I think it's time to find a behaviourist!! :( HELP!

[Charlie & Jasper]

Well I think I have finally admitted I'm out of my depth with Archie and need to find a good behaviourist in Cheshire to help me. Sorry if this is in the wrong place as Archie is a springer but i'm in a bit of a tiz and need some advice!! 

Archie has always seemed a bit fearful since we got him at 10 weeks old...he has never liked other dogs apart from our own and even spent his first 2 days after we brought him home growling at our 2 (something i have never really heard a puppy do!)

We took him to puppy parties but he spent the whole time growling and barking sat in the corner. I slowly tried to introduce him to some steady stooge dogs of friends and we can now arrive at the park and walk on together with all the dogs off lead and archie will walk along and ignore them. However any other dog we see he will bark at and growl at - whilst wagging his tail so he sends out really mixed messages. He is the same with people he doesn't know.

The people problem seems to be worse at home and with men - we usually get people to ignore him completely and eventually he settles down but is very upsetting to see him getting so worked up! 

We have been camping for the last two days and he has spent the whole weekend barking and growling at both people and dogs - any one who came near the tent where he had his stake in the ground or near the car and its getting to the point where i feel incredibly stressed and nervous about having him out as he is sooo strong i worry about losing control of him even when on a lead. he wont focus on any of us when he starts barking and its getting quite scary incase he does anything like bite another dog or even person!

He also has some issues about getting a bit growly in the evening - something which we are working on by not letting him  on the sofa which seems to be the main flash point.

I guess what I'm asking is some advice, any behaviourists that anyone might know of and what I should expect from a behaviourist?! It sounds silly but i haven't got a clue what a good behaviourist would do!!

Im sorry to rant but it seemed to all come to a head on this camping trip and i really do now feel out of my depth - he is such a softy at home and all he wants to do is just snuggle up to you and play with you - he just turns into this different dog when other people and dogs are around!!!

Any help you can give me would be amazing as I am feeling rather rubbish at the moment   

[Karma]

Definately sounds like you need a behaviourist....   

A wagging tail can be a stress signal, so it's not necessarily mixed signals he is sending out...
Make sure you find a behaviourist who uses positive methods - aversive methods can make situations like this so much worse.... 

Good luck... wish we could be of more use, but a behaviourist needs to be able to see what is causing his reactions to be able to advice on dealing with them.... in the meantime I would just try and avoid any potential stressful situations...

[joanne_v]

You could try posting on itsaspringthing.co.uk for advice. Its the springer equivalent of COL and someone there might be able to recommend you a good behaviourist down your way. An APDT or APBC approved behaviourist is a must but preferably one who comes recommended as well. In very general terms a behaviourist should be doing a full assessment of your dogs history and then recommending a strategy which will use positive reinforcement and most likely one which means trying to avoid putting your into situations they find stressful. Its a long process to modify this sort of behaviour but building up their confidence slowly is the key.

Where did you get your pup? If I had to guess I would bet he was kennel raised with little human contact and weaned too early hence the fear with other dogs and people.

[Charlie & Jasper]

Thank you guys for your advice...its reassuring. He was kennel raised - my parents bought him from a BYB im afraid to say without reallly thinking about it (now they have realised the issues with BYBs and will not do it again!) - and i definately think some of his issues come from his early days 

I will post on its a spring thing and see if there are any reccommendations there - thank you again for your help!!

[cdpops]

I had a very good meeting with a behaviourist form Chester, don't know if thats in your area, but they are very expensive, luckily I was insured and it covered most of the cost. I will PM you their details if that would help.

[Top Barks]

I had a very good meeting with a behaviourist form Chester, don't know if thats in your area, but they are very expensive, luckily I was insured and it covered most of the cost. I will PM you their details if that would help.

Did you see Sarah heath?

[Sarah.H]

Sounds a bit like a worse version of Millie, she wags her tail really fast but held low when she's anxious. Good luck with your search for a behaviourist  .

[michelle123]

Whereabouts in Cheshire are you.  Jan/Billy used a behaviourist in Liverpool (I think)

Agree though, itsaspringthing would be your best bet

Good luck 

[cdpops]

I had a very good meeting with a behaviourist form Chester, don't know if thats in your area, but they are very expensive, luckily I was insured and it covered most of the cost. I will PM you their details if that would help.

Did you see Sarah heath?

Not her in person, but a woman from her practice.

Whereabouts in Cheshire are you.  Jan/Billy used a behaviourist in Liverpool (I think)



Good luck 

Unfortunately this lady has MS 

[Charlie & Jasper]

Hi guys

thank you for all your advice -

I had a very good meeting with a behaviourist form Chester, don't know if thats in your area, but they are very expensive, luckily I was insured and it covered most of the cost. I will PM you their details if that would help.

Did you see Sarah heath?

Not her in person, but a woman from her practice.

Sarah Heath is one of the people who have been recommended to us. We went to the vets on Friday for a check up and a refferal.

We now have to speak to our insurance company and see if they will cover any costs? And then the vets will take it from there.

He is such a funny little character and when we were in the vets there were two old dogs in the surgery who just ignored him and apart from an initial whine and small growl he sat and ignored them! that was a first - normally he would be barking at them like mad!!

I just want to be able to help him and understand what going on inside that lovely head of his 

[Jan/Billy]

Whereabouts in Cheshire are you.  Jan/Billy used a behaviourist in Liverpool (I think)



Good luck 

Unfortunately this lady has MS 

She's still working  She's trained one of her own dogs , Bergen  , to be her assistance dog 

http://www.lynfleet.com/specialised_dog_training.html

[cdpops]

Hi guys

thank you for all your advice -

I had a very good meeting with a behaviourist form Chester, don't know if thats in your area, but they are very expensive, luckily I was insured and it covered most of the cost. I will PM you their details if that would help.

Did you see Sarah heath?

Not her in person, but a woman from her practice.

Sarah Heath is one of the people who have been recommended to us. We went to the vets on Friday for a check up and a refferal.

We now have to speak to our insurance company and see if they will cover any costs? And then the vets will take it from there.

He is such a funny little character and when we were in the vets there were two old dogs in the surgery who just ignored him and apart from an initial whine and small growl he sat and ignored them! that was a first - normally he would be barking at them like mad!!

I just want to be able to help him and understand what going on inside that lovely head of his 

I hope your insurance will cover the cost. They were very good with us although we were total novices and had made a real mess of every thing so we were quite easy material to work with!