He Doesn't Like The Wife

[dave r]

Wev'e had our 2 year old cocker Bart since he was 8 weeks old from a reputable breeder found via this very forum  
Within the last week he has got aggresive towards my wife, well when i say aggressive he has started to growl at her if she tries to touch or stroke him. He is his usuall self at all other times he acts normally when my wifes around even jumps up to her for a fuss but as soon as she goes to touch him he starts growling. If she continues to stroke him the growling breaks into a bark and he starts to shake as though he's afraid.
He will come to my wife when called, except treats etc but if she strokes him he starts with the growling.
It's really strange as quite often at night he will get into the chair at night with my wife wander across to lie in her lap then start growling as he nods off to sleep, he'll sit in the window crying if she leaves the house so we don't know whats wrong
We have never raised a finger towards him unttering the word "Bed" is enough to let him know he's overstepped the mark so this has us stumped, my wife is now loathed to go near incase he does bite her .

[kookie]

has she perhaps inadvertantly hurt him, like when brushing him or something. It seems like something about or around your wife has spooked him, but not your wife herself.
 
That is an odd one. Someone who knows more about behaviour is sure to be along soon.

[scoobie]

Does Bart growl at anyone else when they go to stroke/touch him?
I just wondered if he felt a pain on touch
I hope you get this sorted soon ...sorry can't help you more    

[Pammy]

Something must have happened or changed to make him change like this. Has she changed perfume maybe? It's a tough one and I really don't know what to suggest. What your wife musn't do though is show him that she is at all nervous or that will make things worse. She shouldn't confront him - but be confident and ignore him. In the meantime - you need to try and find what might have happened to cause the changed behaviour.

[tobycat]

Has she changed perfume maybe?

I read in a book somewhere about a family dog that suddenly behaved like this to the teenage daughter and it turned out that she had just changed her perfume. As soon as she stopped wearing it the dog returned to normal. I think it might have been in one of the Dog Whisperer books  

 

[PennyB]

I agree with the above. Might be worth getting someone in to help. Ask your vet to recommend a good behaviourist.

Things like this can be odd. I once accidentally trod on my dogs foot while crossing the road and a huge truck went past on the other side. Ruby who hadn't had  a problem with traffic then began to associate heavy traffic with pain (which my trainer also agreed with) and was a nightmare to walk for a while (she'd throw herself across me sometimes trying to 'escape' at which point I'd end up flying over her). I realised quite quickly there was an association of cause and effect and eventually resolved the problem.

[Jane S]

I would also recommend a physical check-up by your vet - sudden changes in behaviour can be caused by a physical problem so it's always worth ruling this possibility out before consulting a behaviourist.

Jane

[bluegirl]

My dog doesn't like my husband, in fact neither did my other 2. They have all totally doted on me and follow me everywhere, whereas my husband believes a dog should know its place at all times. Penny could be desparate to go for a walk, but if my husband called her to take her, she would jump up, start barking at him and run behind me for support. She would never chose to go with him. He is just firm with her and she prefers a softer approach.

[dave r]

Thanks for the replies folks.

Bart does see me as his favourite buddy he doesn't show any sign of this behaviour with me but we do think we may have shed some light on this.

My wife tends to pick Bart up to give him a cuddle etc but he now seem to not like being picked up why this sudden change i have no idea, he will on his terms when he wants to but but otherwise he now doesn't like it.
I guess now that when my wife goes near him he thinks he is going to be picked up, we have tried this theory over the last few days and he has dropped some of the growling but not all, if he jumps up for a fuss and my wife bends down to stroke him we get the odd growl now instead of a full blowen rumble but it does seem to be the picking up thing.
So my wife is going to leave in on the floor Bart seems to be learning that he isn't going to be picked up at every chance and things are calming down

[cbabe]

Ferns brother loathed being picked up - he would grumble and growl then bark and sometimes mouth the hand. But never bit anyone so you may be on to something there.

If you stroked somewhere where he thought you may be getting a grip to lift him he  would start to grumble.

[taniac]

Glad to hear you worked out what was the most probably cause of his growling. I'm sure you're right as it is probably him saying he doesn't like it cos he has no control when he's picked up!

Jovi used to growl when you picked him up, but as he wasn't allowed out because of his innoculations, and he didn't like to be left, he had to suffer it, but the noise he made left you in no doubt how he felt about it.

As they get bigger you generally pick them up less and less, because they get too heavy, and now only pick him up to put him into the boot of the car, into the bath, up for grooming/drying etc (the wuss won't jump into the car has to be lifted   ) .. He is now alot more tolerant of it and you can even get a nice cuddle out of it, as long as you don't mind getting a good face wash !!!