My Dog is a 2 year old jack Russel cross. We got him last christmas from my partners brother who gave him away because he had children and became snappy. They also use to lock him in the kitchen all the time using a child safety gate so they could still see him.But the kids did play with him. He met me and my partner when he was a pup and would snuggle in my coat and go to sleep. They did not abuse him in any way. They took him for walks and gave him lots of attention. They took him to the vets and got his balls chopped but this still didn’t help. so we took him. We let him go anywhere in the house becasue we felt tight him being locked in the kitchen all that time, so he had a big house to roam round. He also sleeps in our bed, his bed is next to ours but he likes to sleep with us. Since we got him he was snappy towards me and loves my partner to bits. we cant cuddle, i cant get in bed, i cant touch my partner or he snaps and so on…….. i have tried being the pack leader and putting him in his place but he did bite me when i did this so i wont be doing that again! When my partner goes out he goes upstairs to bed ( my partner is out now and hes gone to bed) but sometimes he will sit with me (if i put the fire on) or he wants to sit by the window waiting for my partner to come home. I do give him love and treats. I give him attention but if hes sat with my partner he growls at me. If i get to close he snaps at me. my partner says he warning me so its my fault but i cant understand if im trying to give him love or show affection why would he bite me? Its not just me everyone who comes to our house or even on the street he tries to bite. We were on a walk and a stranger will go to stroke him he lets him do this for a min then tries to snap his hand off! so for this reason we cant take him to training. And he barks at other dogs so we cant get another one. When my partners brother visits us he goes all crazy and shows him so much love like he missed him for ages. I just dont no what to do i love my dog to bits and would do anything for him i just want him to like me as much as he loves my partner
Please help Thanks.
Would you love a human who did this to you all the time?
He has been allowed by you to think he is pack leader, so this dog is anxiously reinforcing his rules on you humans…your partner is his property ( bf/gf whatever you like) so why would the dog let you kiss and cuddle him, when he beongs to the dog so of course he is going to warn you off and your partner in his ignorance ( sorry but true) is not helping the situation…………
This dog needs to go to training classes, he needs a well fitting muzzle ( don’t say I couldn’t do that) it is a training aid, gives you confidence he can’t bite you or another person or dog, it is a positive step forward. Google NILIF and start doing this at home today, you have to work to earn and so does the dog, any food, any walk, he has to earn it, it will also give him some confidence. Kong, fill it with his food and give it to him to earn his meal, everyday.
Anxiety, no looking no touching, no talking to a dog that is anxious, so any visitors get the dog on lead so you have control and tell them this…completely ignore the dog including you…this will take the pressure off the dog and it won’t go into reactive mode.
He is unsocialised with other dogs ( your fault again) so with muzzle on, the no look, no touch, no talk to everyone you meet, walk him on lead only ( he has to earn off lead time) don’t allow him to stare at other dogs or them at him as this is aggressive in dog language, walking directly towards them is aggressive, face to face meeting is aggressive….so google ‘dog body language’ and learn some of the basics, it really will help you to understand.
"I just dont no what to do i love my dog to bits and would do anything for him" if this is true then you really do need to start training, daily "i just want him to like me as much as he loves my partner" no you don’t you don’t need to be ‘owned’ by your dog!……….lesson one: get him off your bed and in fact out of your bedroom….your bed…..your bedroom……….his bed downstairs or in crate and make it his den.
Lots of what you have said is why you can’t do things..often when people say that, what they really mean is they are not going to do things………….if you want a dog that is confident and balanced, is trained, understands and respects human house rules then you need to put the effort in and achieve it