Escalating problem with our dog.

lightening

We have been having a problem with our dog lately.

I am going to give you as much info as possible.

He is a three year old neutered Weimaraner. He has hip displacia which is being treated at the moment by meds and hydrotherapy. He wasn't neutered lately but when he was young.

Every morning he is let in from the back by my wife and she gives him a treat with his meds and heads of to work. I then bring him for a walk every morning in a large park, he is walked across the road on the lead and is then (legally) let off the lead for most of the walk. He behaves perfectly on and off the lead.

In the winter he is walked around the streets for twenty minutes by my wife after we come home from work. He is fine. In the summer when we arrive home we bring him for a long walk in the park again together and this is where the problem starts.

The following problems have dramatically escalated in the last few weeks. It is much worse after we come back from being away. (he is put in a reputable kennels and always come back in peak health)

He snaps and bites my wife when I have him on the lead! Not in a vicious attack way, but its still painful, he snaps quiet hard at her with his front teeth, he gets unbelievably excited, frothing at the mouth, straining on the lead, panting heavily, drooling badly, behaving unbelievably and uncharacteristically terrible. When my wife walks him he doesn't bite me, but still misbehaves badly.

He will go in the car with me (he has always been dreadful in the car) He moans and groans and cries, but when my wife is driving car he goes ape. I mean he goes crazy, jumping around howling, bleeding at the gums, frothing everywhere, chewing the seats. In a moment of perceived calmness he chewed through a seatbelt in about three minutes when my wife was trying to drive him to hydrotherapy. (He is always anchored in the car)

We were both involved in his training and socialisation. Both of us correct him when he is bold and reward him when he is good. He is reward trained and will come and sit, he knows his place in the house and will sit patiently when we cook, eat etc....

I enforce the rules a bit more than my wife and she would play with him more. So for now, we are turning a new leaf. Using Peasants method we are both giving him the "nothing is for free" treatment, making him sit for everything, dinner, getting in the door etc... We are bringing him to the vet tonight to see if there is anything wrong, toothache, earache maybe.

Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance.

peasant

So when and under what circumstances does he actually behave "normally" ?

Any snapping going on in the house or just during walks only?

I think the car issue is separate ...he just doesn't want to be in it, full stop.

lightening

peasant wrote: »

So when and under what circumstances does he actually behave "normally" ?

When he is out for a walk on his own with one of us.

peasant wrote: »

Any snapping going on in the house or just during walks only?

Only on the walks (when both of us are with him) and in the car (when the wife is on her own with him)

peasant wrote: »

I think the car issue is separate ...he just doesn't want to be in it, full stop.

Yeah, I'd say your right. We have ordered a travel crate/cage for his and our safety.

Pat Mustard

Doesn't sound like there is an obvious answer to me.

Maybe you need a professional dog trainer to figure out the cause of the problem - and the solution.

Cole

I heard pet behaviourist Jim Stephens, on Pat Kennys radio programme yesterday.
There was a question posed regarding a Weimaraner, maybe that was you?

Jim Stephens mentioned that he will spend a day at the ISPCA centre in Keenagh, Longford soon..forget the date. Its not on their website, might want to confirm with them.

I know that travelling to Longford is not ideal, given your dogs car problems, maybe he does other similar 'open' days in Dublin?...with the DSPCA etc.

Sounds like you need to consult with an expert.

http://www.irishanimals.com/care/behaviour.html

lightening

No, that wasn't us Cole. Thanks a million for the info....

We are going to change our behavior for a while and take him to the vet this evening. If nothing changes its time for a professional.

Actually, Pat Kenny has Weimaraners, that could have been it.

peasant

Leaving aside the car issue for the moment, he is basically well behaved unless it's the two of you taking him for a walk (where he lunges for your wife when you have him on the lead and just acts the bollocks when she has him)

Correct?

The benign explanation would be that he doesn't see the need to see anything in your wife but his play buddy. When you hold the lead, he just goes after her to give him some play action (some big dogs can "play" quite rough) when she holds the lead, he simply ignores her as a leader.

What throws me a bit is that everything works when only one of you is present.

Somehow he seems to have gotten the idea that it is okay to treat your wife as a "toy" while you are present.

My take on this would be that you yourself are the one that has to change the situation during walks, as any attempts at correction coming from your wife seem to be fruitless.

carwash_2006

Dog Training Ireland are having Ian Dunbar over in September. They themselves are very good dogtrainingireland.ie

lightening

peasant wrote: »

Correct?

Bang on.

peasant wrote: »

....he simply ignores her as a leader.

Understood.

peasant wrote: »

What throws me a bit is that everything works when only one of you is present.

Maybe she ceases to be a toy mate and a leader when I'm not around?

peasant wrote: »

My take on this would be that you yourself are the one that has to change the situation during walks, as any attempts at correction coming from your wife seem to be fruitless.

Corrections from me are fruitless too... he just keeps at it. Really going for it, running full tilt on the lead until it reaches its full extension or until he reaches her and nips her.

My wife is now going to train him, wash him, feed him, fill his water etc... in a hope to stamp some leadership, is this a good idea?

Oh... I should have mentioned. My own sheepdog died in September, he used to go on all the walks with us. The misbehavior didn't really coincide with the other dogs death, but just thought I should mention everything that is going on.

peasant

lightening wrote: »

Corrections from me are fruitless too... he just keeps at it. Really going for it, running full tilt on the lead until it reaches its full extension or until he reaches her and nips her.

You might want to up the ante a bit. He's bullying your wife (and by extension you) so you got to "bully" him back. Be strict (but fair), don't cut him any slack, end the walk when he overdoes it. (But don't forget praise for when he behaves properly either)

lightening wrote: »

My wife is now going to train him, wash him, feed him, fill his water etc... in a hope to stamp some leadership, is this a good idea?

Yes, I think it is.

lightening wrote: »

Oh... I should have mentioned. My own sheepdog died in September, he used to go on all the walks with us. The misbehavior didn't really coincide with the other dogs death, but just thought I should mention everything that is going on.

That may well have something to do with it ...the sheepdog might have kept him in check without you noticing.

lightening

peasant wrote: »

...the sheepdog might have kept him in check without you noticing.

There was a good bit of snarling and growling amongst them (no scraps though) The sheepdog wouldn't let him wonder or lag behind.

Thanks a million everyone for the advice. I will up the ante a bit (without hitting him). Should I body block him away from my wife?

peasant

lightening wrote: »

Should I body block him away from my wife?

Yes, as unconfrontational as possible while being absolutely clear that this behaviour is not on.

You don't want to fight with your dog, just wade in, block him from getting at your wife, tell him "no" and send him away.

Intothesea

That's an interesting problem, Bubby. My first
thought was that a female staff member at
the border's could be aggravating your pup
in some way, but I think it more likely that
Peasant is right, in that he's treating your
wife as a plaything in his excitement at
going for walks. He might even be
disputing his position in the pack with
her (freaking when your wife drives:
the position of authority, acceptably
occupied only by you, maybe?)

If there are no other health concerns,
and tasks such as the hydrotherapy
etc. are carried out equally by you both,
I would revert to training to improve
pack structure. I would have your wife
re-do basic training (on the lead, outside
and inside) and little exercises like
demonstrating clearly that your wife
is on a par with you, and certainly above
the dog.

A representative exercise I would try is
moving to different locations with all three
parties and having your wife direct everything
that happens, including ordering you to 'sit
down' The other thing I would insist on
is that he moves nowhere on the lead with
-out sitting and performing multiple commands
for your wife, and then you. If misbehviour
persists after a workup like this, one of the
most effective things I know of to talk a dog
out of this is to suddenly walk backwards
and then stand still while the pup puts
two and two together.

Hope that helps