Why is my dog mean?

RE: Why is my dog mean?

Raffles — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 15:26:47 GMT

Patterdales are very tricky customers! To be honest, my heart sinks when I see a family arrive with their new patterdale puppy as their first dog they are difficult dogs to understand and need an awful lot of work. I have had two, one easier than the other i have to say. Predominantly working dogs, they are excellent ratters but they have a high prey drive and will also chase and attack almost anything that moves. My patt I had from 8 weeks old, was very well socialised and very well exercised (he would hack out with me on my horse daily and still be up for a walk an hour later) he lived with two other dogs from the word go and iniitally all was fine. As time progressed he started to attack the other two without a second of warning. And he was serious. I really struggled to find the trigger if I'm honest. Sometimes it would be because they were near him? They looked at him? It was Tuesday?

Over time he became more and more isolated. He was kept on his own in the utility room whilst the others were allowed in the house, he didn't like it but we had no choice. We considered kenneling him at the farm but as much as he attacked the other dogs he did like being with them and would happily walk with them and play, which made his behaviour more puzzling.

He never attacked people, and this dog would lay down his life for me I know. They are extremely loyal and tough dogs.

Unfortunately for him, over the last two years his prey drive became almost unmanageable. I had to lead walk him otherwise he would be gone for days on a killing spree (we live rural!) and he HATED being lead walked, he needed good free running.

This summer, he badly bit my daughter. Seemingly unprovoked, but I think he was getting increasingly frustrated at being lead walked and kept more and more isolated because of his behaviour. I made the very very tough decision to euthanase him. He was 8.

So what I'm saying is, be careful. I don't think it's anything you can train out of them. They snap without any thought or fear of reprisal. I'm afraid to say you will have to keep her away from the other dogs mainly. Lots of exercise, lots of positive training, maybe she will be better off at home whilst you're at work. Good luck x

RE: Why is my dog mean?

Alison Clare Hickman — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 20:11:18 GMT

I'm assuming she's had the full medical once over and is fully fit.

On info provided sounds like might be resource guarding... Potentially her previous less obvious (to us humans) warning signs have been overlooked and so now just goes from 0-60 in seconds (which, I have to say ime of a Patterdale temperament is pretty much standard if they feel threatened, so you have got your work cut out!)

RG can be items, food or territory (or combo) e.g. guarding a location that is her feeding territory or that has food in it she thinks could belong to her... Is she anywhere near food bags/storage bins at your workplace?

Have you moved her feeding bowl to an area where she feels it is compromised/unsafe from other dogs?

I would recommend a good look at her surroundings, from her point of view. She will be anxious, hence the aggression.

A good long dose of desensitisation, with positive behaviour modification training, once you've discovered what you think the source of her anxiety is. Will take time.

Ask us again for more guidance re this when you've found out what's triggering the behaviour...

Hth

RE: Why is my dog mean?

Ben Ogden — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 09:34:08 GMT

Patterdales are known (as are a lot of terrier breeds) for challenging behaviour, especially with other dogs.

Is there a possibility your dog coped with sharing such a space with other dogs and now she is entering the maturity stage (plus the hormonal disruption from neutering) has now reached a point she isn't coping? That would lead her to aggressive behaviour in an attempt to maintain homeostasis.

Has there been an incident missed?

Is it ruled out that another dog isn't 'eye-balling' and showing low level aggression (Patterdale's will respond from 0-60 with that sort of stimuli).

Underlying illness?

How complete is socialisation?

Redirected aggression? (i'm mad about this, but expressing it like this)

What led to a young neutering?

Is she going at them, her in the cage them around the cage? What would she do with free reign in the room with the other dogs?

RE: Why is my dog mean?

Sal the 1st — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 00:55:02 GMT

has she just adopted the office as her 'patch'? I used to work in one place where the boss had a JRT and a downstairs office and any dog going in that office was going to get mangled - even other staff dogs who she was quite happy to run around the yard with. She was ok with all of them unless they went in the office. Partly got round it by using a child gate and covering her crate/lair and facing the entrance away from the door and eventually she was happy to do the meet and greet through the child gate so long as the other dog didn't look over the gate. Boss always reckoned she was just defending her territory/resources. She was always worse when the boss was around