Some kind of trauma has overwhelmed Pablo.
Suddenly he changed.
Three days previously he had spent a week in boarding kennels. Thinking back they had assumed, as had I originally, that this was the cause.
He had been a happy dog. A good eater and sleeper. He had no guarding tendencies.
Then he stopped eating.
He would take bits of his food to his bed and guard it. He snarled and lunged if anyone came near to his food. He didn’t sleep so well. Most concerning was the new aggression, particularly towards the man.
They told me he wouldn’t now eat in the house. What trauma could have caused this three days after his week in kennels?
More discussion and we discovered something, something which should have been so obvious. Three days after they came home they had a power cut in the early evening. It went off with an explosion and then came back on and off again. Appliances started up and went off. Pablo was terrified. He hid and shook for a long time.
Another contributing factor
We agreed that the trauma must be mainly due to the power cut bangs and flashes. This at a time when the dog may have been unsettled anyway having been away from home in kennels. Another consideration. As an adolescent 9 months old, the power cut may well have coincided with a second ‘fear period‘.
So now they will be dealing with the cause of the eating and guarding problems. Getting him more confident and relaxed again and working on bangs and flashes like they would fireworks.
Removing pressure
They will take all pressure off eating and feed Pablo four small meals a day – with no pressure or expectations. Importantly, they will feed him either in the utility room or outside – well away from where he experienced the trauma. They will keep well away from him when he’s eating and remove any uneaten food or the bowl when he is somewhere else.
They have worked hard at training their lovely Cocker/Collie cross, but for now I suggest they give him fewer ‘commands’. Give him a chance to work out for himself what works. Again, it takes off the pressure and helps him to build confidence.
With some work I’m sure they will get their old Pablo back and the trauma will be a thing of the past.
