I'm hopeing someone can help/give advice as we don't know what to do.

We took Millie in about 8yrs ago from a kennel when she was handed to them by a dog warden. She is a black lab/spaniel. The vet thought she was about 4/5 at the time so now she must be about 12/13.

From day one she has had issues,we even took her back after a few months as we couldn't seem to do anything with her. We had some new furniture-she chewed it,then we had a new carpet laid-she peed on it the same day it was fitted. She barked and whined all the time we were out,which wasn't lots as i'm a stay at home mum,the neighbours were fed up of hearing her. Anyway we went and got her back as we missed her.

From how we have seen her react to things,we think she was previously in a home where there was violence towards the woman and maybe her too. My kids can't play as she gets stressed and starts barking at them and whines. She seems to hate most men,even my hubby-she has bitten him a few times when he has told her off for something and he wasn't over the top either. She has snapped at, and on one occaision nipped my 5yr olds arm. She has recently started to growl and show her teeth to me if i tell her off,which she never used to. The postmen refuse to enter my property as she just goes mad barking and snarling at them-to be honest i can't blame them as she is so aggresive to anyone who comes near our house,even when they go to our neighbours.

8yrs on and i've just had enough.I came home yesterday after leaving her for an hour at the most and she was stood on the window sill having nearly wrecked the vertical blinds AGAIN. She had chewed a brand new wooden door and archatriave and scratched the new wallpaper AGAIN!

I have only highlighted a few things here but i really have had enough and don't know what to do,we have spoken to the vet with our options being to have her rehomed or put to sleep.

Help!

have you tried crating her while your out? this would stop the destruction but obviously not the noise

its a tough situation to be in, especially when shes aggressive towards your children. what sort of training have you done with her?? does she get walked often? have you tried anything more mentally stimulating like agility?

haha sorry for all the questions just trying to get a rough idea...

what about getting a behaviourist in to help?

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I'm sorry if this sounds harsh but really 8 years and NOW you think about doing something??? Seriously you should have started to help her the moment she came back to you. Her behaviour is deep seated now and will be extreamly hard to rehabilitate. You need a good experienced behaviourist (ask you vet to recommend one and if you are insured it may be covered).

Which ever rescue you rehomed her from MUST be informed before you either rehome her or have her PTS, the dog belongs to them and should be returned to them. Assuming it was a reputable rescue not the pound??

To be honest I wouldn't be concerned about the blinds but I do find it rather disturbing you haven't reacted to her biting your child and husband before now? You have one very distressed little dog on your hands and it certainly won't be an easy fight but if you are determinded to help her then it needs to be done properly with professional help. If not I suggest after contacting the rescue then the poor dog is PTS , you cannot rehome her privately knowing that she has bitten a child and no rescue will take her under those circumstances either. We cannot rehome healthy, happy safe dogs so those of this age with these major issues would be PTS instantly anyway.

Again sorry if I sound harsh but you really have left it way too long before doing something.

The only other option that I can think of, is to make her a part time kennel dog.
If you have a kennel in your garden, she could be put in this whenever there is likely to be a problem with her

Ok. Right...
I'm going to address each problem you have separately, which is what I think you should do if of course you decide not to rehome her.

Ok. Right. Sounds like as you mentioned she came from an abusive home in the past. This girl has had a hard time. You need to get her to trust you. I don't know how you "tell her off" or what this involves. But if it involves shouting, smacking, tapping, leaning over her or simular, or talking to her in a firm voice even, I wouldn't do it. And tell your husband not to either. Her behaviour sounds to me (although you definately need to get a qualified BEHAVIOURIST to confirm this and see the dog) to be defensive, perhaps she has experienced this in the past and has learnt that the only way to get the people who do this to go away is by using aggression. Aggressive behaviour to a dog is a very risky thing to do, most dogs would choose to run away if possible from a fearful situation so your dog is obviously very uncomfortable or feels that there is no way of escaping.
With this dog you are going to need to make associations with all the people she has "issues with" positive and yourself too. Ignore the bad, reward the good. Maybe get your husband to be the one who feeds her every day, walk her with you too, plays with her etc... Obviously though as the dog has snapped/nipped, you are going to need to take extra precautions. Unsure your children and the dog are never left alone together (sorry if you already do this), ask the children to try and act calmly around her and explain the situation with her to them (the dog get's worried about things etc...), I'm sure your children will be very willing to listen and help

2. Where is the dog when this all happens? Is she indoors with you? I would get her a crate or a special bed/place and train her to go to that place on command and reward her with treats or toys (whatever motivates her). Maybe give her a stuffed kong to eat whilst you get the post etc... You need to make positive associations with the crate/place so that she knows that it is a good/fun place to go and not just somewhere where she gets locked away. If you do this right, it'll mean the dog has a retreat, where she can go during the day if she finds a situation too much. Perhaps the children are playing, she can sit in her bed/crate with a stuffed kong.

3. Ok. The crate would be a solution to this problem too. Although you need to make sure you crate train her correctly- so that she recognises it as a really positive place- not just somewhere she gets trapped. That way, if you are going out for an hour you can put her in the crate with a stuffed kong and some toys and water and she won't be able to be destructive. Sounds like she could have separation anxiety though, which would explain the chewing - she is doing it because she is stressed. In this case you need to build up the amount of time you leave her for- from 5 minutes with you in another room to 2 hours with her in her crate. This needs to be done gradually.

Now a few questions:

Is she walked? How often? How long for?
What is she fed on?


I can see how you are finding things hard work but please do not put her to sleep. That isn't fair. None of this is her fault.
If you do decide to rehome her, contact a reputable rescue centre preferably with experience of her breeds (I know she is a cross but I'm sure either lab or spaniel rescue would be happy to help you). What area of the country are you in? Someone may be able to advise a good rescue that is local to you.
If you do decide to keep her, you are going to need to commit to making changes and working with her. You should also contact your local behaviourist who will be able to help and advise you.
The APDT are really good:
Welcome to APDT - Association of Pet Dog Trainers UK

Check out your local behaviourist here:
Local Dog Trainers - Association of Pet Dog Trainers UK

I hope this helps you.
Please keep us updated

Edited to add:
Just saw that your are in Norfolk. Here is a list of APDT behaviourists in the region. I don't know whereabouts you are in the region but hopefully one is close to you.

Source for all of the above: http://www.apdt.co.uk/trainers_area.asp?area=Norfolk

With regards to rescues, here are a few Norfolk Rescues:
http://www.dogrescuenorfolk.com/
http://www.faithanimalrescue.co.uk/
http://www.care-uk.com/
http://www.nasatrust.co.uk/

Another place worth going for advice is
www.dogpages.org.uk
They have a forum there with loads of rescue representatives so if you contact a local rescue on there they may be able to give you some advice and if you do decide to rehome her, find a suitable home.

Hope all this helps. Best of luck

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I'm not sure where abouts in Norfolk you are but our local vet (Hoveton) has a list of dog trainers in the area, maybe your local vet has one too

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Spaniels are hard dogs to tame if youve never owned one before, they easily adopt behavious if they are not told otherwise and will persist in these if structure isnt given - Id consider rehoming her or sending her away to a professional trainer (probably the better option) as I wouldnt have a dog around that is willing to bite a child.

What on earth have you been doing for the last 8 years?

What Lemmsy has said is good advice, but first you really have to decide if you have the time or commitment to do this.

Having worked in rescue, I know for a fact that rehoming a dog of this age is practically impossible, especially with the problems you have mentioned and the dog, unless it goes to the Dogs Trust, will most likely be put to sleep.

Passing on the dog is not an option for you, either to anyone else or to a rescue, the stress involved would be huge and then it is almost definately going to be put to sleep, it would be very unfair.

You must take responsbility for this dog yourself, you are what she has known for the last 8 years and are part of the problem, and whilst others may shout me down on here, if she is going to be put to sleep, you should be responsble for it and not pass the buck to anyone else. You should also be with her and hold her and be reassuring to her.

You need to get help, as you are obviously at the end of your tether, contacting someone from the APBC will help put things in perspective, so you can make an informed decision.

In the meantime, look at how the dog sees you, are you in control, do you have routine, how much exercise/mental stimulation does she have, why is it now that you have had enough, what has changed, is it because she is old now?

I have said some harsh things, but you have a responsbility to this dog, don't shirk it...

Kate

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Just because I can't talk, doesn't mean you can't understand me

It sounds like they are unable to handle it, though I agree the last 8 years is a bit of a mystery. If the dog is biting a child and everthing else in its path I wouldnt risk it for another minute. Id send it off to a dog trainer for a 6 week intensive course which should solve it.

the only trouble with sending the dog away to be trained is
who is then going to train the owner.

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