[kathyc]

HELP!! I adopted a ten year old poodle/shih tzu mix in late May. I have successfully housebroken him and he is a wonderful dog in just about every way, except he has bitten me more than once. Today I was playing with him, and he bit me and I have three painful puncture marks to prove it. A few days ago, I was trying to inspect a bump I felt, and he turned and tried to bite. This has happened several other times. There is no warning, he just turns and goes after me. Teeth bared and alll. This is no joke. He is perfect in every other way. I am so upset. Whats going on?? He is supposed to be ten years old, and was told his former owners did not take proper care of him, but dont know much more than this. I want to keep him, but am afraid he might bite someone else, and biting me is bad enough. :-(

[cigwyllt]

The reason he gives no warning before he bites could be because he has been punished in the past for doing so. The dog growls, the owner tells him off, perhaps smacks him and what does the dog learn? I'll be in trouble if I growl! The dog has no other way to tell you he doesn't like what you are doing so he just bites.

So that could explain why he bites without any growl or other indication that he is uncomfortable and that makes it a lot harder for you to read his body language and know whether you are going beyond his comfort zone.

At the age of 10 and only with you for a couple of months it sounds like you have done amazingly well with him to have him toilet trained and if all you know of his background is that his owners did not take proper care of him that could mean just about anything from not giving him proper food, shelter, vet care to outright cruelty.

I think the best thing for you both would be to see a behaviourist who can help you to read his body language and be aware of the tension he is trying to hide and to teach you how to take control so that he no longer feels he has to bite to feel safe.

You say he bit you when you were playing - could that have been because he was overexcited and unaware of what he was doing? Coming from a less than perfect background it could be that he has never learned any boundaries and just got carried away. The bite when you were trying to check out the lump could have been because he was in pain.

There are several reasons why a dog bites and it might be worth getting him checked over by a vet to see if there is any physical reason why he is in particularly snappy.

[kathyc]

Thank you for your input, c. I have contacted a trainer. I am so upset, I could cry. I really need to understand whats going on with him. I really love him so much. The day I adopted him, he just came over to me and rolled over on his back, and it was instant bonding. I need all the ideas I can get. At this point, I will avoid what seem to be his triggers. At least I can identify some of them.

[german sheep]

@cigwyllt
it is a real benefit to read such a well thought answer.

I totally agree with you.

Lg
gs

[kathyc]

Hi all, Just an update. I did decide to take my little guy to the vet. He has been biting at his belly for days, and although I correct him when I see it, and he does stop, he inevitably starts again. Thus, his belly was very red, and I thought he was on the verge on an infection. the vet told me to give him 25 mgs of benedryl twice a day, and gave me an antibiotic for him. I hope this helps. Could be the poor guy just didnt feel so good. He is asleep by my side now. I am concerned about giving him benedryl. Any thoughts?

I also tried to do a little work with him earlier, where I put his favorite treats on his toys, and let him just take the treat as I sat and watched. I am hoping he will associate that toys and Mom mean good things. We shall see.

Thank you so much for your responses. Its so nice to be with folks that love their doggies as much as I love mine.

Love, Kathyc

[cigwyllt]

Poor old boy. Hope that as the meds kick in he will start to feel happier and less stressed. I don't know about the Benedryl - my dogs have never needed anything like that so I have no experience.

I understand your concern about him biting someone but one thing I have learned from having a very nervous dog is that no one has the right to pet my dog without my permission and I allow Manny to choose to cooperate or not. If he barks or hides behind me then I do not allow anyone to press him or crowd him. He has improved immensely, but it is still his choice to meet and greet people. My job is to protect him from pushy people and rough handling.

Tell people you meet that he is unreliable at the moment and ask them not to stroke him. They can still speak to him in a happy tone, maybe even drop a treat as they do so but he does not need to submit to being touched by anyone unless you say so/