Elderly dog with unpredictable behaviour towards other dogs

Hi all do you recall me mentioning I would take in my Uncles Yorkie Brandy 8 year old entire male if and when the time came well things have taena downward spiral. Although he has met and Sal and Tess in the past on leads in the park, though this was very early last year. And everything was fine-ish. Brandy is apparently 10 not 8 according to his vet papers - should have known my uncles memory is not too good.

Well I have tried to acclimatise him and the girls to each other - disaster has struck I have been taking the girls to the park by my uncles - they have been before and are used to it, and have gently been trying to introduce them again - I tried Tess first leaving Sal at home and took Tess into thepark and got my cousin to walk by with Brandy so they could meet informally and well Brandy decided unwisely to have a go at Tess and I mean nastily.
Well I left well alone for a while and I tried walking Brandy myself and discovered he has a major "personality problem" he is totally okay occasionaly with dogs then the next breath nothing different even a dog he has previously ignored he goes for having questioned my Aunt who until getting cancer used to look after my Uncle (she is not animal person my Auntie Betty) she said she does not think Brandy has ever been allowed to meet other dogs Uncle Arnie and his wife Ethel used to pick him up anyhow I have worked slowly allowing him to walk past other dogs, some he ignoresome he goes for mostly he goes for them, and I decided Sal is the best option for him to meet as he'd gone for Tess (and I know if Sal accepts him Tess will)
And blow me same senario only in a quiet road (instead of the park I wondered if the open spaces did him in) he decides to have a go at Sal, so now I am at my wits end - any advice in trying to intregrate him? I mean he is the same with every dog not just my two. The vet tells me he was the same before.

I can only think it was pure luck he mixed with the girls before. I can't risk letting him off the lead as 1. He runs off - even if my Uncle calls him. 2. He could get really hurt if he goes for one of mine and is not on a lead enough to be pulled back. Suggestions please..........Help. Sorry its long but I do need help and by the way my two are Staffies.

sounds like you already know he has never been allowed to mix and therefore doesn't know how too. could it be a health problem with his age? although 10 isn't really old for a yorkie i don't think.
will try and think of ideas kazz......but like you said i would think the first thing is to get him ok in sight of others then bring them closer,to walk past etc.
i hope you can work it out.

Thing is he lulls you into a false sense of okayness (if thats a word) some times he walks past now I can see no difference in anything and I have nailed my cousins even the poor milkman into walking him seeing what the reaction is and each time it varies. I can't weigh him up I don;t think its fear that makes him like this I am beginning to believe he is "dog unfriendly" wether due to his nature or his upbringing I don't know - HELP

Oh and today my other cousin who pops in with my Uncles shopping occasionaly tells me he bit her twice once when he tried to get out of the front door - panic that would cause as he has no recall and 2ndly when she passed him in the lounge - she wont go now becase of the dog!
Which makes life difficult but she says she had to have 4 stitches in her leg the last time and a bite that drew blood and bruising on her wrist from the door incident.And now my Mom (who is dog friendly) tells me she does not trust him as he has growled at her in the past.


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maybe it is as simple as that kazz. you know dogs as well as the rest of us.

Maybe it is that simple but because the dog means everything and I do mean everything to my Uncle I will try almost anything even if I cant get him used to my two maybe I can find a home for him but if he bites and runs off and is nasty to other dogs no one would want him. So even though he does not realise it I am trying to help him more than he knows. My Uncle is in a world almost of his own and would not take on baord what I am saying about Brandy anyhow.

Karen

pretty much sounds like my bruno until the biting of human came in to it.

bruno can be ok with some dogs and horrendous with others - just as the mood takes him- I soon came to realise that the assumption would be that there will be the odd one he will be ok with and the rest not -.

It did take me about 2 months to get him used to my friends dog so that we could walk them together without him trying to lunge at her - now they get off lead together if we can - it takes a long time to change a fearful/unsure dog when it comes to fear aggression/unsocialised.

cant advise on the biting thing - the only thing you can do is try to assess him urself regarding human and not relying perhaps on what others have said??

sorry its not that helpful
dani

In my opinion, the future does not look very bright for this dog. Sorry Karen that I can't be more positive

Thing is you see Brandy is my Uncles lifeline with the world his only constant. And although I have promised to take him - I am not in any way now certain Brandy would like life like that. Or that we could cope.

I think I will continue as I am walking him getting him groomed making sure he's fed and safe. And gradually try to work on the "other dog attitude" I am coming to resign myself to the fact he may not come to live here. I know for certain if anything happens to Brandy I know my Uncle will not survive without him he will have no reason to get up in the morning. without Brandy Oh well I can only persevere.

None of his "issues" would not matter at all if I were dogless, I could cope but with the girls - I will have to work on it a little more.

Ta

Sorry Kazz but I tend to agree with Vicki. It may, just may, be possible to overcome Brandy's unpredictability with other dogs with a long desensitization program - but, aggression towards humans is different A very good behaviourist might be able to help spot the cues and triggers that provoke the behaviour.

I assume that Brandy is healthy and not likely to be suffering any physical discomfort.

Hi Kazz , a difficult problem and you really have done all you can, I can't add anything to what the others have said regarding Brandy, being both dog and human aggressive makes the situation doubly difficult. Maybe it is best not to worry too much, carry on as you are now giving the help you do and see what happens ....the problem may resolve itself. I have known elderly dogs who have not succeeded their absent owners by very long.. sometimes they keep each other going and neither exist well without the other after being together for so long .