Help, Jake Was Aggressive Tonight!

[joelle]

As you know, Jake is my JRT 17 weeks old. He has been to puppy socialisation class. He goes to agility with my 10 yr old son. He has been vey well socialised and seems to take everything in his stride, very relaxed little JRT really. He is generally very well behaved. he DOES play rough with Ellie but he has to as she is 40 kgs. This play is ALWAYS supervised and stopped by myself if I think he is getting a bit rough. Ellie just acts dopey with him but because of her size I think he feels he has to step up to the mark, hence the 100% supervision.

IN the last 2 days I have noticed him jumping up on my 5 yr old sons trousers and pulling / tugging as if to instigate rough play. I have been telling my boy to stand still then I have got Jake off him and put in time out.

Anyhow, tonight, he was asleep on the cushion (Jake) and my 5 yr old son bent down (suddenly) to say goodnight to him. It was quick as as flash (we were sitting there) and Jake jumped and bit him. He scratched my boys face (with teeth) then jumped again and actually pierced the skin on the arm I dont think he even growled it was so quick.

I understand that my boy shouldnt have jumped down and have very sternly spoken to him about that and will keep an even CLOSER eye on that in future. SHould I be concerned about Jakes temperament or was it a fright response combined with (what I think) a dominance issue over the youngest in the family. I know it is hard for you to monitor his temperament without actually seeing him, but Jake has never showed signs of aggression before and goes everywhere with us and the boys so is very used to kids.

If it is a dominance stand off between him and our 5 yr old, I can handle that, Ellie was the same and we got him to feed her and used NILIF for her and will do it MORE now with Jake. He is an active 5 yr old so does he just rile dogs the wrong way???? We supervise and teach him how to handle / approach the dogs but maybe he needs a bit more from us.

WHen I have put Jake in time out for pulling trouser legs, maybe my son should have done that? Have I given the message that he needs protecting from Jake?? Therefore putting Jake above him in the pack??

Please help any suggestions/ ideas?

[tramissa]

Have you heard the saying 'let sleeping dogs lie'?? Your son woke the pup from a sleep. I wouldn't class this as aggression. I would be instigating NILIF and other things you have said as a matter of course, but to me (and I am nowhere near qualified), it doesn't sound like an aggression problem. I would reinforce not going near a sleeping dog to your son though.

I'd suggest having a read of this thread, starting from this post - http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?s=&a...t&p=2632240

[joelle]

I fully agree, but what concerned us is that the pierced arm came after he was woken (granted, it was like 5 seconds after he woke but, the initial first one scratched his face but not pierced)

I will def be teaching him more about "let sleeping dogs lie", that is the exact quote I used on him I sincerely hope you and I are right, and its not an aggression prob. As I said, there has been NO incidences of aggression before. I can train a 5 yr old I think I think he is that used to Ellie, he acted impulsively and Jake being young was scared and possibly threatened.

[sugclasco]

when i first got cisco (jack russell x maltese) he was a bit aggressive with myself just picking him up or grooming him but now he is older (9mths )he is a different dog when he acted with aggression i gave him a stern NO or AAHHHH and it has worked great

[trishalouise]

Hi Joelle,

This would actually worry me. Yes, your son was at fault and IMO at 5 years he is old enough to know better (my 3 year old certainly knows to let sleeping dogs lie) BUT it was a fairly significant reaction from Jake.

Are you taking Jake to obedience classes - different to agility? If not, I would get him into that soon.

Definately look at your (and everyone elses in the house) leadership and really step it up - he gets nothing unless he works or it first. My 3 year old gets our puppy (21 weeks) to sit and drop before she throws her a toy or gives her a treat. I am also helping her teach the puppy some tricks - she has got her walking through a hoop, spinning, giving a paw and crawling. All of these things help to reinforce to the puppy that the 3 year old is a leader to her. Of course this is all done with supervision. The puppy will still occasionally chase her and grab her clothes but my daughter "stands like a tree" and then we redirect the puppy.

And lastly supervision.

Good luck,

Trish

[joelle]

Hi and thank you . We start obedience this Saturday with him (good timing). My boys do feed and train both my dogs and teach tricks and we do use NILIF principle, but I am thinking I have concentrated slightly more on Ellie because of her size in comparison to the kids (she is 40 kgs, my sons are 35 and 21 kgs! She is as gentle as a lamb with them so we have obviously doen it right I realise that I need to step it up for Jake too. Eg sometimes I will feed Jake or not make him work for dinner if am a bit lax or have only enough time fro theboys to do one dog......I know, I know.

As of today my 10 yr old "sees" to Ellie and my 5 yr old "sees" to Jake so hopefully I wont have a repeat of last night. It was the other way round until today.

"sees" = making dog do tricks, wait, use manners, whatever.... before they give the food.

[Kirty]

I know the saying, but my dogs would NEVER react that way if you startled them or woke them from sleep. I don't understand why aggression is excused just because a dog is sleeping or eating. If you are pack leader, the subordinate pack members (the dogs) should NEVER react in that manner. Just like if you stand on their foot by accident or something - my dogs would never ever do anything but cry or move away.

Joelle, get him into training and let him know that you and your son are waaaaay above him in the pack!!

[Teebs]

AT snaps if woken suddenly

He is always crated at night time, and if he looks like he is settling in for a sleep during the day, he is either kicked outside, or crated.

He has been like this forever, if fast asleep and you startle him, he jumps and snaps.

Guess he takes after his Nan My mum is shocking to wake up, she jumps out of bed screaming if she is in a deep sleep and you wake her, used to scare the crap out of me!!

[tramissa]

Oh come on. Any creature, including humans, woken out of a sound sleep by a sudden action that can be seen as a threat, such as in this case, usually responds on the defensive.

It's not aggressive, it's defensive, and in a circumstance where normal barriers are not in place - big difference.

[Dogsfevr]

I would not consider what happened aggression at all but do make sure your 5 year spends good quality time with pup to re establish good feelings & trust.

Maybe even consider crate training or using a baby gate & placing pup in a safe area to sleep.

I now if i was startled whilst sleeping it would scare the living crap out of me.Dogs are no different being frieghtened y something you dont expect & react too isnt the end of the world .

Any person that claims there dogs would never react are fooling themselves .

eating & accidently treading on them i dont not consider in the same sleep as being woken suddenly .

[Kobayashi]

I dunno, i can do anything to willow while shes asleep and she doesnt react at ALL.

But, i guess its better not to take risks.