I have the perfect dog 99.9% of the time until I don’t

[yoda217]

@tribmartyr I want to make sure i read this correctly, but is your dog struggling with reactivity only with other dogs in the same home?

 

[tribmartyr]

@yoda217 She’s been thru periods. I’ve had her for a year and when I first got her it was all great for 6 weeks or so then she started having stomach issues then issues came. She used to be reactive to other dogs outside the home, specially when on leash, she was also reactive with people this was an all the time thing.

These were all fear based reactive behaviors which disappeared thru working with her over the past year.

The only one left is the issue with the other dogs in the house.

 

[cyrilbruno]

@tribmartyr Are you sure her stomach issues are resolved? Her poop could be solid, tests coming back normal, and she could still be uncomfortable.

Look up h pylori. It’s a somewhat recently discovered infection or bacteria (I don’t remember exactly) that causes humans a great deal of distress without doctors knowing why until they check for this specifically.

I had a friend in college who had this and it was awful for her. But everything that you could check or test (both physical and like actually blood work) was normal.

 

[yoda217]

@tribmartyr Got it, thank you for clarifying. It could be several factors. Seems like you’ve done a lot of work to mend the original fear reactivity. Issues between dogs in the same home can be complicated and I wish I had more guidance to provide.

I know it can be stressful and exhausting to have fights and spats at home.

Inner home dog issues can have 100s of remedies depending on the causes. From books, videos, trainers, behaviorist, vets, etc. if you want to keep all of the dogs and it’s safe and possible to provide a balanced life, just know you have the support of this sub for sure. It’s changed my entire perspective to know there are plenty of other people that understand what having a reactive dog can be like.

The blanket advice I’ve been given that has worked thus far is managing the environment to limit triggers, using crates and muzzles to keep everyone safe when necessary, taking things slow and positively reinforcing boundaries and expectations for all the pups in the home.

I also have a female rescue that was fear reactive outside the home to strangers and other dogs on leash. But we’ve made progress outside the home.

The remaining hardship has been with my other dogs in the home. It’s been an ongoing struggle over the past 1.5 years and it isn’t easy. But every effort you make can make a difference and getting guidance from others is a great start.

I hope someone has a more thorough response for you. I’d recommend a behaviorist or looking into environment management to limit the negative interactions between the dogs for now. Hopefully you find some relief soon!

 

[answersall]

@tribmartyr I don’t know If this will help but my dog used to lick her paw all the time, I thought it was allergies but I checked it out one time and it’s was wounded black and infected. Me and the vets missed it for several months because it was so so small. So check around her digits (think like fingers) and in the nails for any infections or swelling

 

[dalmo]

@tribmartyr Are they always doing something specific when she grabs them? Eating? Playing with a specific type of toy? In a certain area of the house or a certain piece of furniture? In a closed space? Around a specific person in a closed space? Around a specific item? Around a type of treat? Etc?

There’s a lot of things behavioralists and veterinarians don’t see. Heck, there’s even a lot you don’t see as an owner. Dogs don’t usually bite out of the blue, but it can sometimes take some time to figure out the true trigger.

Love the camera idea, maybe you’ll be able to piece together what might be causing it.

 

[gracegrecia371]

@tribmartyr Sorry you’re going through this. First I would muzzle train the dog, biting other peoples dogs just is not okay, and it could escalate more seriously. Baskerville makes great, strong and comfortable basket muzzles. I have one for my dog, and always makes sure he gets food when he pushes his nose in, and then gets a fun walk or other activities so he knows wearing it means good stuff. He rushes forward and plows his face into it now! Also, what kind of dog? Every breed has different genetics that play into their level of aggression, prey drive, stress levels etc. For example, pit bulls were bred for the sole purpose of dog fighting, and attack without any sign. This was bred into them with purpose, because any sign of attack would give the opposing dog a chance to defend itself- so when people say it comes out of nowhere- it really does. It’s not our dogs fault that they have breed traits- we made them. We made pointers to freeze in place when they smell a game bird, retrievers to retrieve, scent dogs to lock onto a scent, terriers to kill rodents (pit bulls are terriers but created for dogs) we made them this way and they can’t control these urges. Some of these things aren’t easy to live with, but we can train them to handle things even though it’s impossible to remove an instinct. Border Collies and Australian Shepard’s can be snappy as they are meant to move sheep, and on and on. Genetics do matter, and what your describing sounds like something seated deeply in your dog. Just remember it’s not your fault, but that other peoples pets and safety must come first, you shouldn’t ever leave the house without a muzzle. Medication sounds like a good idea, but also remember that if the dog has serious neurological issues there’s sometimes nothing we can do. I had a St. Bernard who was one of a whole litter with a brain issue, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. You can do what you can do, and don’t stress about what you can’t change.

 

[josioheb]

@tribmartyr “We visit the vet once every two week with a new bite”

its insane if we catch a dude kicking and punching a dog, we as society would get out our pitch forks and want him charged with animal cruelty.

But when dogs are getting predictably injured due to someone’s selfish and bad choices, they get a pass.

But here you have someone, who im guessing is only concerned with one particular dog, since this is the only one they can use to pat themselves on the back for being the valiant savior, literally watch the other dogs get injured on a regular basis and chooses to keep it around the other dogs still.

Something tells me even if another dog or two is killed, she will keep this up. Cuz, again, it was about virtue signaling to begin with, and if that includes letting a couple of dogs die in the process, oh well, it was all for a good cause, “me being a hero since i saved a dog from streets of mexico. I am so awesome”

 

[tribmartyr]

@josioheb Wow.

Im going to go ahead and address several points.

We have 4 dogs , all 4 of them are rescues. Three are my aunts technically I’ve spent 10 years with them and one is mine. Also all Mexican dogs as I am Mexican.

When the aggressions became a regular thing, I started looking into moving out with the aggressive dog and my aunt insisted in us discussing it with our vet. Whom referee us to the behavioralist.

Our first question to the behavioralist was if I should move out. Whom told us based on the dynamic he observed this could be resolved. He asked us to spend 6 months working with her and him before making the choice for le to move out.

We are on month 3.

Im no so awesome for rescuing a street dog and frankly had I known how difficult it would be I wouldn’t have but I did and she’s now in my home and I’m doing all I can for her and will continue to do so.

 

[josioheb]

@tribmartyr lmao. And guess who is the one suffering? The other dogs.

Guessing behaviorist's word is the ticket that justifies dogs being sent to vet every other week? Fuck the dogs well being.

 

[cyrilbruno]

@josioheb You’re being a little rude, but I think you have a good point. If three dogs are hurt and miserable because of one dog’s behavior, maybe it’s time to reconsider rehoming her.

OP - have you checked with the behavioralist on whether they still recommend you stay after 3 months of little improvement?

 

[josioheb]

@cyrilbruno Dude. So many of the people on here think of themselves as heros/saviors that are patting themselves on the back.

This isn’t about a compassionate person. If that was the case, she woudln’t have let the other dogs get hurt, or wouldve taken action as soon as it occoured.

This is about her validating herself. And that requires holding on to the dog thats hurting others. She is literally putting her validating herself over well being of her other dogs. Its messed up, but in her own head, she is the hero for not giving up.

Just wait. I wouldn’t be surprised if she posts in a few weeks “my dog killed my other dog and i feel responsible” in an attempt to gain sympathy, cuz she is self centered enough, that even that event will revolve around her need for validation

 

[cyrilbruno]

@josioheb I appreciate that this is an emotional situation for you, but please consider that you don’t get people to change their minds by yelling at them. We don’t know the whole situation, just a Reddit-post worth. Attacking them is going to make them defensive.

I understand your fear for the other three dogs. If the goal is to get OP to see it’s dangerous and remove the reactive dog, your method of communicating is likely going to result in the opposite.

 

[josioheb]

@cyrilbruno Yeah, no.

Just wait. One of them will die. Her need to pat herself on the back will lead to some sort of catastrophe trophy where the dogs bear the cost.

She is a selfish bad person, more concerned with fulfilling her savior complex than doing whats actually good for her dogs.

Its possible she will see it. That what she is doing, isn’t her being a good person by “not giving up” but her being a bad person by putting her need to feel like a good person above safety of her dogs.

 

[derekmc]

@tribmartyr It sounds like she’s going over threshold level and that’s making her snap. Her paw issues could either be the reason for going over threshold or the side effect. How much does she sleep per day? Does she get time away from you and the other dogs?

You probably know about the bucket analogy from your behaviorist, but here’s a blog post that could explain what’s going on. It’s possible that the dog park and constant stimulation could be filling her bucket to the point of snapping.

https://absolute-dogs.com/blogs/new...ownership-myth-that-might-be-harming-your-dog

Conflicting emotions can also cause a dog to snap. There could be past negative experiences that could spark memories around other dogs.