# Possessive, aggressive or territorial?



## Very muddy (Jun 8, 2012)

Hello there,

I haven't been on for a while but have been skulking about the forum keeping up to date with all your news and lovely piccies of all your gorgeous dogs. It seems I'm back with a problem and hope you don't mind me wondering if anyone had any advice?

Monty is 2 in April, has been neutered and has previously been an absolute joy, a real love, fantastic with the kids, great with the grandparents, loves all dogs .... Until recently.

A couple of weeks ago he started barking constantly throughout the night - absolutely hysterically, completely beside himself. I thought he might need to go out so let him into the garden and he roared off still absolutely beside himself barking at the hedge. I don't think we were the neighbours favourite people.

Anyway, since then he's been barking a lot at night every night and has now taken to growling and barking at anyone that comes into our house or my mums house .. Including children which I just can't have. He also barks if anyone approaches me or the kids (but not my husband - hee hee!). 

I wonder if there was someone in the garden the first night of hysterical barking (we've had a few burglaries round here) and he's now tAken it upon himself to police the house and us! I've been putting him back at the bottom of the pack and trying to distract him when he's having a go at people but don't know how to get him back to the lovely, fluffy, approachable boy that he was before. Any ideas gratefully received.

X


----------



## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Oh dear, definitely sounds as if something was around that night, and sounds like he is worrying about guarding everything, Dudley has on occasion barked at someone if he thought they looked strange and always barks at outside noises despite me doing all the recommended 'pack leader' stuff, guess some dogs are more likely to worry whether they trust you as leader or not, sorry I'm not actually giving advice, hope someone has some ideas but I think If it was me I may consider seeing a trainer, or at least trying to find one that could give some advice over the phone. Good luck. xx


----------



## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

I thikn you hit the nail on the head, and something has scared the life out of him, and he wants to protect his people. 

What are the sleeping situations like, where does he sleep?

I think you definely need to assert the pack leader mentality as you are doing, to make him feel more calm, but it is going to take alot of time, and alot of consistency. 
if budgets permit, I think speaking to a dog behaviourist would be a good idea, just to get some pointers to use to work with him. it really does seem like he is trying to protect you, and you need to let him know that you will protect him.


----------



## Very muddy (Jun 8, 2012)

Thank you so much for your advice. It's such a shame as he was such a delightful, eSy going, bundle of fluffy fun and he's now a bit of an upset, restless boy.

he sleeps in the kitchen on his own and has French doors he can see out of which I've covered up at night now  My OH is a bit of a 'dog in the kitchen' kind of man.  

I'll get some names of local trainers and see if we can get someone round. My daughter has asked a (dog familiar) friend round tomorrow so we're going to see if we can work on him all together and we've got a dog resilient child round over the weekend too with his mother. he's absolutely fine with dogs still but it's people in the house that drives him particularly bonkers.  

really appreciate your replies, thank you. X


----------



## Very muddy (Jun 8, 2012)

Doesn't live in the kitchen, just sleeps in there! X


----------



## Grove (Oct 17, 2012)

I'd be almost certain there was someone in your garden that night. The day before yesterday I left the back gate and garage unlocked for a builder who, from gandhi's point of view appeared out of nowhere walking into our back garden and then got onto the garage roof. He was barking and growling and the only thing that stopped it was me taking him
out to meet the builder and show he wasn't a threat. I don't doubt that he would have kept going otherwise. 

It sounds like it was a stressful experience for your dog and he's still on a edge. If we were to see a burglar in our back garden I think we would feel on edge and wary of people some time after too! But it's stopping that spilling over into becoming his attitude towards everyone. I think a dog trainer is definitely the way to go with this one and the sooner the better to try and break the pattern


----------



## Very muddy (Jun 8, 2012)

It's a thought that I haven't been able to shake that there was someone in the garden which I think is unfortunately very likely. 

He's now busy playing with my son but is already listening to noises outside.

So glad grove got to meet the builder which calmed him down. 

A friend of mine has recommended Anne Rogers at the Cockerpoo Owners Club who might be able to help us. I don't belong at the moment - does anyone know her? X


----------



## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

another though, have you walked him on lead around the garden, proving that all is safe, allowing him a really good sniff....with you there to protect him??
I would still get a trainer, just wondering if this might aid in the meantime.


----------

