Why would a gentle rescue Bulldog react aggressively to other dogs when out on walks? Just look at this dog! Isn’t she wonderful? Billie is a four-year-old Aylestone Bulldog and they have had her for six weeks. Previous to this she had been used as a breeding bitch and ended Read more
Can using a shaker can or dominance methods actually make fighting between dogs worse? Frenchies Mac and Mabel fight. The lady has unfortunately been following outdated and harmful advice. A shaker can was in each room of the house. This always seems so sad to me. Someone who loves her dogs Read more
Why would a friendly, well-socialised dog suddenly begin growling when people touch him while he’s resting? Star is a beautiful and unusual mix. He looks like a black Labrador. The Dalmation in him is given away by his white spotty chest and a couple of white spotty feet. He’s been Read more
Something has frightened him badly either in his past life or as the result of someone demonstrating how they should ‘cure’ his barking at the hoover. They tell me this person threw spoons on the floor in front of him – or it may have been training discs specifically manufactured for ‘scaring’ a dog out of doing something.
Why would anyone think to punish fear is a good idea?
The odd behaviour happens when someone is walking out of the room. He barks frantically and leaps at the the door. It slams shut. Usually the person is therefore shut out of the room.
Pearl started snapping too and although it’s mostly at the young lady, it’s other people also. Family members want to fuss her. Looking as she does, people everywhere want to touch her. When she reacts, telling them in clear ‘dogspeak’ that she doesn’t like it, she is scolded. NO!
Why would a five-month-old German Shepherd already be barking fearfully at people and children? Dave was picked up from the person who bred him at ten weeks old. It’s obvious that before this he had met few people and probably no dogs other than those he had lived with. Another red Read more
Why would a friendly little dog bark nonstop at people both at home and out on walks? Hector, the little wire haired miniature dachshund, is absolutely adorable. His young lady has made every effort to do the very best for him from the start, but at about seven months old he Read more
The big question is, do you want an obedient dog that may lick her lips, look away or even cower from you when she is doing something you don’t like, or a confident cheerful dog that happily stops when asked and does something else instead?
Did punishing Suzie after the fight actually make the aggression worse? “If we punish her she should learn not to do it again”. A few weeks ago nine-month-old Dandie Dinmont for the first time went for the older, gentle Cocker Spaniel, Mimi (12). She grabbed her ear and wouldn’t let go. Mimi was screaming. Pandemonium followed. Read more