JRT behaviour

I wasnt sure which section to put this in.

Sam is my 3yr(ish) old jrt. I rehomed him privately in march from a home where he was rescued from the pound on the day he was due to be pts(this last june time). He came to me due to the marriage breakup.

I was told he had a few aggression issues with other male dogs, but that he has always been fine with bitches. Was also told he is great with kids (they had 2 in the previous home)

I know all this has to be taken on face value, and i do believe the lady that rehomed him loved him very much, but she also lived in the middle of no where in wales, so i dont truly believe she knew the extent of his behaviour, i was also told he was not in any way a 'yappy' dog.

I have found him to be a lovely dog when alone with him in the house, but his behaviour is gradually getting worse when with the others...

A few of the 'issues' i am having include...

- he is very aggressive towards the bitches when he has a toy or food of some sort, he has also given a very big warning growl at me when trying to remove something from his mouth.
(removing all toys and chews is not something i want to do with 3 other energetic dogs)


- he is very reluctant to be near my son, and his body language is enough for me to remove him from the situation immediately (i know that children and dogs should not be left together, but with him i feel i cannot even leave the room for a few seconds unless he comes with me, whereas im comfortable with the others being as and where they want to be in the house- though i should add that he has never growled or snapped towards my son, its just his body language that makes me uneasy)


- his aggression towards other dogs while out for a walk is very intense, i walk him on lead and muzzled, when i walk with friends dogs he does settle after a while and gets on with them fine(even males) but to passing dogs on a walk he just goes in in attack mode.

- he also pees in the house...alot!!! and does mess overnight occasionally

I'm pretty sure these behaviours can be worked on and improved, but right now i am not so sure i am the person to do that, i love him dearly and would so love him to be settled and happy, but im really not sure he is happy, i think my household may be just too busy for him.

Any thoughts/opinions please.

google:

APDT UK

APBC

UKRCB

OR COAPE

for good behaviorists/trainers

or get a referral from your vet

I agree that you should get some professional help. There's lots going on here & from what you describe I suspect that most of the issues stem from insecurities & anxieties ~ the food/treat guarding, possessiveness, getting in first with other dogs etc. It would probably really help to see a good behaviourist who can assess your dog & address all the issues from a basic level. These aren't simply training issues (although training would probably be part of a behaviour modification programme) so you need to look at your dog overall.

I'd get a behaviourist in the assess him hun.

We have JRT's in our family, Pappi is (in the house) boss if fact anyones house and even here if my lot do not tow the line she will have them....even our male Bruce. The only one she NEVER goes at is Reah
Gary spent years going back to basic's with her, and eventually saw a behaviourist who taught Gary how to manage her ''Rotti moments'' (as he calls it)LOL
My aunts JRT was a rescue and the previous owners never walked him without a muzzle in fear of his attacks on other dogs, my Aunt sought help via a behaviourist and now although he is kept on a long lead he has finally progressed to No Muzzle
As for children I know a few JRT's that would appreciate kids staying away from them, a good behaviourist will get your son working with him as well, he may never be ''kiddie mad'' but he may become abit more flexi with him.
Funnily enough my late JRT Sally was terrific with our kids & our family but she didn't like anyone coming close to us or the kids

Best wishes hun....Im sure you will find a way to please all of you in managing him

He does sound a very anxious little dog. However, a friend has a similar dog (had her for 3 months now) and she is starting to come around. That dog had been undersocialised and never walked offlead or trained. She was someone`s `darling` too. My friend has 4 other dogs, 2 lodgers and a very common-sense attitude.
I`m not going to detail her methods because it`s a different dog and different situation apart from saying she separates her lot from each other when necessary, they sleep in various areas according to their needs and she won`t tolerate squabbling. She (the dog) is very play-oriented, and is obsessive about her Ballie, so that is used a lot.
Take your time with this little man. It will come.

Thanks for your replies. They were pretty much what i expected to hear really. The problem i have at the moment is I have recently split from my partner so money is tight right now, i cant really afford a behaviourist

Do you think neutering may help? I have been unsure so far as i know it can increase aggression etc.

On the neutering issue, IMO I would get him neutered. I don't think increasing aggesssion is very common & as long as you work on things to build his confidence at the same time, then neutering may help with the indoor peeing, plus it would remove one source of anxiety ~ the drive to find a mate! but perhaps speak to your vet as well before deciding.

I understand that getting the help of a behaviourist may be financially difficult for you ~ do you have him insured? If so, & on vet recommendation, you may find that your insurance covers you for a behavioural consultation. It's worth a try.

On the basis that Sam's problems seem to be driven by anxieties/worries over the availability of a number of resources, I would suggest that you do things with him to boost his confidence & allay his worries about limited resources. Clicker training on a one to one basis with him, setting things up so he can succeed & earn himself some extra treats would be a good starting point.

Regarding the neutering - our rescue JRT was "done" just before we brought him home, and for the first few weeks he was appalling with other dogs. Talk about attack first and ask questions later Also he peed absolutely everywhere in the house, even though he is at least 10 and clearly came from a loving home. Gradually all the aggression completely disappeared and so did the peeing....yes, we were training him at the same time but I think that it was basically the castration that made the difference and once all the hormones had worked their way out of his system he was a different dog.

Do you think neutering may help? I have been unsure so far as i know it can increase aggression etc.[/QUOTE]