Older dog becoming more aggressive

babyboom · 14-03-2023 12:47pm #1

Hi there, we have a Jack Russell/Yorkie Cross. He's nearly 13 and the absolute love of my life. We reckon he had a bad start in life as he's always been a bit reactive (not to other dogs though).

Over the past few months he's become very aggressive towards us. He usually sleeps in his bed in our room but hops onto our bed around 3am. This was never an issue as he'd snuggle between our feet and go to sleep. Now, if we move at all he is biting us, snarling and barking. He was at the vets a couple of months ago to have teeth removed and they couldn't get a muzzle on him (neither can we) and he seems more aggressive since then.

Last night my husband took him out for a short walk and when he went to unclipped his lead he went for him. I tried too and he did the same to me. It took me 10 minutes to eventually get the lead off.

I'm completely broken hearted at this behaviour as I absolutely adore him and I can't understand why he's turned on us. Any suggestions on how to handle this? I was thinking of getting a dog behaviourist involved, is that a good idea?

Thanks in advance

Xterminator · 14-03-2023 1:08pm

in my experience behavior modification works best on younger animals. i am a dog owner, that's my experience. for older dogs i think you might be the one who modifies your behavior to take into account the dogs triggers - if that is possible.

i would recommend working with the vet to get to the bottom of why this is happening. once you have some idea why, perhaps a good course of action will be clearer. if you dog is living with physical pain, or has a cognitive issues you would need to make a call on what course of action is in the dogs best interest, and your own home too.

https://be.chewy.com/solutions-to-try-when-your-senior-dog-bites/

babyboom · 14-03-2023 1:18pm

Thanks for your reply. He us very difficult to deal with at the vets, he won't let them near him but I'll give them a call and see can they help.

babyboom · 14-03-2023 1:23pm

@Xterminator, that's an interesting article, thanks for sharing.

DBB · 15-03-2023 1:59am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120357099#Comment_120357099

I think this is great advice!

So generally, a sudden change in behaviour, especially for an older dog, needs medical investigation. Now, given that your ole pal isn't a fan of the vet, it'd be very understandable that you haven't had preemptive tests carried out. But I think it's time to do what you gotta do to get a thorough exam carried out, if for no other reason to rule things out, but maybe also to rule things in.

A couple of things spring to mind....

Firstly, there's possibly an underlying medical issue going on. Your dog has something that's causing irritability. Could be anything, given the age... teeth, liver, kidneys... blood tests will rule a lot in or out.

There may be musculoskeletal stuff going on too... again this needs to be checked out. A pain trial might be appropriate, which is putting him on powerful painkillers, see if there's an effect, then go from there.

There's also the possibility, and it may be concurrent to another medical issue, that there's a bit of age-related cognitive impairment going on. This again can be discussed with your vet, and it might be no harm to consult with a clinically trained behaviourist too.

There may be some management you can do to work around this and help you all to live with the current situation, which a good behaviourist should be able to help you with.

Don't panic anyway. There are a good few options open to you yet, but engaging with your vet, and possibly a clinical behaviourist, should help.

babyboom · 15-03-2023 12:47pm

Thanks for the advice, I'll contact the vet and take it from there.

Anawilliam850 · 15-03-2023 11:35pm

I'm sorry to hear that your beloved dog has become aggressive towards you and your husband. This can be a very distressing situation for everyone involved. It's great that you are considering seeking help from a dog behaviorist, as this is a complex issue that may require professional guidance.

A dog behaviorist can work with you to identify the root cause of your dog's aggression and develop a customized plan to address it. They can also provide you with tips and techniques to manage your dog's behavior in the short term, while you work on addressing the underlying issue.

In the meantime, it may be best to avoid situations that trigger your dog's aggression, such as touching him when he is in his bed or unclipping his lead. You may also want to consider creating a safe space for him where he can retreat to when he feels anxious or uncomfortable. This could be a crate or a separate room with his bed and toys.

It's important to remember that aggression in dogs is often a symptom of an underlying issue, such as fear, anxiety, or pain. A dog behaviorist can help you identify and address the root cause, which may ultimately help to reduce your dog's aggressive behavior.

I wish you and your dog all the best, and I hope that you are able to find a solution to this difficult situation.

tk123 · 16-03-2023 6:59pm

My first thought was hearing/sight loss? With Bailey he started to get startled when I went to give him his medicine if he was in a deep sleep so i’d tap my foot on the ground to wake him. Or clap my hands etc rather than touch him and give him a fright.

babyboom · 16-03-2023 7:15pm

Yes, I think his sight is definitely an issue. He can hear me open the fridge from the other end of the house so I think he's OK there!

Older dog becoming more aggressive

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