Why is a friendly dog out on walks suddenly barking and snapping when visitors come into the house? He barks at people coming into his home. He loves people when he’s out. Border Collie Bud is friendly and relaxed with everyone when out of the house. He likes to say hello. At home Read more
There have now been about five episodes where he has snapped at someone – including a person who insisted on touching him when they were out, a neighbour and a friend. They were all people who reached out to touch him when he didn’t want to be touched. The little dog had made it clear.
Unaware of what the little dog was trying to tell him, he carried on touching her, so she now growled. Unfortunately he took no notice of that either. So, she snapped. The child recoiled and, bingo, Asha succeeded in what she had been trying to achieve from the start, which was to be left alone.
His behaviour took a dramatic turn for the worse after he had been left with a dog sitter for a week a couple of years ago. One can fairly safely guess that this person used ‘dominant’, punishment-based methods on him in order to force him to comply.
Is humping always about dominance, or could it be a sign of stress instead? Stress takes dogs in different ways. Mungo finds relief in humping. Mungo is three years old and probably a Springer/Pointer cross. He came over from Ireland as a puppy, was adopted for a while and ended Read more
Why would a rescued dog growl or snap when someone reaches out a hand? The young Staffie/Dogue de Bordeaux had been dropped off at the surgery anonymously with a story of his owners splitting up and no rescue centre willing to take him. Fortunately the veterinary nurse, a past client Read more
Why would a confident, friendly dog suddenly snap when someone tries to move them? The main reason a dog may snap is because of fear – he feels threatened in some way. A very confident young dog Sometimes a dog may snap because a resource he regards as his is Read more
Does the dog steal everyday items, then growl if anyone comes near? Fourteen-month-old Jack is a good natured, affectionate and very energetic young Cocker Spaniel – and I know what that’s like with my own Working Cocker, Pickle! However Jack does have a problem and it is getting worse. He Read more
When someone has been touching him and the hand is taken away or a hand is moved past him – say someone has reached for something – he doesn’t always go for the hand. He leaps up at the person’s face and snaps – so far only snapping the air.
Why is young Bella constantly pestering the older dog and finding it so hard to settle? Pushy Bella is a small seven month-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier who is just a bit ‘too much’. The only way to get a photo of her was to wait until she was lying down! Read more