Any dog experts?

jpgreenwood

jpgreenwood

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We have a 3 year old Cockerpoo. It’s generally a nice dog but is very clingy to my wife. He’s not as close to me as I don’t really like dogs!
When he’s with me on my own, he’s generally very placid and chilled.
When my wife comes home, he becomes barky, playful, energetic, and generally an attention seeker.
The main issue though, is a constant scratching of his ears and biting his paws when we’re together at home. He just won’t stop! When we go to bed, he will jump on the bed and get in between us and then start constantly scratching his ears or biting his paws. It’s annoying and I need my sleep for my shift working!
My wife won’t really discipline him.
I’m totally fed up with him and the lack of sleep and him separating us.
I’m not sure if the whole thing is a jealous act, or if there is something medical or allergic reaction to something that makes him constantly itch and chew.
I wish we didn’t have him but the wife loves him and he’s great company for her when I’m at work.
Any dog psychiatrists?
 
He's attention seeking. Put him on the floor as soon as he starts, every time.
 
Firstly, I'm no expert but I have had a dog in my life at all times.

This sounds like an allergy to me, I had a Weimaraner a while ago that had something that sounds similar. Long story short, he had an allergy to kibble, which also led to a build up of yeast in his ears, which caused infections. He got a steroid injection 2 or 3 times a year, not an ideal solution as it's not a cure, it masks the problem but he did get some relief. He too would scratch his ears until they were sore, even bleeding, then lick his paws.

I changed our dogs to raw feeding and that was 2007, based on a 'prey model' diet, basically what a wild wolf would eat. I still raw feed to this day and will continue to do so as long as I own a dog. Raw feeding didn't completely cure the mentioned Weim, he had other allergies too but it changed his life as well as the other 2 dogs we had at the time. When switching (if you do), research is your friend before you do so.

Kibble is not ideal for dogs, depsite the gumpf, it's basically cooked cereals with all sorts of other stuff in it, I'll leave that at that. Most vets will tell you differently but a lot of vets are starting to advocate raw feeding now.

I think a visit to the vet for your pooch is what I would recommend in the first instance though, get those ears checked. (y)
 
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:agree:
 
If it were an allergy I would expect him to be itching all the time. This sounds tactical.
 
‘Poo’ dogs are susceptible to ear infections due to the shape of their ears. Our labradoodle has had a couple of infections, now has his ears cleaned weekly with a solution recommended by the vet.
Checkup at vets and as perhaps he thinks he is top dog, try a local dog trainer
 
jpgreenwood said:
I’m scared to move him as he would turn on me!
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That's not good. I wouldn't have that to be honest.

I would consider a good dog trainer.

My advice stands though, I don't know what you feed your dog but I would definately get it to the vet for a general check over. I wouldn't be suprised if his ears are kicking off.

Check if there is an odour from your dog's ears (thinking about it, get your wife to do that :oops: :$) as a musty smell could point to a yeast infection and/or bacterial infection.

That's my take, I'm bugging out now, I wish you well. (y)
 
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nog said:
‘Poo’ dogs are susceptible to ear infections due to the shape of their ears. Our labradoodle has had a couple of infections, now has his ears cleaned weekly with a solution recommended by the vet.
Checkup at vets and as perhaps he thinks he is top dog, try a local dog trainer
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He was at the vets a few weeks and he didn’t find anything. Also just had a groom
And she cleans his ears
 
Unfortunately if you cannot control your dog then you will have to put up with his behaviour. And it is no good changing the dog because the problem is in the command chain. Any other dog is equally likely to exploit it.

You need to visit a good animal behaviourist to learn how to get the dog to do what you want it to and not do what you don't want it to. He or she will give you the confidence and know how in order to achieve that.
 
Can you clarify, when it's alone with your wife does it do the ear and paws thing? I'm presuming it doesn't when alone with you.
You and your wife need to be consistent, to the dog if humans are unpredictable then how does he know what you want of him, and ultimately all dogs really want is food and a quiet life .... and maybe the odd cat to kill (might just be mine).
I thought I knew dogs, had them all my life Dobermans, labs, retrievers and lurchers, we even puppy walked guide dogs for a while.
But I have had a crash course in dog behaviour over the last 4 years, as I now have a female Cane Corso rescue, 50Kg of pure muscle, nervous reactive, aggressive and probably one of the most intelligent dogs I've ever had.
At 8 years old she still learning new things and gradually leaving the more negative behaviours behind.
When it goes wrong the wheels come off, but getting it right and it's the best feeling in the world.
 
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It does the ear/jaw scratching and paw biting all the time, no matter who he is with. I have less tolerance and shout at him.
 
jpgreenwood said:
The main issue though, is a constant scratching of his ears and biting his paws
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I know what the vet / groomer said, however, that really does sound like there is something in his ears, my pointer would do that ( floppy ears)
When she had a wax build up, or maybe even a seed in there ( she was a working dog )
She would would try and dig it out, that was always followed by chewing the juicy bits off her paws.

Get some ear drops, massage the base of the ears while hold her ear(s), do this one at a time.
When you have done with the massage, let go of the ears and step back, they will shake their head quite violently,
and anything in there will come flying out. ( usually)
Of course there is always the possibility of ear mites.

I maybe wrong in your case, but it has to be worth a shot for the couple of quid the ear drops will cost.
 
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I tried that but he knows what im about to do and gets very defensive and growls.
 
jpgreenwood said:
I tried that but he knows what im about to do and gets very defensive and growls.
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It sounds like it's painful, and doesn't want his ears touched,
Have you considered a Muzzle for doing this?
 
Cobra said:
It sounds like it's painful, and doesn't want his ears touched,
Have you considered a Muzzle for doing this?
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The problem I have is my missus is such a soft touch, she wont see any harm coming to him and its just going on and on. I just want him sorted for his comfort and my own sanity!
Looking at the allergy side of things, he has dried Chicken kibble in hs bowl, and various flavours of wet food ( caesar). We tried all the natural foods like Butternut Box and Lillys kitchen but he has such a sensitive stomach, this is the only one that he seems to like and will eat.
 
jpgreenwood said:
It does the ear/jaw scratching and paw biting all the time, no matter who he is with. I have less tolerance and shout at him.
Click to expand...
You implied in the first post that the scratching, etc only occurred when you and your wife were together and he was chilled when you were on your own. If that is the case then I doubt that he has any ear problems. However, if he is scratching all the time then he may have.

One of the problems about diagnosing issues with dogs based on the owner's interpretation is the confusion caused by ambiguity.
 
It does sound like an ear problem. Ours had an issue like that a couple of years ago. Like you we couldnt get near him with ear drops he got very defensive. In the end we took him back to the vet. They had to knock him out shave the entrance to his ears and muck them out. It workd hes had no bother since. May be worth revisiting the vets as it sounds like its getting worse.
 
jpgreenwood said:
He was at the vets a few weeks and he didn’t find anything. Also just had a groom
And she cleans his ears
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Oh and as an addendum are you 100% sure the vet had proper look if he is "Snappy" about his ears,
also what does the groomer do? just a wipe around the ear flaps?

There may be other underlying behavioral factors at play,
but I would start with the drops or a proper ear exam.
 
If the ears thing is only when your wife is around then I would say it is behavioural. I am no expert (although do have a cocker with similar issues) but I think the dog is stressed when your wife is around because it does not have clear boundaries. Our cocker does similar things. Relaxed and looks after itself when I am on my own. When my wife is around as a tendency to try and get attention and generally go a bit manic and act stressed (eg pacing and whining if my wife goes to another room, barking at ghosts etc). The difference is that I am very strict. If the dog does something I don't like (ie jumps up) it gets told no. 2nd time I will turn my back and completely ignore her for 5 minutes. My wife tends to say no 3 times then gives in and gives the dog attention so of course that re-inforces the bad behaviour and the vicious cycle continues.
The difference between us is not that we have different views on how to treat the dog. Just that I am very analytical so find it easy to spot patterns and be consistent in my response. My wife is more emotional and nurturing so tends to do what she thinks the dog wants rather than what it needs.

I would definitely recommend a session with dog behaviourist. They will cut through the emotion and explain what the problem is and how to address it. Plus, being a 3rd party, you wife (and you!) are much more likely to be receptive to things you need to change. It is a bit like marriage counciling ;)

I mentioned boundaries. I am a strong believer that the dogs are happier if they know their place and that it is their owner that manages and controls that. Give a dog free rein and it gets confused and stressed (which can then lead to aggression and other issues). So our dog is not allowed upstairs, in fact not allowed on the sofa with us. If we want a cuddle then we go down to it (ie sit on the floor). That way the dog knows that petting etc is on our terms, not theirs. Food is only eaten from it's own bowl (at set times) and dog food only, not our leftovers. Treats are only to re-inforce good behaviour. Not because we are "being nice". etc. This might all sound overly strict but it really helped our dog settle down.
 
Not a dog shrink, or trainer, just 20 years of collie types from rescue. So....

Simple solution to the bed situation(s). He doesn't sleep with you. IMHO, he should never have been allowed to sleep on your bed at all. Him between you is a red flag and says to me he thinks his place in the pecking order(*) is indeed between you: she's the boss and you are his underling. Ours have basically slept in the kitchen overnight with a 'child gate' closed across the doorway. In your case said gate needs to have narrow gaps between the bars so he cannot get through. Useful for daytime partitioning away from visitors, or in case of accidents/etc.

Scratching ears and biting paws. Worth another vet visit, maybe you take him (unless you already did on your own) so you know he's been checked thoroughly. Vets are used to non-cooperative dogs and a soft muzzle and no-nonsense attitude gets the job done without too much stress(*). Since you've said he does it with both of you I'm shying away from behavioural but I wouldn't like to rule it out entirely.
Sensitive stomach does suggest he's got something going on there that may be causing the scratching and paws issue. I'd change his food completely, and even say 3 days of no food - the ultimate elimination diet(*) unless he's a scrawny wee thing that really wouldn't be good for him. No treats, extra biscuits or anything. Purpose is to confirm or eliminate definitively if it's a food allergy or intolerance. Ditto changing his food entirely. If he gets chicken and rice, get a small pack of (for example) salmon and potato instead. Don't muddy the waters by giving in to him 'being picky' and give him something he already has as that blows the experiment. Obviously your wife has to be on board with this. If after 3 days he's still scratching I'd think about environmental factors. Mites, allergy to carpet materials or grass isn't unheard of - but I'm not sure how you'd go about testing that as its outside my experience. Other than obviously walking somewhere else or keeping him in a kitchen with tiled floor/etc.

Get a dog behaviourist in. Not to train your dog for you, but expect them to train the humans too(*). Seeing everyone's behaviours first hand is crucial.


* Yeah I know the pack hierarchy thing gets discredited these days, but no-one told 3 of our dogs that.
* one of ours needed to be muzzled for pretty much all vet visits as he didn't like male vets, or strangers poking him.
* food makes a big difference, dog foods are not 'all the same'. Elimination diet opened my eyes to just how many things screwed me up, including things I looved like cheese, wasn't my choice but then Crohn's sucks bricks.
* we didn't get a dog trainer in, but husband and I read a number of dog books and it was obvious with our first, boxer x border collie, that I needed to act like the boss otherwise she took advantage. I was being too timid, and didn't enforce stuff.
 
Clive K said:
You implied in the first post that the scratching, etc only occurred when you and your wife were together and he was chilled when you were on your own. If that is the case then I doubt that he has any ear problems. However, if he is scratching all the time then he may have.

One of the problems about diagnosing issues with dogs based on the owner's interpretation is the confusion caused by ambiguity.
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No, I said he is very energetic and playful with my wife but is chilled around me. But even when he’s chilled, he is biting his paws or scratching his ears/jaw,.
 
The ear and paw thing sounds like something I would get the vet to check, as for the rest that's down to failures to train when it was younger.
If you don't feel that you or your partner are confidant to do the remedial training needed seek the advice and training of a local dog trainer.
Dogs are basically pack animals and just need to learn that their place in the pack is below that of the humans, this leads to a happier dog and happier humans.
 
jpgreenwood said:
No, I said he is very energetic and playful with my wife but is chilled around me. But even when he’s chilled, he is biting his paws or scratching his ears/jaw,.
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RIght. Get the dog checked specifically for this condition. If it is not medical then it could be stress caused by boredom, not knowing his position in the family group, or a psychological condition. That is when you need an animal behaviourist to see the dog's bahaviour around you and your wife.

Dogs do things like scratching or licking things constantly as a condition of PTSD. That could have been brought on at anytime in his past. Our ex-sanctuary terrier exhibited this after a spell in boarding kennels. We had to re-set the dog's behaviour by a total change of routine then by following the routine that she was familiar with.
 
From what you've said it very much sounds like you need a different vet to take a look, if they also rule out issues then you need a behaviourist.
The simple fact is something is not right for this dog.
From your posts I would look at diet - Chicken allergy is a thing...with symptoms such as - guess what?
https://whatthepup.spotandtango.com...omponent,according to BMC Veterinary Research.

And if the paw chewing continues then look at anal glands as well.
 
Have you owned him from a puppy, or has he had previous owners? My last dog was more of a lady's dog because she had been ill treated. before she was rescued
Do you act in a positive manner towards him, or does he just see you reacting negatively towards him?
I was taught to ignore my dog when he is misbehaving, and reward him for "good" behaviour, and I say "good", in the understanding that a dog does not reason, or have morals. Nor do they understand a lecture. Maybe he growls out of fear?
 
We’ve owned him from a puppy and knew the breeder. Im not as close to him as my wife but he does sit with me a lot and when we go out for a family walk he will heel to me and not my wife..
we’ve removed his kibble from
His daily food as a first trial.
Thanks for the advice so far
 
jpgreenwood said:
We’ve owned him from a puppy and knew the breeder. Im not as close to him as my wife but he does sit with me a lot and when we go out for a family walk he will heel to me and not my wife..
we’ve removed his kibble from
His daily food as a first trial.
Thanks for the advice so far
Click to expand...

I have no clue about dogs [or animals in general] but we have a Tom Cat who acts very much as you describe your dog's behaviour. It could be a contest, an 'Alpha' thing, I feel sometimes that our Tom is playing up against me as he sees me more of a threat than my partner or kids [all female]

On the fear of dogs side, that is genuinely a thing and anyone who says dogs don't 'sense' it is lying IMO lol - there's a Rottweiler on our street, his name is Max, he's young and boisterous and bounces himself against the side gate and 'almost' clears it with his jumps - all the time growling and showing mass signs of aggro! ... but ... ONLY whenever I walk past! He never does it when any other neighbour goes by, and I've talked with them and his owner, none of them have any fear of dogs - he definitely senses it.
 
billy nomates said:
From what you've said it very much sounds like you need a different vet to take a look, if they also rule out issues then you need a behaviourist.
The simple fact is something is not right for this dog.
From your posts I would look at diet - Chicken allergy is a thing...with symptoms such as - guess what?
https://whatthepup.spotandtango.com/chicken_allergy/#:~:text=If the main meaty component,according to BMC Veterinary Research.

And if the paw chewing continues then look at anal glands as well.
Click to expand...
Interesting article. I looked at the link in it to BMC Veterinary Reseach. It seems various studies have found many food allergies in dog -


The most frequently reported food allergens involved in CAFRs(cutaneous adverse food reactions) in dogs were beef (102 dogs, 34 %), dairy products (51 dogs, 17 %), chicken (45 dogs, 15 %), wheat (38 dogs, 13 %) and lamb (14, 5 %). Other less commonly reported offending food sources were soy (18 dogs, 6 %), corn (13 dogs, 4 %), egg (11 dogs, 4 %), pork (7 dogs, 2 %), fish and rice (5 dogs each, 2 %). Barley, rabbit, chocolate, kidney bean and tomato were also reported as food allergens for single dogs.


Dave
 
It could be mites, or it could be a comfort thing. Does it stop if you give the dog a fuss?
 
Have you tried a kong, which you stuff with frozen meat and place in the freezer? Keeps my dog occupied for up to an hour.
Suggest mind games, because dogs need mental stimulation as well as physical exertion. Many involve sniffing out food hidden in various locations. Start easy, then as he masters the basics, make it increasingly difficult, but not so difficult that he gets bored

You might try this book for sale on eBay (and I have nothing to do with WOB apart from being a customer

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/39205465...KCuPr|ampid:PL_CLK|clp:4429486&epid=213066146
 
Kongs are good and can provide entertainment and stimilation. We have one in the shape of a snaill shell -

(https://www.mountaindog.uk/products...MIwqLHgp6FhAMV2YtQBh1AFQIGEAQYAyABEgLJSvD_BwE ) -

into which you can put dry dog food. We wrap it in his blanket to make it a bit more difficult. We also have a rubbery snake which keeps him occupied, but it might be due to his terrier genes as he like shake the life out of everything he gets his teeth on.

Agree about the bedtime routine and as said above perhaps a second opinion from another vet.

Good luck with this, it is not going to be easy I think.

Dave
 
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