HELP! Over protective Staffie, barking and Biting!

Hello. I am in desperate need to find out what can be done.

My friend has a Staffie who is 12 years old. He has been a lovely dog, walks well on a lead, great with people, children, a lovely pet. Since my friend moved to a new house, I noticed he started barking excessively (NOT AGGRESSIVELY) when anyone would come to the door.... my friend would shout at him to stop but he carried on until HE decided to stop. this carried on until she moved to another house a year later. Now the Staffie, constantly barks (again NOT aggressively) in the car to and from wherever we take the dogs for a walk....and when anyone come to the house. just recently, he went to bite her daughters face...luckily he just scratched her. Today, a man turned up at her house for a meeting and the dog went for him and bit him on the arm! I have told my friend time and time again that the dog is over protective and needs her to do some training and that it IS'NT the dogs fault but hers and her partners for not training him. When they go out, they let him have the run of the house....he darts upstairs and gets my friends slippers for comfort.... sometimes he will rip things up. I am so so so worried that the dog will do someone REAL damage and will be put down if she doesn't sort him out. I have offered to help with training, but I am worried that it maybe too late. Any advice would be gratefully received. thank you

The dog is probably protecting himself, not your friend.
It sounds like he was nervous and stressed still from the move and people shouting at him has made him feel even worse.
The first action should be a vet check. At his age he could well be in pain or have failing senses.
If he is given a clean bill of health the next step is a good behaviourist (APDT or APBC registered).
In the meantime, simple safety measures should be put in place - safety gates to separate the dog from children when not supervised.
Dog on lead or confined when people visit.
And a crate for the car.

He has been checked out...he has an enlarged heart and is on tablets. Do you think it could be a side effect of the tablets for his biting? His excessive barking has been since way before his diagnosis.

Just thought I'd better add....

He follows my friend around the house and when she goes upstairs to the bathroom he follows her then sits outside the door barking until she comes out.....it really isn't relaxing! In the morning apparently he will jump up constantly at her thinking she is going to take him for a walk. Something in me feels that (from my own experience with my dog) that my friends dog is stressed and feels that he has to protect her and the house..... he is great with my dog and other dogs. I stroke him and recently he has taken to me and comes over and demands my hand (shoving his nose under my hand and lifting it up) to stroke him. I refuse and tell him to sit first then I will say 'good boy' then stroke him on my own terms.
I know she won;t take him to a behaviourist because of the money and will probably say no to taking him to the vets as things are very tight. I will have a word and make her see sense. If there is anything she could try in the mean time in the form of training with treats (he loves his food!) could you suggest some ideas?
thank you for replying.

tbh i think a full vet check is in order, i knew someone whose staffie did similar - similar age and coincidentally had also moved house but in the end he got put to sleep as he had a tumour and was causing him to be confused hence the weird behaviour..

First of all do you have the required skills, knowledge, ability, training and experience to help the owner?

Secondly, all the training in the world by someone else will not make an iota of difference to the behaviour of this dog with its owner in its house.

So, until and unless the owner is on board and will implement a behavioural modification programme I think you are tilting at windmills.

If the situation is as you say, then perhaps she would at least consider management?

For example, if he barks at the door and gets OTT in his behaviour, possibly redirecting his behaviour, then can she take him into another room/behind a child gate before she opens the door?

If he follows here everywhere, he may have separation related issues (and this could show in many ways - destruction, barking, toiletting, digging, etc etc) and this could be addressed if it is not too bad with for example plug in diffusers which give out pheromones (dap/adaptil) and giving lots of stuffed kong/bones etc for chewing, which releases feel good chemicals called endorphins.

This may not work but it is worth having a go. Ideally she does need proper help but if not at least she should try to do a few things for her dog herself

A good professional would help her to understand why the dog is doing these things and be able hopefully to alte the dog's emotional reaction which is the problem behaviour coming out.

Wys
x