# 4 year old Westie aggression problems



## padster (Aug 28, 2009)

Hi all,

I've come to this site for help as a last resort before my mum gets rid of her dog.

We got her the Westie pup at about 10 weeks old. He was always boisterous and, to be fair, my mum was never the best trainer when he was a pup. The problem which has brought it to a head is aggression towards people. He specifically doesn't like being touched much, especially on his back or collar (if you just rest your hand on his back he will growl and then snap, while my mum couldn't even put his lead on him a few months ago due to him not letting her touch his collar though that's now passed).


However he's now attacked some other people who aren't as aware of the signs as we are. Last year, friends minded him for a night and he snapped at a young boy after he was stroking him, a few months ago he snapped at my niece after the same thing and this week he snapped at the dog-sitter after my mum went away for a day. My mum has just become a gran for the first time and is understandably worried about what he could do and her blood pressure is sky high due to the worry.

As a pup he had a couple of scuffles with bigger dogs but wasn't badly attacked per se, and he generally isn't aggressive towards other dogs.

So, what I'm looking for is some last minute advice or maybe something like an intensive behaviour therapy (Merseyside/West Lancs area) to give him one last chance before he goes to the dog's trust as we both still love him to bits.


Thanks for any advice,

Patrick


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## goodvic2 (Nov 23, 2008)

HI.

Welcome to the forum, sorry to hear you are having problems.

I often give advice to people about aggression, but I think in your case you definitely need to get help.

You have made the mistake a lot of owners who have small dogs do and that is allowed the behaviour to escelate. If you had had a rottweiler or a stafi, would you have waited 4 years before getting help? I say this not to be critical, but to reinforce the point about small dogs getting away with murder.

Because he has already attacked people, immediately the dog thinks it is acceptable. You said the dog does not like being touched in certain places. Has anything medical been ruled out? 

You need to get some professional help if you want to solve this. Alternatively, keep him away from people.

x


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## pets-life (Jul 28, 2009)

Hi there and welcome to Pet Forums.

You might find some interesting and helpful articles here to help you. Good luck.

Articles On Dogs Training


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

I agree with Goodvic, you need to have her vet checked as the first port of call. It could very well be a response to pain. Make sure they give a full examination of her spine.

If that comes back ok, then seek the advice of a professional. If she bites a child she could be labelled at a dangerous dog and end up being PTS. 

If you end up taking her to the Dogs Trust, you MUST inform them of her behaviour.


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## staflove (Sep 4, 2008)

Hi and welcome, well my advice would be get a crate in the house and put it were you all are when visitors come round, get a goody jar filled with a speacial treat ie sausage cheese he only get this treat when visitor come, make him go in and get as many people round as you can if he is showing aggresstion ignor when he calms down reward him what we are trying to do here is get a good Association is in his head that visitors are a good thing, and you will find when the goody jar comes out he gose in the crate on is own, then we will go to the next step no treats from visitors just you good luck


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## CarolineH (Aug 4, 2009)

I wouldn't even attempt to give advice via the internet about aggression towards humans. It is too dicey an area for guess work. 
Please ask the vet to give the dog a thorough examination to rule out any physical causes for the dogs behaviour and if all is ok then ask for a referral to a qualified and experienced behaviour councillor who can see you and the dog and make a more accurate assesment about the triggers for this behaviour and to devise a workable plan of action for eveyone to stick to to hopefully rehabilite her. Most will refer you to a member of the UKRCB or the APBC. If your mum has insurance on the dog, they should cover the costs, well most seem to anyway.


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## staflove (Sep 4, 2008)

I am dealing with a dog with the same problems, and yes it is hard to give advice over the net, i am studing aggresstion and doing a course and work weekends with a behaviourist and see clients, vet check i would do anyway and if all clear then i do what i think is best for dog and owner


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## goodvic2 (Nov 23, 2008)

staflove said:


> Hi and welcome, well my advice would be get a crate in the house and put it were you all are when visitors come round, get a goody jar filled with a speacial treat ie sausage cheese he only get this treat when visitor come, make him go in and get as many people round as you can if he is showing aggresstion ignor when he calms down reward him what we are trying to do here is get a good Association is in his head that visitors are a good thing, and you will find when the goody jar comes out he gose in the crate on is own, then we will go to the next step no treats from visitors just you good luck


Do you mean keep the dog in the crate and feed it cheese through the bars? Only ask because I have issues with Max and people in the house and am looking at different ways of dealing with it x


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## staflove (Sep 4, 2008)

goodvic2 said:


> Do you mean keep the dog in the crate and feed it cheese through the bars? Only ask because I have issues with Max and people in the house and am looking at different ways of dealing with it x


Yes hun when the dog is calm he gets a reward this way your dog is safe and the visitors, but they only get this treat when visitors come to the house this way you are making the dog think when visitors come its a good thing its worked with my client and they are very happy, same goes when your outside dont look or stroke the dog when he is calm he gets rewarded for this some people are not rewarding the dog for good behaviour and tell the dog of when its done wrong.

this dose not happen over night but if it is fear when outside the dog wil go hide behind the owner if they see the owner as leader if not thats when the dog will take it up on himself to proctect and then there are problems


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## goodvic2 (Nov 23, 2008)

staflove said:


> Yes hun when the dog is calm he gets a reward this way your dog is safe and the visitors, but they only get this treat when visitors come to the house this way you are making the dog think when visitors come its a good thing its worked with my client and they are very happy, same goes when your outside dont look or stroke the dog when he is calm he gets rewarded for this some people are not rewarding the dog for good behaviour and tell the dog of when its done wrong.
> 
> this dose not happen over night but if it is fear when outside the dog wil go hide behind the owner if they see the owner as leader if not thats when the dog will take it up on himself to proctect and then there are problems


Thanks for that.

We are due to be moving at the end of the month and I am hoping to reverse the mistakes I first made with the greek guys. I allowed territorial behaviour/dominance to begin and it has been a bitch trying to un-do 9 months of mistakes!

I will take that advice of getting guests to feed the dogs through the cage x


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