Dogs that bite there owners

Hello,

I have had a rspca dog from 8 months he is now 2+, we have had and still have issues with him guarding food toys new furniture etc, however over the last 3 months things have moved up a level, he has bitten me 3 times, the first 2 not broke the skin but earlier this week he bit me on my arm as I tried to take his lead off him, basically because he has started guarding his lead while it is on him!!

Any advice please; unsure whether to try a behaviourist (already had 2 trainers), or to put him down (would be awful),
However I am concerned for my families safety, and also I am concerned the dog is also unhappy, we have tried so hard to give him a good home.

Oh dear, I am not surprised his behaviour has got worse if he has been allowed to rehearse it over this long.

Have you gone to see your vet? It is vital that he examines your dog to rule out any underlying medical conditions which may be a factor in his behaviour.

Once that occurs he can refer you to a reputable behaviourist who, in most cases, will belong to one of the 3 recognised professional bodies.

http://www.capbt.org/findbehaviourist-uk.php
http://www.apbc.org.uk/help/regions/
http://ukrcb.com/members.htm

They can then see you and decide on the appropriate course of action.

Sometimes, however hard we try, things do not work out, it is not necessarily anyone's "fault"; it can be as simple as incompatibility or it can be something more challenging.

Seeking the right professional help can provide you with options and clarify your approach.

Best of luck.

Thanks for that the vet has ruled out any conditions, we are now looking to book a behaviourist at a cost of £475/visit to see if he can be trained to be safe.

thats ALOT for a behaviourist - can I ask what organisation they are with??
If you have insurance they might cover behaviourist, and for most good ones you will need a vets referal

I am glad you are looking into getting help tho. Sometimes we all need a bit of help and it sounds like you are a bit out of your depth with the behaviours getting worse

Have the RSPCA offered any help?
Good on you trying to give him a loving home. Hopefully this is just something you can work together on sorting out and you will have many happy years together

Please make sure the behaviourist has the correct qualifications, experience etc

if you want any help, you are welcome to pm me

your insurance may well pay for the behaviourist (minus excess) if it is from a vet referall....another good reason to go to te vet first and rule out medical issues!

i thought the RSPCA had its own behaviourists, you have adopted the dog so the RSPCA still own it so would they not be prepared to help you out.
Just a thought

Any good behaviourist will only accept on a vet referral anyway. Just to say, it sounds like your dogs behaviour is pre-existing so your insurance company might not pay. My rescue dog has aggression issues and the isuranve company refused to pay as he was like it when we got him.

£475 is an awful lot for a behaviourist Even the really good ones usually charge around £150 per hour or £250 for a couple of hour consultation. Who are you thinking of seeing?

Good luck, I hope the behaviourist can help you. Well done for not giving up on your rescue

Its a behaviourist based in cheshire, recommended by VET & friends...

Is this behaviourist a vet herself? If so be careful as I have heard mixed reviews, especially about follow up contact.

You could try Lynne Fleet ( she has a website ifmyou want to Google?)