Hi guys,
There's quite a lot to this so I'm gonna try and keep it as short an summarised as I can. I have a 5 year old Jack Russell x Chihuahua called Louie. I got him at 12 weeks old for my family after my mum left the home. It was a way of trying to cheer my dad up and give us all something to be positive about. At the time I was with my ex partner who played the 'mum' role in his life for the first 3 years until we separated. We noticed pretty quickly that Louie had some issues. When trying to crate train him we really struggled as he'd cry in his crate all the time, would tear apart puppy pads or toys we left in there and would cry all through the night. Eventually we gave in and brought him into the bedroom where he would sleep with us on the bed. This became a habit he stuck to for the next 3 years.
Now, Louie started developing an aggressive personality after around 3 months of owning him. At a family bbq in which we tried to socialise him he bit my cousin, it wasn't serious as his teeth weren't sharp at the time. However it became a much bigger problem later down the line. Fast forward to the December of that year and he bit my 6 year old niece in the arm which drew blood. Following this over the next year there were a lot of instances that he'd nip people who visited the home. We tried a trainer and he got better slightly. A year after biting my niece I was in bed with my now ex partner and out of nowhere when he was sat between us he bit her in the face causing her lip to bleed and a lot of pain. Knowing we had a problem on our hands I wanted to consider speaking to a vet but my ex was very protective of him and wouldn't allow this. (My ex was a control freak and despite him technically being my family dog she had her way). Later down the line he bit her sister very seriously in the arm, I'd never seen anything like it he full on attacked her and wouldn't let go. Again this was unprovoked and at this point I knew he probably needed to be put down for his own safety as well as the safety of others. But, my ex brushed this under the carpet again.
Louie also had and still does have an issue with other dogs especially when they come into his space. Until I moved out recently we had cats and he used to chase them or attempt to bite them if they came into his space. Outside the home he's quite good off the lead and loves socialising and running around with other dogs. He's not so good with people in or outside the home.
Anyway back to the biting history...me and my ex split up about 2 years ago. Since then he's had two biting incidents. I was seeing a girl around 18 months ago and he bit her, albeit she was winding him up and I asked her to stop but she didn't so it was provoked. Then 2 weeks ago my sisters boyfriend came round and he bit him, not a serious one just a nip but still a bite.
Now, I have recently moved out of my dads following some personal stuff that's occurred in the home and I'm currently living with my sister and my one year old niece. He's started displaying aggressive behaviour around her, he growls at her when she comes near him and I'm very concerned a serious incident may be brewing. My niece is starting to walk and so she has more freedom to get near him as she likes him.
My concerns are that I can control him being around kids no problem...but it means shutting him away and isolating him away from her and people when they come around but this isn't fair on him as it means being alone and shut away. I'm also worried about his anxiety and his overall mental state. He struggles to sleep through full nights, it's like he never switches off. He get's up 3/4 times in the night to have a walk around and stuff. I also work away sometimes and have to leave him with my sister and he's a nightmare for her, he crys and scatches at doors, and just doesn't sleep.
I now have a new partner that I've been with for a year, and as things get more serious and I start to look at the future, I'm wondering how I'm ever going to start a family knowing Louie wouldn't cope with it because hes a danger around kids. How am I going to move into my own place and have family and friends round knowing that he has to be shut away as he's a danger to them? How can I expect my parner (who I love very much) to take this responsibility on as well when we move in together.
As well as this is Louie suffering mentally? Is being switched on 24/7 good for him? I've had behaviourists look at him before but training hasn't worked and I'm reluctant to spend any more money on that knowing he could just be like this forever. Should I re home him? And if I do, would anyone realistically take him on? He's my best mate, and I love him to bits, but I'm running out of options, he's becoming more aggressive and unsettled and I'm just worried we are close to a really bad incident that isn't reversible.
Sorry for the long story but I'm stressing out and I really need advice, I don't want to seem like I'm giving up but its becoming exhausting.
There's quite a lot to this so I'm gonna try and keep it as short an summarised as I can. I have a 5 year old Jack Russell x Chihuahua called Louie. I got him at 12 weeks old for my family after my mum left the home. It was a way of trying to cheer my dad up and give us all something to be positive about. At the time I was with my ex partner who played the 'mum' role in his life for the first 3 years until we separated. We noticed pretty quickly that Louie had some issues. When trying to crate train him we really struggled as he'd cry in his crate all the time, would tear apart puppy pads or toys we left in there and would cry all through the night. Eventually we gave in and brought him into the bedroom where he would sleep with us on the bed. This became a habit he stuck to for the next 3 years.
Now, Louie started developing an aggressive personality after around 3 months of owning him. At a family bbq in which we tried to socialise him he bit my cousin, it wasn't serious as his teeth weren't sharp at the time. However it became a much bigger problem later down the line. Fast forward to the December of that year and he bit my 6 year old niece in the arm which drew blood. Following this over the next year there were a lot of instances that he'd nip people who visited the home. We tried a trainer and he got better slightly. A year after biting my niece I was in bed with my now ex partner and out of nowhere when he was sat between us he bit her in the face causing her lip to bleed and a lot of pain. Knowing we had a problem on our hands I wanted to consider speaking to a vet but my ex was very protective of him and wouldn't allow this. (My ex was a control freak and despite him technically being my family dog she had her way). Later down the line he bit her sister very seriously in the arm, I'd never seen anything like it he full on attacked her and wouldn't let go. Again this was unprovoked and at this point I knew he probably needed to be put down for his own safety as well as the safety of others. But, my ex brushed this under the carpet again.
Louie also had and still does have an issue with other dogs especially when they come into his space. Until I moved out recently we had cats and he used to chase them or attempt to bite them if they came into his space. Outside the home he's quite good off the lead and loves socialising and running around with other dogs. He's not so good with people in or outside the home.
Anyway back to the biting history...me and my ex split up about 2 years ago. Since then he's had two biting incidents. I was seeing a girl around 18 months ago and he bit her, albeit she was winding him up and I asked her to stop but she didn't so it was provoked. Then 2 weeks ago my sisters boyfriend came round and he bit him, not a serious one just a nip but still a bite.
Now, I have recently moved out of my dads following some personal stuff that's occurred in the home and I'm currently living with my sister and my one year old niece. He's started displaying aggressive behaviour around her, he growls at her when she comes near him and I'm very concerned a serious incident may be brewing. My niece is starting to walk and so she has more freedom to get near him as she likes him.
My concerns are that I can control him being around kids no problem...but it means shutting him away and isolating him away from her and people when they come around but this isn't fair on him as it means being alone and shut away. I'm also worried about his anxiety and his overall mental state. He struggles to sleep through full nights, it's like he never switches off. He get's up 3/4 times in the night to have a walk around and stuff. I also work away sometimes and have to leave him with my sister and he's a nightmare for her, he crys and scatches at doors, and just doesn't sleep.
I now have a new partner that I've been with for a year, and as things get more serious and I start to look at the future, I'm wondering how I'm ever going to start a family knowing Louie wouldn't cope with it because hes a danger around kids. How am I going to move into my own place and have family and friends round knowing that he has to be shut away as he's a danger to them? How can I expect my parner (who I love very much) to take this responsibility on as well when we move in together.
As well as this is Louie suffering mentally? Is being switched on 24/7 good for him? I've had behaviourists look at him before but training hasn't worked and I'm reluctant to spend any more money on that knowing he could just be like this forever. Should I re home him? And if I do, would anyone realistically take him on? He's my best mate, and I love him to bits, but I'm running out of options, he's becoming more aggressive and unsettled and I'm just worried we are close to a really bad incident that isn't reversible.
Sorry for the long story but I'm stressing out and I really need advice, I don't want to seem like I'm giving up but its becoming exhausting.