my son has an ESS at his dads, FWIW his dad had a nightmare of a time with Murphy as well, it did improve so much with age,

what is he doing re aggression?

If it's any consolation - our house was virtually destroyed by our ESS Fingal when he was young.

I know it's easy to say but Fingal calmed down eventually.

Try and stay positive hard as it may seem just now.

It's a possibility although not likely bearing in mind what he is doing. We are changing his diet though and hope that may help.

Shona, he basically has a problem with the following:

1. Unable to settle in the home - scratches and gnaws at walls and coffee table in frustration, doesn't like going on bed or in crate. Gets over tired and over excited and doesn't know how to switch off. I have to stroke him soothingly or time him out in kitchen to settle him almost every night.

2. If told to do something he doesn't want to do, like get off sofa/bed etc he will growl and then bite, bearing teeth and gums.

3. Food aggression - unable to go near him when eating and get knuckle bones or denta stix (now banned) off him, if necc as he bites us.

4. He also barks at us when over excited and being told to do something he doesn't want to do.

The biting is the scary bit as it's now got quite bad.

Thanks Phil, that means alot to me! Woody isn't destroying things, in fact we now leave him alone un-crated with no problem it's the hyperness and aggression that he has.

I now it needs to get bad before it gets better but I almost felt today that even the behaviourists are losing hope and the pts is an option we have to prepare for!! I just cannot cope with that thought.

[QUOTE
I now it needs to get bad before it gets better but I almost felt today that even the behaviourists are losing hope and the pts is an option we have to prepare for!! I just cannot cope with that thought.[/QUOTE]

Pidge - what you`ve described is perfectly usual behaviour for a young dog pushing the boundaries. If your behaviourist can`t handle these issues they need to get a different job.

If your dog is aggressive round bones don`t give him bones.
Try NILIF - keep a house lead on him and insist on a sit-stay or a Down before he gets anything -even a stroke.
If he is hyper, address the food first - cut out all additives or colouring, then look at sensitivity.
Also - he is doing a really good job of training you by the sound of it. If you are calm and refuse him attention, he will stop demanding it. Eventually. If he chews your coffee table, put him in his bed with a chew - calmly.
Bright dogs test you. But then - did you really want a thick one?

what ever you do, dont do that, if the worst came to the worst {but im sure it will not} would you consider sending him to me for a while?

Luke on the forum would be great for you to talk to, hes been there got the tee shirt when it comes to ESS's he would be able to offer some good tips and advice, it could be worth pming him.

Have the behaviourists been out to your house Pidgey and assessed him thoroughly there?
He is a 7 month old pup and for the option of putting him to sleep to even be raised seems a tad excessive to me. I appreciate I am not there and living it..but....

He is so young, just a babe....and he has had such changes in your behaviour management for him. He will get there..but nothing is a quick fix with dogs, everything takes time and patience.
Truly...you will get there, you are bound to have good and bad days.

great post, I agree poss try another behaviourist, I also think there is a lot to be said for a good old fashioned dog trainer who will help with hands on stuff.

So sorry to read this - really hoped things would improve for you all. I was just thinking about your situation and wondered whether some kind of residential dog training might be an option if all else fails? His problems do seem to centre around you and the home, and just wondered whether taking him out of the environment completely, giving him a different focus, and then reintorducing him with different boundaries might be another thing to try? I have no experience with this sort of training, but it was just something that crossed my mind due to the type of problems. Really hope you can find a solution and start enjoying him again.

Hun we all have bad days, trust me I know, if my computer haddnt crashed yesterday then there would have been a similar post from me

Young dogs are hard work, totaly, but the more work you put in now the better he will be and in a couple of years he will be a really fantastic dog

I know agression and stuff can be difficult but TBH all that sounds like training issues rather than big agression

I am sure you are getting lots of good advice from the people who are working with you
Sounds like you really need to teach an off switch, I find the crate totaly invaluable for that, if you feed every meal in the crate too then he will get to like the crate
Try and have a really solid routine in place for him, with plenty of times for walks and training but also time out times when you give him something nice to chew in his crate or you groom him (build up the sessions and use lots of rewards so he knows being chilled is what you want) T- Touch might help, my friends have a hyper collie teenager and it really helped her
I found rescue remidy really good to chill out the dogs, also you can get specific blends for specific problems, my mum is trainining to do bach flower stuff on dogs because it has worked so well on my two

I think it is far too soon to be thinking of PTS, he is being a teenager, worse than many but there are plenty of people who have dealt with that in their dogs

I know some days you just feel you want to cry, you look at people with their easy dogs
He is young, it will get better, and you will love him all the more because of all the work you have put in to make him a fantastic dog

Make a note of all your tiny steps forward, every month see how things are a little different than the month before and in time you will see how things will start getting better

<<<<<hugs>>>>>>>> I feel your pain, and we are all here for you

Pidge - what you`ve described is perfectly usual behaviour for a young dog pushing the boundaries. If your behaviourist can`t handle these issues they need to get a different job.

If your dog is aggressive round bones don`t give him bones.
Try NILIF - keep a house lead on him and insist on a sit-stay or a Down before he gets anything -even a stroke.
If he is hyper, address the food first - cut out all additives or colouring, then look at sensitivity.
Also - he is doing a really good job of training you by the sound of it. If you are calm and refuse him attention, he will stop demanding it. Eventually. If he chews your coffee table, put him in his bed with a chew - calmly.
Bright dogs test you. But then - did you really want a thick one?[/QUOTE]

I know what you're saying, but it really isn't normal. He is pushing the boundaries but it is not normal to be so aggressive about not getting his own way.

Shona, I am NEVER having him pts!! Ever. If it comes to it though I will gladly send him to you, seriously, I'd drive him there myself.

Yes, they've been over and all agree that he is quite ''unique'' in his behaviour.

The pts was discussed as an end result. They're not giving up and it is just the beginning for all of us but I think they wanted it made clear that if his aggression gets worse it will be an option. I'm obviously just homing in on it and panicking, as I suppose you would but it just cannot ever come to that.

True, but we have to be careful and mindful of 2 things. His agression is down to the following:

1. Boundaries not set and made clear from the start.

2. He has developed an element of mis trust in us and is now ''on guard'' and confused.

3. Confrontation with him only makes the matter worse.