Hi Lozzi

What a thread! hope you are feeling better today. Tomorrow is a new week and you can start afresh.

I have read through most of this and you have been given some brilliant advice. One thing I didn't see was how much exercise he was getting? I remember you saying you are keeping him on lead after your incident a couple of weeks ago. That is fine and you should do what you are comfortable with, however if he isn't getting enough this could be leading to feelings of frustration on his part. Obviously exercise (or lack of it) doesn't have a direct connection with him biting you, but tired dogs are generally much better behaved and more relaxed dogs. He is a young dog of a mix of active breeds and ideally needs some daily free running. Walking on the lead is ok, particularly for mental stimulation (from sniffing, etc.), but it isn't really enough to tire out a young dog physically. More vigorous activity like free running, playing with other dogs, swimming and so on is what you want to aim for.

10 months.

I don’t think that is relevant at all. jake wasn’t doing any behaviour like that, and if he did I wouldn’t approach him. not all cases are like that!!

Thanks emma, that is such a nice post. and I will choose something for jakes best interest. I always try to do that. it is overwhelming to read all the posts and it is something that I need to take time with. I am still shocked it happened, and need to really think about how to go about things, but I will take everybody’s advice and come up with what I think will be the best thing for jake.

Im not just assuming jake wont do it again, but im going to make sure he doesn’t. he had a reason for it, he wasn’t just doing it to be aggressive. Therefore, im hoping its just coz of the pain and discomfort, but even if it isn’t im not going to get in a situation like that again so it wont happen again. and i now know he will do that in certain situations so im going to do my best to prevent that.

thank you, I am feeling a bit better lol. although my blooming bf gave me the cold/flu so im feeling a bit rubbish with that, but with jake its much better lol.

his skin is looking better. His ears are just about completely cleared up. his eyes still look sore, but they are less red, and the cuts he had have scabbed over so it doesn’t look good but probably feels better for him. I also haven’t noticed him scratching at it, so must be feeling better now. hopefully wont take long to completely clear up.

I think one of the things that might help is if you can get hold of some good books - try "The Culture Clash" by Jean Donaldson, which explains why dogs do what they do. Also take a peek at some of Turid Rugaas' work on calming signalsa as they relate to the ladder of aggression which all dogs move up if they are not comfortable

Some of the things that you've done are not "dog savvy" (but as you say, Jake is your first dog) but you do need to get to "think dog" so that you can avoid any problems, train him well and really improve the relationship.

What are you going to do about the "tapping"? I ask as I suspect Mishflynn and others are right, in that he may accept it or appear to, but doesnt like it. Ifthis is the case there is one big major problem right there (depends on if you are reading him well or not - it may be you are right - but I'd be surprised if you are ).

Sending you support and best wishes,


Wys
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thanks claire, it really is a learning curve and a constant one.

thanks, the exercise was something i had thought of too. he hasnt been offlead recently, and has been getting two onlead walks for about 30 mins each, depending on the weather. if its really cold i have been trying to keep him in, coz the cold seems to bother his eyes with them being so sore. also, whenever we turn to head home he practically runs all the way back so i think the cold is really getting to him aswell.

so his exercise is a lot less than what he is used to. i have been considering just letting him offlead in the park, aslong as no other dogs are around.

thanks, i will have a look at them.

i dont know what to do about the tapping, coz i dont think it does bother him. its not a push or anything like that. so its nothing more than a pat so if he dislikes that, then he would dislike getting clapped/stroked etc.

It isn't the 'tap' it is the context and all your other body language.

rune

I don't understand why you need to "tap"your dog, dogs don't tap each other the way a human taps.

I would really take a step back from the situation & try to look at what happened from your dogs perceptive.

You must be consistent, either he is allowed on beds, furniture or he's not. You must teach him to get down from furniture if you do not want him on it, not simply push/pull him off nor tap/touch him physically. Don't bend over any dog it is threatening body language.

You need to keep calm & if you can't do that then you need to walk away from him until you calm down. He will pick up on your tension & other body signals that you will not even realise you are giving him.

Get his health problems sorted out, if he has an ear infection you can see, odds are it goes a lot deeper into his ear than you think. he could quite well be in a lot of pain that he doesn't show.

Dogs can have a very high pain threshold & can appear not to be in pain, simply because in the animal world to show pain is to appear weak.

He is only a very young dog & as you are not an experienced owner you really do need personal guidance(ie with a face to face trainer)who will be able to watch you & your dog & also show you what you should & should not do.

I'm not a hands on trainer, but I do give my dogs lots of physical contact, in play & by using T Touch massage I gain the respect of my dogs as well as their friendship.

Do have a read of the Culture Clash it's an excellent book.

You would be better off exercising his brain rather than his body, stretching a dogs mental ability is a good way for you both to have a good reltaionship

Sorry have read th whole of this post and just i would add, th elast post before mine said dogs dont tap each other but mine do! Pearl (GD puppy) wont go outside to toilet the other dogs tap her back with there paw and she will go out!!! i havent taught them this but it happens its funny to watch

I understand what you are saying however, as others have said, it is the context etc that may make a difference here. Hard to tell but if we are talking about dogs in general, most of them would not like it in the context that you have described

So, even if he likes it when you are both relaxed and you are patting him or something, it may be entirely different for him at other times, does that make sense?

Wys
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