in Meath, but only few miles from North Dublin) so if you need a small playmate to try and resolve this please give me a shout.

I would suggest bringing him to training classes, but in my experience for some reason it mainly seems to be big dogs that are taken for training, but it really does sound like a socialisation issue which can be resolved.

Best of Luck

Thanks a million for the offer belongtojazz but unfortunately it's just male dogs that he has a problem with, he's fine with girls...actually he likes the ladies a bit too much sometimes Thanks though

Thanks pokertalk, I don't really know any other dog owners but hopefully I might get to know some out walking...that is if they're not all frightened off by him yet!

I'd love to know why neutering him made him get like this though. Maybe it has nothing to do with it but it's a bit of a coincidence that he only started behaving this way after he got neutered.