I Think Someone Switched My Dog!

[NatsaintB]

Leo is acting VERY strange today!   Earlier today I went out to wash my car and let him come outside with me and he just started walking away and ignoring me when I called him back.  So I went after him into the neighbors yard and he started walking faster, totally trying to act like he couldn't hear me!  He has never done this before.  Then, as I was doing the dinner dishes he sneaks up behind me and snatches some chicken wings out of the garbage really sneaky like   Of course as soon as I saw him he dropped them and acted like I was the crazy one!  To top it all off as I was brushing him on the front porch a few minutes ago our little neighbor boy had to go home and as he walked by Leo and said goodbye to him with a little pat, Leo tried to mouth him!  This is scary for a little kid because Leo is as tall as they are when he's sitting down!  I've never laid a hand on him for fear that I would make him mean, but I was so tempted to swat him   I am just baffled and I feel like I don't even know him right now!  Come to think of it, my skin son is acting a bit strange too...  Maybe they are lacking attention because mommy is on BPO all day and night...

[mastiffmommy]

That is scary and real concerning for you. How old is he??? I have had dogs that after puppy they become real well behaved and then when they reach their teenage period they go all bratty on you. I would defenately act on the mouthing the boy issue, that is no fun if it starts. Maybe if the boy or someone else that is brave, could do it again, and see if he acts out again, if so grab his ears, not too hard lol... but firm and stand infront of him and tell him a very firm BAAAAD or whatever word you use, then ask the boy to pet him again and if he is his good ol self, praise him lots and tell him what a nice boy he is. I like the ear holding, really in a lot of different situations, their mommy when they are babies keep them in line by nipping their ear, so that is something I have found that they respond rather well to without you having to be overly hard. The "selective hearin" sounds like a teenage thing lol.... I hope things work out for you, and please let us know how Leo is doing. By the way, I am extremely impressed..... you were out washing your car!!!!!! I thought that was the reason we women got married lol....

Marit

[NatsaintB]

I'm seriously going to try the ear thing.  Leo is 2.5 and is usually really easy and well behaved.  I was using the undercoat rake on him right before he did that to the neighbor and he kept turning and sniffing at it like it may have been bothering him.  I just stopped and came inside for the night.  Now I can't wait for him to act up again so I can see how he reacts to the ear pulling.  Thanks so much for the advice and I'll keep you posted. 

[mastiffmommy]

When you said that you used the rake on him, I thought of something else, some dogs can get real, and I mean real skin sensetive when they shed, and it actually does bother them to be brushed or have the rake used on them, not that that excuses his behaviour but it may be one little part of why he was in a bad mood. Mind you that does not shed any light over why he all of a sudden had selective hearing and tried to serve himself a snack lol.... But do try the ear thing, if he decides to be a "bad boy" again. Good Luck

Marit

[LuvmyMal]

I think all the fur kids are acting out, mine just sits and barks at me and tries to climb in my lap when I am on here. Maybe they are jealous because mommy is talking to her friends and not them! I know that they hit their teenage years and start acting out, when Tonka acts like brushing her is bothering her I keep on brushing and tell her that it will be ok, she often barks at the brush then tries to run away from it. Luckily we have a fence so she can't go too far.

[jabear]

Is that a reflective gizmo on her?

[4everblu]

I think selective hearing thing is a "guy thing"  My husband and son do that to me frequently.
Maybe Leo is getting spring fever?  Could it be a hormone thing?
I hope your little neighbor friend is careful,and only approaches Leo when you are there.  Does he know not to approach a dog quickly or when he is eating?

[Jason]

I think selective hearing thing is a "guy thing"  

Did someone say something?

Jason

[Jaimie]

I wouldn't worry about it too much Natsaint all our little devils act defiant sometime or another   I also agree that the grooming might have had something to do with his reaction to the boy.

[moonlitcroatia]

Dogs are very crafty indeed!  Perhaps he is testing you to see if you will assert your dominance.  If not, perhaps he will try to be alpha. 

I have a female who changed drastically around three years old.  She was nice to other dogs, etc., but it seemed as if her personality became more dominant and pushy around three years of age.  She's been that way ever since.  Perhaps there was something I should have caught to correct it so she would not have the dog aggression she has now.

Dogs are complicated... .just like bears.

[Jaimie]

My dobie is somewhat aggressive so I took him to a behaviourist when he was 2 yrs.old and she said that by the age of 3 his aggression would either escalate or decrease so I guess it has something to do with the age of 3 or so, when they begin to mature.  I did A LOT of work with him and his aggression decreased thank-god, but it still isn't great.  We work at it everyday.

[moonlitcroatia]

My dobie is somewhat aggressive so I took him to a behaviourist when he was 2 yrs.old and she said that by the age of 3 his aggression would either escalate or decrease so I guess it has something to do with the age of 3 or so, when they begin to mature.  I did A LOT of work with him and his aggression decreased thank-god, but it still isn't great.  We work at it everyday.

I believe wholeheartedly in genetics, but still support both nature/nurture theory.  However, I do think that the nature side of it...a being inheriting a certain combination of genes can determine personality traits.  That is why I think you were able to decrease his aggression, but not completely erase it.  He learned from experience, but he is still who is programmed to be.   

[NatsaintB]

I like how Jason pipes up when he hears us talking about guys!  Leo hasn't done that again, thank goodness and he's actually starting to be less protective of me.  I think it's because I've been home so much and he doesn't have anxiety about getting his own time with me.  Just my thought.  Also, he's pretty much done blowing his coat and I don't need to rake him as much.  The thing with Leo is that you CAN run up to him and you CAN screw with him while he eats and all that stuff.  He is so easy going and laid back (see dorky pictures I took) and has no personality so it's weird when he shows any!  He would be so hurt if he could read this!  I just love him though

[Jaimie]

Thats is very true Moonlit, My dobie has extreme fear aggression, not very good breeding at all.  It was a very quick decision to get a dog and we went with what we could find which was not a good breeder at all.  I am glad that I got him because I know for a fact that if some else had got him he would have been put down for his aggression but I chose to work really really hard at it to give him as best a quality of life that I can and I must say that he is very happy and he has only bit ONE person his whole life, nothing serious and that was 4 yrs.ago.

Now that I think back to the day we went to got him he was the second last pup and he cowered in the corner shivering the whole time we were there, he was scared to death so it it definitely his genes and to make matters worse he was attacked by a MUCH bigger dog when I had him on leash when he was a year old, it totally traumatized him.

Does anyone else on here have an extremely fearful pooch?

[GrumpyBunny]

Does anyone else on here have an extremely fearful pooch?

Ranger (100 lb. St. Bernard mix) is somewhat fearful, and can be reactive to both dogs and to some people.  

When he first came home with us from the shelter, he lulled us into a false sense of security with his "honeymoon" period.  Sure, he had some issues like countersurfing, and figuring out that housebreaking means that we will break his neck if he pees in the house (KIDDING!), but he was great with other dogs and every person that he met.  Then, the honeymoon ended, and his true personality came out.  

He is no longer able to go to the dog park, since his reaction to other dogs can be quite unpredictable, both on-leash and off-leash.  He might want to play, but he might want to fight.  And once he wants to fight one dog, he wants to fight EVERY dog.  He also started to be uncomfortable in certain situations with people he doesn't know - generally in situations when he feels closed in and a stranger reaches out for his head.  When that happens, he will get very nervous, and has air-snapped a time or two.  As Mommy, it is now my job to carefully monitor things, and keep him out of situations like that.  Other times, he will literally drag us up to people for petting.

We now work with a clicker and treats to position the presence of other dogs as a very positive thing for him, and he is learning to lay down and offer his belly for a rub when greeting people.  He loves a belly rub and this keeps people from reaching for his head.  Baby steps...