Posted by Jane
on February 27, 2009, 2:05 pm, in reply to "Re: Old dog aggression"
Hi Imogen
Thanks for your advice. The vet said she has got arthritis. Now you say it, I can understand she might be grumpy because of the pain and also I didn't know that the spaying might be a possible contributor as well.
In case you're wondering I heard about you in Graham Sims's new book. I saw him interviewed on the TV a few days ago and really liked what he said. I've just got a copy for mum and me and he mentions your site. Thanks again, Jane
--Previous Message--
: Hi Imogen
: Thanks for your encouraging reply. Goldie
: was rescued by a vet when the former owner
: went to him with Goldie (then 41kgs!) to ask
: to him to put her down because she could no
: longer afford to feed her! We don't think
: she was ever walked because she did not have
: a muscle on her and panted after only a few
: yards of walking. Now she's getting fit and
: has lost 11kgs. On the lead she barks,
: growls and lunges at other dogs (protecting
: mum?), off lead she does the same.
:
: I have only met her twice with my dog Tasha
: because we live 90 miles away so can't drop
: in for an hour or two. My dog has been with
: us nearly 3 years and was 7 months only when
: we 'rescued' her. I wanted the two dogs to
: meet on neutral ground, go for a walk etc.
: before going to mum's house. Unfortunately
: my mum is sometimes a bit stubborn, didn't
: want to, leaving me with no choice but to go
: straight to the house. Somebody had
: suggested the pebbles in a jar routine
: (rightly or wrongly) but my mother refused
: to do that either so I did it. It did help
: to stop the behaviour but it scared Tasha
: and surely would have come better from my
: mum than me!
:
: Tasha was the first dog that had come into
: Goldie's new home and she reacted by
: growling and barking. Tasha raced out, tail
: between her legs, so I left her to have time
: in the garden. Eventually she came in but
: raced out again every time she saw Goldie
: and heard her growling. In the end I took
: Tasha upstairs where she stayed for much of
: the weekend - Goldie couldn't climb the
: stairs.
:
: Goldie is spayed and I think it was done by
: the dog charity that eventually rehomed her
: with my mum. She is also quite arthritic -
: she is having hydrotherapy to help this
:
: I have only been to my mum with Tasha one
: other time and it was equally upsetting so I
: don't want to go again or have my mother to
: stay unless we can crack this problem. Any
: suggestions? Thanks so much, Jane (What's
: the address for your web site please?)
:
:
: --Previous Message--
: Hello Jane,
: Thanks for your question. I would strongly
: disagree that you 'can't teach an old dog
: new tricks' - it might just take a little
: more patience. What actually happens with
: other dogs? Is she 'aggressive' both on and
: off the lead? What have you tried, if
: anything? Is she spayed, and if so, do you
: know when?
: The Sue Clothier article on my website might
: suggest some reasons.
: Sorry to answer your question with more
: questions, but to do something about this we
: need to try to understand what and why it is
: happening.
: Best wishes,
: Imogen
: PS I put 'aggressive' in inverted comas
: because this is a human interpretation and
: might not be accurate; oh, and an 8 yr old
: dog is hardly 'old' in my book.
:
:
:
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