Purdie

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I wonder if epilepsy could be a factor.Sometimes seizures only occur when the dog is sleeping as was the case with my dog. She didn't sleep for long periods 10 minute naps with body tremors. her eyes would turn a bluish color sometimes and she looked confused at times. It was in the early 70's when she was diagnosed with' spaniel rage ' a term I don't like . More recent times it is thought there may be a link to epilepsy. I don't know all you can do is make observations and talk to the experts. https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/neurological/c_dg_seizures_convulsions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rage_syndrome

I'm so sorry you and the dog are going through this awful time. Years ago before I new better I purchased a Spaniel cross from a market. She was a normal puppy at first and I taught her to sit and come. At the age of 5 months she began to change not listening to me running around trying to destroy everything she could get hold of. She didn't sleep much and her body would twitch a lot in her sleep. I thought perhaps she had gone deaf so I took her to the Vet . At the vet she behaved very badly lunging and barking at other dogs while I restrained her which caused her to bite my arm. The Vet got so annoyed with her he asked others in the waiting room if I could be seen first. Basically the Vet said her behavior was all my fault and I shouldn't own a dog if I couldn't train her properly. I had raised pups before and never had a problem before. The Vet took blood for testing only because I insisted on it;he said she probably wasn't deaf then said de sexing might help her settle down. He also suggested giving her sedatives for a while to see if that helped. So I left her there to be fixed. When she came home she was very lethargic I thought it was due to the surgery. I was given pills for her to take and was told to bring her back in two weeks for a check. After 3 or 4 days on the pills she looked terrible glassy eyed and was walking in to things. I stopped giving her the pills and she became more normal for about a week and was responding to me and doing better on the lead out walking. I should have taken her back to the Vet but was angry and felt humiliated by the way he treated me. By the second week and all my efforts to spend as much time as I could with her training she regressed and would not let me pat her if I did she would bite me on my hand. I cried a lot was wretched with guilt and blamed myself for failing her ; Went to the library and read every book on training and dog illness that I could find. Meanwhile I watched her when she slept and noticed the twitching was getting so bad that it kept waking her up. This time I called another Vet in tears to the receptionist who kindly put the Vet on the phone. Vet said we are closed but I'm here so bring her in. After he examined her he said she had a serious brain condition sometimes seen in spaniels his own dog had it and was put down as there is no cure. He said she could be sedated all the time but it would not be a good life or a long one. I left her to be put out of her suffering. When I got home my family and a couple of friends berated me for doing it and I cried for weeks but I new I did the right thing for her. i

Go and speak to them. Mail box notes seem to me not too friendly like they may think you don't want to engage with them as neighbours. Once had a letter in my mail box about my cat wandering however it turned out not to be my cat at all she was an inside cat. I went across the road and spoke to them and we worked out it was a stray cat that was the culprit. Knock on the door and tell them you are worried about their dogs getting injured. These days people spend too much time in front of a computer trying to solve problems. Talk to your neighbours they are people and may have concerns too and are shy to talk to you . work it out together.

An Irish Wolfhound; We had a Wolfhound cross when our Kids were young ages 3 , 5 ,7 and 9. Looked like a Wolfhound only not quite as big.Her temperament was very like that of a Wolfhound. She was good with visitors would bark to announce their arrival and then walked them to the door and kept her eye on them . She seemed to sense when people were genuine visitors or up to no good. One night had an intruder in the yard when I was home alone with the kids,he jumped the fully fenced yard and Pippa dog saw him off back over the fence. When she barked she was scary but I doubt she would have bitten anyone instead would bail them up and stand between them and me. She loved children and was very patient with them. She would trot around behind their bikes and do zoomies but never knocked them over it was the kids who sometimes ran in to her. Shedding wise she did not leave hair around maybe one or two hairs on the floor as most of the dead hair was still in the coat and easily brushed out. I was allergic to many dogs but I tolerated her wire coat unless she missed her bath for too long then I would get a reaction to her but kept clean I had no issues. Her activity level was low to moderate,short bursts of activity then snooze at my feet but also she could go long walks at a amble or trotting pace.

.https://www.petrescue.com.au/listings/835303 With young grandchildren visiting look for a breed less likely to want to chase nip and herd children. 'Bull arabs' will often chase little running children and pull at them; cattle dogs will nip at ankles and toes. I have owned a cattle dog and two sight hound crosses;one was great with children the other not so good. A cross of any kind can be a bit of a lucky dip temperament wise so I would advise going with a rescue group where the dog has lived with children and something is known about the dogs temperament. Otherwise go with a pure breed where there is more predictability as to what to expect with behavior training and grooming. Some breeds do better with children other animals and visitors to your home so do lots of research into breeds that best suit your lifestyle and expectations.

Perhaps start a dog walking group where you could walk in a group with other people and their dogs;explore safer areas to go. You and your dog need support to gain confidence again. A few years ago where I lived there was a Beagle walking group that I often encountered on my walks;was nice to see the lovely group of friendly dogs .I adore Beagles. Unfortunately some of the owners were not so nice;pointing and laughing at my "funny looking crossbreed". I refrained from asking if I could join their walk.

Willow Wisp Willoby

I wonder if he has developed poor eye sight or hearing loss over the years . A full health check would be the first thing I would do.

Yes I was about to to do that and would have if my Sil had not asked to take her; being a Vet nurse I wanted to ask her my Sister in Law to be with me at the Vet she worked when I took her in but she insisted she would take the dog;I was reluctant and I told her that if there were any problems I would have her put down The dog did well in her new home was kept secure and never near kids and my Sil loved her to bits. I was sick with worry about it but obviously I did not want the dog around my kids any more too risky. The dog was outside sleeping in the garage and the kids inside to be safe; a ridiculous situation. A lesson to learn here;

Many years ago before I new better we got a puppy from a pet shop an American Staffordshire Terrier cross who knows what and at first all was good My youngest child was 3 at the time. I had had dogs and pups before and new how to care for and train them;but this pup was different she did not respond to training;was not affectionate to us and only would respond a little to my eldest daughter. By the time the pup was 4 months old any attempt to train sit come etc was met with total refusal or she would try to bite us so we got help from a Vet and dog trainer. The dog then began to go at the children for no reason; she would walk up to my son then grab him and pull him to the ground and nip him on the hip leaving bruises. Then slowly walk away like nothing had happened. This was within feet of me with no warning. We tried to follow the instruction from the dog trainer but nothing worked. Over the phone he would say she is very dominant and you have to teach her this and that and I did try but I became afraid of her. Then she would be out walking with us and be calm and happy then suddenly jump up and grab my daughters hair and not want to let go. My 6 year old at the time went to put a bowl of water down for the dog and she was grabbed by her ear and was bleeding. nothing worked with the dog;she ignored me and if I told her no and sit she would growl and go for me. The dog was never treated badly and we tried to work with the trainer but it got to the stage where the children were frightened of her and stopped wanting to go outside with her even when I was with them. It came to a head when she was about 6 months old when she was on the couch with me and I went to get up and she went for my face luckily I moved quickly. It was all very upsetting and I new I could not trust her and I did not want to re home her not knowing if she would be safe around anyone particularly children. I called my sister in Law who was a Vet nurse and had owned a strong willed dog before for advise. She offered to take the dog for a trial and see if she could train the dog herself and see if she could improve her behaviour. My sister in Law had another dog of similar breed and the two got along well although my dog was the dominant one. My dog bit my Sister in Law twice not badly in the following weeks and I said that I would take her to be put down but she said she wanted to keep on with the dog And over time there was mild improvement only because my sister in law was just as stubborn and dominant as the dog I think and with good management the dog went on to have a good life with my sister in Law and her other dog.She was single no children, The point I am trying to make after woffling on is that some dogs and I think some breeds to a degree are not suited to the average family home with children. The person you adopted the dog from should have given more thought as to what would have been the most suitable home for the dog. Will you be able to trust the dog again ? Are you willing to pay for and follow advise from dog behaviorist and trainer? Are the children afraid of the dog? If you decide to re home the dog I would suggest you seek advise from a rescue group who may be able to help you find a home that is a better fit for the dog with experienced adults and no children and are given the dogs history. A few years later we adopted a dog from rescue who was a great fit for our family and was wonderful and gentle with children and easy to train and she was with us for 10 years.

I know you want a small dog but perhaps look into Greyhounds as they may suit your situation too. Also consider adopting a pair of small dogs so that they have company when you are not home. Some rescues have two dogs who are needing to be homed together and cannot be apart from each other. Our neighbours have two small dogs who are inside when they are at work but also have a dog door so they can go outside if they want. Also a cat may suit as well;most cats will sleep a lot in the day and enjoy a couch cuddle and play when you get home. http://gap.grv.org.au/adopt-a-greyhound/

I May be a bit late here but would like to suggest An Airedale or Irish Terrier;two great breeds often overlooked or the already mentioned Soft Coated Wheaten.

Perhaps a Beagle.

https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/breeders/hungarian-vizsla.asp?state=&litterdue=on

The Brittany may tick some boxes for you.. https://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/268563-brittanies-beautiful-brittanies/

I don't think you could go far wrong with a Labrador or Golden Retriever a good breeder will match you with the right pup for your situation. Miss 5 will grow quickly too, like I am finding with my Grandkids. https://www.selectadogbreed.com/

You have lots of very good advise here to digest. Two young dogs can be a lot of work so consider how much time you and your parents have in the day to train dogs;and training is an everyday thing you need to have a good routine so the dogs know what to expect in the day;set meal times ,play time,quiet time,and time apart for one on one attention and learning to focus on people and not mostly the other dog. If you will be the one left to train and manage both dogs most of the time then i would consider a rescue dog that is past the young pup stage and has had at least some basic training and likes to interact with other dogs. You could look at breeders who are re homing a dog or there are many dogs on Pet Rescue. Look for one that is calm and responds well to people and is easier to train. A Labrador may be a good choice with your Am staff as far as matching size and robust play. Also most Labradors love people and like to please so training them can be very rewarding. Get a female for sure.

I passed a couple walking their flat faced dog the other day and the poor thing was being hurried along while it gasped and wheezed trying to breath. I am appalled that these types of dogs are even bred let alone anyone supporting such cruelty by buying one;but i guess some people think the poor things are cute and if they also have a pedigree somehow that makes it ok. While Vets can making huge amounts of money from trying to repair the damage done to these poor creatures some vets will support them being bred. Breeding dogs should be about breeding healthy dogs not cuteness or the dollar.

You have a dog who is not well and stressed and needs a lot of attention. I would worry that the older dogs condition could get worse if put under the stress of dealing with another dog in the home. Bringing a puppy into the home could be a disaster as puppies can be in the face of the older dogs;chew on ears tail and legs and jump on them. I have seen a few people who have got a second dog ""to keep the older anxious one company''and it didn't go well and they ended up with 2 stressed out dogs. If you go ahead with the pup you need to have separate areas where the older dog can relax without disturbances from the pup. If it was me i would wait until the Lab grew old and passed away before getting another dog.

If you push or hit the dog away yes you could get fined if the guy wants to go down that track. It is your word against his if there is a confrontation and a whole lot of angst to go through as a result. why not try something that is sadly lacking these days and communicate with the guy about his dog and you never know it could all be resolved. Also try not to be so defensive and take note when people are giving you sound advise. also i believe spell check is a very helpful tool.Cheers and i hope it gets resolved for you and your dog.

I had a similar situation years ago with a guy down the street that found it amusing to let his big dog approach any other dog out walking and have it lunge and bark at the dog at which point he would abuse the other dog owner if the other dog barked back or just stood there laughing.He also led his dog up driveways to annoy resident dogs and allow his dog to defecate there and if you told him off he just laughed and went on his way. You need to go walking without your dog and speak to him and see if he is reasonable enough to agree to restrain his dog away from you if you encounter each other on walks and you should agree to do the same with your dog. If he will not cooperate and be responsible then you can either report him to council or take steps to avoid him, perhaps drive to another area and walk your dog.I know you shouldn't have to but it could save a lot of anxiety for you and your dog and let you walk in peace without always watching out for the other dog;mind you when out walking any dog owners need to be watchful of other dogs around and learn to read dog body language . What good would it do to kick or hit the other dog;you could end up charged with assaulting his dog or get bitten yourself or have your dog in a fight with you in the middle. It is not the dogs fault it is the owner who has not trained his dog well or taken steps to restrain him. If the dog was off lead and attacked you or your dog then yes you are allowed to defend yourself but i doubt you could fend off an angry 30 / 40 kilo dog..Unless he is willing to take proper control of his dog then i would avoid him at all cost..

http://www.selectsmart.com/dog/dogresults.html This one is not too bad as dog selectors go and i like that it asks about allergy sufferers and grooming . For under 6 kids maybe a Cavalier Spaniel or Beagle. For very active little boys maybe an Australian Terrier or something more unusual an Irish Terrier.

What about a mature Hungarian Vizsla ?

What a darling pup .. ;you are so lucky. .