Doggy Problems

M

Melendez

At the Start
Joined
May 2, 2003
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Location
Dublin
I have a mongrel bitch about a year and a half old. She is very energetic/playful and quite strong, about the size of a collie, though heavier and more muscular.

Yesterday, she took a dislike to my mother, snarling and bearing her teeth, for no particular reason. My mother swung a watering can at her and she ran off, so no harm was done. When I've been with her she has never shown such tendancies, although she will bark energetically at the odd passer-by.

The problem is there are kids next door that might jump over the wall to get a ball back, or my sons friends would regularly play with her, often quite roughly, which doesn't seem to bother her. But all it takes is one time to lose her temper and the damage is done. The dog's mother looked a nasty piece of work when I saw her in the rescue centre, but I had put this down to being badly treated previously. Maybe she was in the centre because of her bad temper.

I think I know what needs to be done, but I would be grateful if anyone could come up with an alternative solution.
 
Hi
Come & have a chat on another forum, www.doglistener.co.uk & go to the forum, I'm on there as Helen, it is run by a behaviourist & has lots of knowledgable people who post, you can post your problem & you will get lots of advice regarding the issue you have, see you there :)

Helen
 
I don't know what to suggest, Mel. When she was younger, my dog used to snarl at very small children - toddlers really, after one toddler grabbed her around the ears & tried to pull her about. I used to give her a damn good belt & a telling off when she did do this, and keep a very close eye on her around small kids, ie grab onto her & not give her the opportunity. She seems to have learnt as she got a lot better & is now fine around small kids, although I always keep a very close eye on her around them still, and warn them not to grab her.

I can't stop her frmo attacking terriers though!! :lol: As a puppy she was set about a bit by a couple of the Jack Russells in the yard - ever since that her defence is to attack them first, get in the first mauling....:confused:
 
Aldaniti,

If you get the chance, could you post the above for me. I got onto the site and tried to register, but the e-mail with my password hasn't come back (possibly blocked by the Spam catcher on the Network at work?)

Thanks in advance.
 
Mel - is she spayed? If she's still entire, there's an outside chance she's coming in season, although it still isn't acceptable behaviour. Obvious causes of a sudden, retrograde change in behaviour are usually health-related ie sudden onset tumours or acute discomfort. Is she eating OK?

If she were mine, I'd engineer the situation where your mother again approaches her alone, with you where you can watch but your bitch doesn't realise you're there. That way you can also see if there's anything in your mother's behaviour towards her that might be the root cause.

It's pretty unlikely, though, that either of the above are the reasons. One day people will realise that bad temperament is an inherited characteristic - believe me, in Weimaraners this is something those of us who have had the breed for a long time will readily admit! It's especially worrying if the dam displayed a bad temper.

I had to have a male Weimaraner put down many years ago when he suddenly started fear-biting. Giles was only about 6 at the time and I don't care what these 'behaviourists' say, a dog that bites should be put down directly, especially if there are children around.

Funnily enough, I wouldn't even start to tolerate it in a bitch - they should be 100% at all times.
 
She is spayed and eating like a horse. I have seen her on her own with my mother and they usually get on ok. This was more or less out of the blue. She usually bounces around her a bit in a friendly way (the dog does the bouncing, not my mother).

Thanks Aldaniti.

I've had her since a puppy btw, and she's always been (over) energetic but not nasty until now.
 
There's always one :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Melendez, if you have the answers to any of the questions asked on th DL site email me ************** & I'll post them for you
 
Originally posted by Desert Orchid+Jan 25 2006, 02:59 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Desert Orchid @ Jan 25 2006, 02:59 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteBegin-PDJ@Jan 25 2006, 01:01 PM
The doggy problem I have is that I get tired in that position...
Click to expand...
Think how the other guy feels :D[/b][/quote]
? with his stick !
 
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