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old dog suddenly biting...

  • 20-10-2012 7:54pm
    #1
    TG1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,920 ✭✭✭


    My beautiful, well trained, well-mannered 10 year old border collie type snapped at me today, and while he didn't break any skin, he left me with a mouth shaped bruise which is pretty sore.

    I was sitting on the ground (I know every dog book says not to do this but its hard to break a habit of 10 years!) petting him, and got distracted for a split second when someone in the room asked me a question, and then he had my arm in his mouth!

    He let go the minute I told him to leave it, his command for letting go of toys/balls etc., and I put him out the back garden.

    Then I thought about it and realised he has been getting progressively crankier with people and dogs for the last couple of months. We took him to the vet to get him checked out in case he was in pain, and she said he had a temperature and slightly stiff back legs, but nothing severe enough to cause that kind of reaction, so we've got anti-inflammatory pills and the number of a trainer she recommended, who I will call on Monday.

    All I've been hearing about from the others in my household is how old collies just get cranky, and I can't have a dog in the house that is not reliable.

    I guess what I'm looking for is reassurance that this is not the case, and something can be done, so I'm wondering has anyone any experience of this or any advice?


Comments

  • #2
    DBB
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,804 Mod ✭✭✭✭DBB


    I'm going to differ with your vet. I think it is a mistake to say that a high temp and sore hips would not cause a dog to bite out of the ordinary in this way. In fact, I would be almost relieved if my dog had bitten me and I subsequently found out he had two medical conditions which cause increased irritability, short-temper, and touchiness in situations that hadn't caused a problem before.
    Did your vet draw bloods to eliminate any problems with kidneys, liver, adrenal glands, thyroid, pancreas etc? If not, I would be slow to draw any conclusions.
    Also, did your vet broach the subject of canine cognitive dementia (CCD)? A topic most vets are not up to date with... But one which simply must be examined with a dog of his age with a sudden change in behaviour.
    With all due respect to your vet, I hope, I really hope that she has referred you to a behaviourist, not a trainer. This problem is totally outside the remit, experience, and professional scope of a trainer. If she has referred you to someone who calls themselves a behaviourist, I really hope, for you and your dog's sake, that it is a properly qualified behaviourist, not one of the many self-titled ones.


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