Help!

[sinwagon]

I seriously need some help with my oldest Jack Russell. Recently her behavior towards my husband has changed to out right hatred! She has always nipped at him if he came near me etc. but now, she tries to kill him for no reason at all!

I don't know what is going on with her. He was on his side of the bed the other day, I picked her up to move her over, she went after him and bit him, ripping his shirt. She was licking his hand tonight, he was on the couch w/ her across the room, I was on the chair on the opposite side of the room. Out of the blue she stopped licking him and tried to bite him in the face and then when he jumped up she bit him in the back and continued to try and bite him in the leg as he stood up. I forcefully looked her in the face and told her NO BAD DOG and put her in her crate for 20 minutes. When she got out I put the "bad collar" (prong collar) on her so that we could atleast grab that if she tried something.

When he comes home from work and I am not here, she is all over him, kissing him, jumping on him and loving him. Once I get home, I don't even have to be in the same room that love for him turns to hatred.

I don't know what to do! I love her so much but I can see his point in not wanting to be bit all the time. I could not imagine getting rid of her because she is not very people friendly to strangers (and obviously my husband) and I would not feel right giving her to someone and having the possibility of her biting them or them mistreating her. A shelter would put her down and the mear thought of getting rid of her breaks my heart and I think it would probably be something I would never get over.

Do you think this could be a seperation anxiety issue? Do you think that share has so much anxiety when I am gone that when I come home, this is her reaction? We have been through training with her where they told us to "take her down" when she gets agressive but, you cant grab her to do that because she will bite you. He gave us that idea not because she was viciously biting at the time but because she would bite our clothes when we tried to leave the house. Her and the puppy both are crated when we leave the house now. I don't think it is the puppy because she adores him, not to mention he has been here for months so I would think it would occur before now. Also, she always has cried real tears and her eyes are all stained because she has been crying so much.

Any advice would be much appreciated! Does anyone know if maybe she would benefit from doggy prozac? Should I maybe distance myself from her some like not letting her sleep with us or will that make it worse because the puppy sleeps with us?

HELP!

 

[happyappygirl]

shock collar. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZAP YIKESSSSSSSSS
if that doesn't work.....blue juice.

That bark collar scene on Fun With Dick and Jane still puts me in stitches every time i think about it

 

[sinwagon]

shock collar. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZAP YIKESSSSSSSSS
if that doesn't work.....blue juice.

That bark collar scene on Fun With Dick and Jane still puts me in stitches every time i think about it

Whats blue juice?

I bought the shock collar once but it seemed inhumane. I did not put it on her but I held it in my own hand and shocked myself and it really hurt. Maybe that is part of the problem I am push over when it comes to her.

 

[missperky]

How old is the dog?


And if it was me in the same position, the dog would be gone. That behavior in my house would not be tolerated because of my kids.


Do you think the risk of keeping her is a good thing? I feel sorry for your hubby, maybe he needs to be the one to correct the dog when he bites him.


Good luck!

 

[sinwagon]

How old is the dog?


And if it was me in the same position, the dog would be gone. That behavior in my house would not be tolerated because of my kids.


Do you think the risk of keeping her is a good thing? I feel sorry for your hubby, maybe he needs to be the one to correct the dog when he bites him.


Good luck!

She is 2 years old and she does not bite the kids. If this behavior started 2 years ago, she would have been gone but it just recently started within the last 1-2 weeks. The first time (or maybe the 2nd) was last weekend when I had been gone the whole day Saturday and then came home.

As far as getting rid of her, the only thing that would be able to be done would be her being put to sleep because I could not give her to anyone else with her biting, after all who would want her? I am not willing to put her to sleep I will try everything I can before I will resort to that. Like I said, if it were not for the fact that it just started and is very strange behavior for her, then she would have been gone a long time ago.

He tries to correct her but when she is in that state, she is out of control and will only listen to me. If he tries to grab her, she will bite him, if I grab her she stops.

 

[missperky]

She is 2 years old and she does not bite the kids. If this behavior started 2 years ago, she would have been gone but it just recently started within the last 1-2 weeks. The first time (or maybe the 2nd) was last weekend when I had been gone the whole day Saturday and then came home.

As far as getting rid of her, the only thing that would be able to be done would be her being put to sleep because I could not give her to anyone else with her biting, after all who would want her? I am not willing to put her to sleep I will try everything I can before I will resort to that. Like I said, if it were not for the fact that it just started and is very strange behavior for her, then she would have been gone a long time ago.

He tries to correct her but when she is in that state, she is out of control and will only listen to me. If he tries to grab her, she will bite him, if I grab her she stops.

So this behavior is only with the hubby? Like you are her "mommy" and she doesn't want anyone else to touch you or her.

I saw something like that on DoG Whisperer recently, and he keep correcting the dog like when the dog tried to bite him he hit back (not hard) and maybe if you don't give her attention afterwards she will stop. I hope you find something that helps.

I'm not a professional, just trying to help

 

[sinwagon]

So this behavior is only with the hubby? Like you are her "mommy" and she doesn't want anyone else to touch you or her.

I saw something like that on DoG Whisperer recently, and he keep correcting the dog like when the dog tried to bite him he hit back (not hard) and maybe if you don't give her attention afterwards she will stop. I hope you find something that helps.

I'm not a professional, just trying to help

Any help is appreciated! I wish he could swat her or something but she just comes after him more. I heard that you are not supposed to use the crate as punishment but that is what I have been doing. I have been telling her "bad dog, thats bad" and she hangs her head and then I put her in the crate and completely ignore her for about 20 minutes and then when she comes out I tell her again, "bad dog".

She used to just "nip" as a warning, not to hurt if he came near me, now, he does not even have to be near me! He cant even be in the house with me at this point! I am going to call the vet tomorrow and see what they say. I guess I will try the shock collar if all else fails. I don't know if I should spend more time w/ her, spend less time I just don't know what to do!

 

[missperky]

Any help is appreciated! I wish he could swat her or something but she just comes after him more. I heard that you are not supposed to use the crate as punishment but that is what I have been doing. I have been telling her "bad dog, thats bad" and she hangs her head and then I put her in the crate and completely ignore her for about 20 minutes and then when she comes out I tell her again, "bad dog".

She used to just "nip" as a warning, not to hurt if he came near me, now, he does not even have to be near me! He cant even be in the house with me at this point! I am going to call the vet tomorrow and see what they say. I guess I will try the shock collar if all else fails. I don't know if I should spend more time w/ her, spend less time I just don't know what to do!

I guess maybe he needs to swat her until she stops, if not you are letting her win, which seems to be the case.(My opinion)

I'm not in your position, so I really don't know, I guess calling the vet is a good idea.

Keep your head up.

 

[Dupontster]

Dog Whisperer.....That guy is good...He just addressed something like that but I don't remember it enough to give you any insight....Watch that show...He may help..

 

[Bustem' Down]

I have two Jacks. You may want to have him dicipline her. My female is younger, but as soon as she was about a year old she made sure she was the dominant of the two dogs. At least with this breed, it seems that the females tend to be more dominant and aggressive than the males. Have him discilpline her and see if he can establish dominance over her.

 

[Candle Lover]

We had similar issues with our Boston Terrier. We ended up going to Apple Jack K-9 Academy. The classes were helpful for all of us and got us back in control. Good luck!

 

[virgovictoria]

Just thoughts....

Is she altered? And could she be coming into heat? (not kidding)

Are you pregnant? She may be being protective (sensing it)

If it is a dominance issue, I do know that in the breeds that own me , we do often have to flatten, bite and otherwise manipulate to show who is "boss" :yeahright: to establish who is who and in what order.

Many moons ago, I worked for a vet who had JRTs. One was the absolute ideal dog... The other was a psychomaniac.... I suppose, like anything, wiring can just be faulty and you have to deal with it, as is...

Or you have to deal with each case as it is and determine what that dog's needs are. Is she given a job to do? Does she have what she needs to do to satisfy her basic instincts. I've seen that if you work with dogs' potentials, even if it is just running a working dog or giving them puzzles to figure out, they have less energy to focus on being resentful and angry.

 

[forever jewel]

She used to just "nip" as a warning...

That should have been a bad sign from the start. Just from experience, if you don't stop that behavior from the beginning, as the dog ages and becomes braver, she will try to become the boss of your husband. Dogs like order and she might see you as her equal, therefore, justifying in her mind, that she is allowed to take charge and keep your husband "in line".

Personally, I don't think crating will work in the long run. If you use the crate at night, then one, it will ruin the point of a crate for night purposes. Also, she could become numb to the punishment of the crate.

I think if you persist with the shock collar and use it when necessary, that should condition her against biting your husband and hopefully anyone else.

My neighbor has two jack russell terrier dog, both very territorial and therefore aggressive against anyone except their mother. I'm not against jack russells per se, but little dogs in general seem to have aggressive tendencies....

Good Luck!!!!!!!

 

[sinwagon]

Just thoughts....

Is she altered? And could she be coming into heat? (not kidding)

Are you pregnant? She may be being protective (sensing it)

If it is a dominance issue, I do know that in the breeds that own me , we do often have to flatten, bite and otherwise manipulate to show who is "boss" :yeahright: to establish who is who and in what order.

Many moons ago, I worked for a vet who had JRTs. One was the absolute ideal dog... The other was a psychomaniac.... I suppose, like anything, wiring can just be faulty and you have to deal with it, as is...

Or you have to deal with each case as it is and determine what that dog's needs are. Is she given a job to do? Does she have what she needs to do to satisfy her basic instincts. I've seen that if you work with dogs' potentials, even if it is just running a working dog or giving them puzzles to figure out, they have less energy to focus on being resentful and angry.

She is fixed and I am not pregnant.....I am going to try that konk thing I think it was called, where you put the treat inside and they work for hours to get it out. We used that when she was younger but then w/ her being so smart it got easier for her to get the treat. She would soak the whole thing in her water bowl to soften it and make it easier to retrieve.

 

[sinwagon]

We had similar issues with our Boston Terrier. We ended up going to Apple Jack K-9 Academy. The classes were helpful for all of us and got us back in control. Good luck!

Where is Apple Jack?

 

[MysticalMom]

Can't you just get rid of the husband :shrug:

 

[sinwagon]

Can't you just get rid of the husband :shrug:

Works for me! Is there a way to get rid of him and keep his paycheck?

Just kidding ofcourse, if she keeps going after him, she may finish him off!