Elderly dog turning against one of her owners

[Spreckly]

My youngest son and his partner have an elderly dog, called Ethel. She was rescued about seven or eight years ago, her history rather vague, two separate stories from the kennels. When she arrived, she looked as if she had had pups/been a breeding bitch. We never got to the bottom of it. She would not walk on lead. We all tried, took her out with my two shelties, son took her to one dog training class, but they wouldn't even consider helping (!).

She does walk in fields, or with her owners, no problem, but always off lead.

Recently she has started growling at my son when he comes into the room, if his partner is there, and is aggressive towards him. I think he is becoming frightened of her, as she has nipped him on a couple of occasions. At the Dog Listener type classes I attend, any noisy or unpleasant dog is growled back at, or the water spray used. I have suggested both these to Tom. We use a small water pistol when we are caravanning on our dog to stop unnecessary barking.

Ethel has also started scratching at the floors for attention. The kitchen floor is ceramic tiles, but the bedroom floor is carpeted. I would be inclined to crate her at night, and leave her to it downstairs, but she isn't my dog. We don't allow the dogs we have had near her, as she tends to eyeball them, and being a red cocker spaniel, I had read that there is a tendency towards aggression in some of them.

If anyone could suggest a helpful course of action, I would be grateful. Ruth, the Dog Whisperer I go to (not at present, back has gone), would do a very expensive one to one with my son and partner, but it wouldn't be in the home situation.

[wendy]

If this is totally out of character ie: not done it to your son before.
I would suggest a visit to the vet first, as there is every likelihood she has a medical problem.
If she is insured then, and there isn't a health problem, the vet will recommend a behaviourist and that will be covered by insurance.
Please realise that a growl is a warning, so I wouldn't advise water or growling back. You don't want her not to warn and bite straight away.
It is a way of your dog telling you that she is uncomfortable with something that is going on.

[Spreckly]

Thank you for your reply, Wendy. Sadly Ethel is not insured. I take your point about growling back and the water - both of which our Dog Whisperer is using to counteract barking at the classes (Not my angelic dog, I have to say).

I will pass on your advice to my son.

[wendy]

This dog isn't barking, she is warning. Something is upsetting her enough to do it.

[Spreckly]

My son thinks Ethel is just getting senile, and also protecting his partner. OH and I cannot understand why our Angel is wary of him also. He loves dogs, and just wants to stroke them. Now because his own dog is being off with him, he is quite upset.

We are hoping that things won't get worse. Thank you for your last input, Wendy, I will pass that on to him.

[Gwenoakes]

I would agree with Wendy, Spreckly most likely pain and the growl is definitely a warning.
We had a similar situation some years ago, we took on a 10 month old JR that had had 4 homes previous to us and a very vague background.
She was brilliant in every way apart from men who wore a cap and carried either long brushes or long pieces of wood, Her first introduction to my OH was a fearsome bark because he had a cap on, but eventually they became the best of friends and she adored him. She had seperation anxiety probs and slept in our bedroom at night. After nearly 2 yrs she started to growl at me when I got out of bed to the loo at night, this escalated into her going for me, then for our little Yorkie. It was totally unprovoked, no food, attention or toys and we were all there. Unfortunately that was the last straw and she was pts as we had tried all sorts of things previously. The vet said she was physically OK and she even had pain relief for a short time to see if it was actually pain related, but it made no difference whatsoever.
The vet and everyone else said that sometimes their past trauma does eventually come to the front. We did know that she had been severely beaten on her back end when xrays were done and the vet did say that if she hadnt have known she was 10 months old then she would have thought from the xray's that she was much, much older with the damage that showed up.

[Spreckly]

Thanks for the post, Gwen. How sad for the little dog, but there comes a point of no return doesn't there.

We don't know my sons' dog's past - there were two different tales, and he was unable to verify neither. They have had Ethel for several years now. I am certain they will not part with her, and she is the only pet they have, so no danger to another animal. They both are of the opinion that she won't be around much longer, and at least she has had a lovely caring home.

[Kimbab71]

Just reading this thread as I'm new to the forum and wondered if anything was resolved?

I have rescued/fostered and rehomed greyhounds for years and up until last year ran my own dog home boarding company, so have Picked up a few things along the way.

It was just a thought, but could it be that the dogs eyesight is failing and when your son walks in to the room she is not 'seeing' your son but a figure of a man, which could bring up bad memories from the past that sets her off in to panic mode? Perhaps if he carried some of her favourite treats in his pocket and he spoke to her before entering the room, she would associate him with nice things using her other senses (smell and hearing).

Also my own dog (greyhound) is 11 now and although we've never had problems leaving her on her own, I've noticed recently when left, she will go to a corner and scratch the carpet. This her way of relieving stress. She tends to follow us from room to room more now. For instance if I'm upstairs she will follow me after a short time and sit on her bed in our room, or if I move to sit in the conservatory she will follow and sit on the sofa. She doesn't like to be too far away from me now, bless her.
I hope things sorts itself out with your sons little dog x

[Spreckly]

Thanks for your post, Kimbab. Things have calmed down with my son's dog, but they both think she is going blind. Her exact age is not known.