Badly behaved houseguest coming to stay!

[heelers n cockers]

OMG I am sorry I know they are related to you, but they so should not have this dog, he sounds very frightened to me, have you tried a clicker with him, he may respond to this and you can work at a distance and "throw" rewards so he is comfortable. I know this sounds really really stupid but we also used our feet alot to touch Charlie he was very fearful of hands but not feet hands hit feet don't (well I bloody hope not)
The poor man must be really uncomfortable if he has fleas too!

trust me you will not offend me-my hubby and myself have said this all along-they will have problems with fudge because he is left on his own so long! we have always said that we will take him because he has been so good with us, and that we have managed his problems before! my hubby was pleading with BILs wife last night NOT to PTS or 'get rid' because we will take him and to give us first option if they want to get rid! i am sure that we could help him in the long run but this weekend is just not long enough and i am really worried that the longer he is left in the garage the more aggressive he will get and the harder it will be to re-train/help him!

[LouiseAS]

I'm finding this quite upsetting.  Jakey was exactly the same when we got him except he didn't food guard.  His discipline was being hit and the owners wondered why he was aggressive    He will NEVER be over some of his issues because of this treatment    He is still scared by raised voices.

Sounds to me as if the dog needs to go to a home where it's understood and can be rehabilitated.

I feel so sorry for Fudge.  Post him to me I'd take him on  

[Boof]

I hope you have an alright weekend, he does sound very, very stressed.

[Jan/Billy]

Sounds to me as if the dog needs to go to a home where it's understood and can be rehabilitated.

I feel so sorry for Fudge.  

Completely agree. Something needs to be done for this poor chap, I can't see how his current owner will do anything to help him.

I really feel for you this weekend, hope he settles ok

[Alpha]

God! I bet he feels so much better now that he has some company and attention.
I feel really upset and cross about how this little man has been treated, if she was related to me I'd have slapped her by now or locked her in the garage
Sorry for venting I hope the weekend goes OK.

[CarolineL]

I am really saddened by this - in fact my eyes have gone quite leaky   

This dog must be suffering from so many issues and it needs HELP, not to be isolated more and more from human contact.

I think you're fantastic for taking him on this weekend - if it were me - I'd refuse to give him back 

[Jan/Billy]

we have always said that we will take him because he has been so good with us, and that we have managed his problems before! my hubby was pleading with BILs wife last night NOT to PTS or 'get rid' because we will take him and to give us first option if they want to get rid!

What did they say to this?

I can't see their logic in refusing this superb offer, if they are refusing to seek help and just keep him locked in a garage all day then why keep him?  

[PennyB]

What about using a houseline for him as am concerned some of this may be setting up a cycle of aggression that could be handled better --- am thinking that he may have been 'grabbed/manhandled' far too often in circumstances that will make him stand his ground even more (possibly by people who are quite angry with him). Some of his aggression could be he's fearful if aggression is met with aggression, plus also I wonder how many times things have been grabbed back off him in a hurried manner thus making him want the item even more. In some dogs some owners ignore the warning signs and not listen to what the dog is telling them so some situations may escalate where if managed properly could've been better.

With a houseline he can be taken out of situations a lot easier so diffusing certain problems and at the same time using commands.

yes i have been thinking about a houseline for him! i am certainly NOT going to grab or shout at him-i intend staying away from the bitey end as much as possible! i do believe that if he has anything he shouldnt have that he has just been grabbed and told off!   with freddy i have (inadvertantly) taught him to 'spit it out' and last night he had found one of ashleys erasers, i said 'fred...what have you got? spit it out and let me see!' to which he immediately spat it on the floor!   followed by lots of praise for being a good boy!

Wasn't thinking you would but wondered if your BIL's family have. Its sad isn't that cockers can come under conflict/confrontation a lot more just for doing 'normal' cocker things like retrieving stuff. They probably don't appreciate how stubborn some cockers can be as well

We have a cocker coming in here to rescue who was due to be pts (he's only a youngster) for doing similar as owners have set up part of the cycle of aggression themselves as it annoys them so much the dog keeps retrieving items of theirs they don't want and they now don't have the confidence to deal with their dog where someone else may not have the same problems.

[wrenside]

How awful 
You're doing your best this weekend to give Fudge some stability and stress relief, if only you could keep him for longer and show him what life is supposed to be like for a 'happy'cocker. I take my hat off to you for being the only careing and responisble human in his life, if only you could be his mum forever 
 I'm sure he feels like he's having to manage a house with two hostile, agressive, unpredictable 'children' when he's back home  Poor little chap must be unbelievably stressed out and at the end of his tether with his owners 

I do hope that your BIL decides to rehome him with you and not get him PTS. Fingers crossed the little man is freed from his garage home and gets to live with you guys, where I'm sure he'll flourish with some good guidance and understanding.

Good luck with him,

Best wishes

Mary

[heelers n cockers]

we have always said that we will take him because he has been so good with us, and that we have managed his problems before! my hubby was pleading with BILs wife last night NOT to PTS or 'get rid' because we will take him and to give us first option if they want to get rid!

What did they say to this?

I can't see their logic in refusing this superb offer, if they are refusing to seek help and just keep him locked in a garage all day then why keep him?  

BIL has said often enough 'if it were up to me, you coud have him tomorrow! but its not-hes her dog!'   its just so frustrating!

[heelers n cockers]

i have decided for 'walkies' to use the back door-this goes straight into the back garden, and has plenty of space for freddy to dance about in! it also means that they wont get too close to each other like they would going through the porch. i have been walking up and down the garden path with fudge on his lead and mindy and freddy walking up and down beside him, fudge is decidedly worried by mindy he wont look at her directly and would rather walk closer to me then get too close to her!  

[LouiseAS]

How has Fudge been this afternoon?

[heelers n cockers]

How has Fudge been this afternoon?

well the walk to school was brilliant both boys walked really well together! he didnt pull at all (supposedly he pulls like a train!) walked around the park, met some of ashleys school friends-fudge loves kids and is fantastic with them!   he was so good that ashley walked him home! (with me supervising of course!) he has been so good! has jumped up for lots of cocker cuddles & kisses, and of course i cant leave freddy out with his cuddles & kisses! its double the snuggles at the moment!   there hasnt been any more grumbles between the dogs and at the moment i have a cocker on each foot! and a heeler on the settee  
i really hope they carry on like this, obviously i will keep my eyes open for changes in their body language but they really do seem so relaxed! now i just have to figure out sleeping arrangements   do i sleep on the settee or do i bring them all upstairs-i dont think its fair to bring fudge upstairs and leave the other two downstairs.

[Tasha]

I'd be tempted not to give him back sorry but it does sound like the poor little mite is not in the right home situation, what a way to ruin a dog 

I always find it a little odd that people profess not to wanting an animal but refuse to part with it to someone that does want it, kind of makes you wonder if they are not more worried about what people will think if the dog becomes a star pupil instead of the frightened monster he currently is...

[Jan/Billy]

I always find it a little odd that people profess not to wanting an animal but refuse to part with it to someone that does want it, kind of makes you wonder if they are not more worried about what people will think if the dog becomes a star pupil instead of the frightened monster he currently is...

That's a really good point, I'd never thought of that