Please help - spaniel biting

[learntojive]

Thanks to everyone who gave me advise last month about english springer spaniels.
We got him from the rescue centre 2 weeks ago and are having a few problems.
He's 8 months old and absolutley beautiful, 95% of he time he's the most loving lovely boy and everything we wanted in a dog.
He's very nervous around his lead and collar, it's a right job putting the lead on, one of us has to be on hand with treats to distract him. When you're out walking he will suddenly just start snarling and grabbing at the lead (and your hand with it) and this happens mostly to my husband.
When we're in the house he wants to be with you all the time, he isn't possessive about things when you take them off him but all of a sudden he'll get a look in his eye and grab you for no reason. The behaviourist came and said not to pull your hand away but he just bites harder and harder, and if you raise your voice (we haven't shouted at all at him) he starts growling.
My husband said he has to go back because he's worried about him doing it to the kids, but we love him and really want to give him a chance, his one saving grace is that up to now he's been lovely with the children and for the most me.
The previous owners said they were allergic to him which is clearly not the case, he has some issues which may or may not have been caused by them.
We can't get him into a training class until january which I'm hoping will help if we can persuede my husband to keep him that long - even though he's black and blue.
He has also suddenly started barking and growling at people who come to house, he was fine the first week, fussing everyone, we have a lot of kids visit and this concerns me too.
I knew we would have some work training and are prepared to persevere with him but the biting and agression is worrying me, has anyone any advice for me. Thanks

[kita1]

I think you need some more in depth advice than the behaviourist gave.

One good forum for dog training advice is:

http://www.ttlntl.co.uk/forum/

it is free to join and has some really good behaviourists on there. They may also be able to recommend a good trainer in your area.

Have you had him checked over by a vet? Most good trainers will insist on this first - just to make sure there are no medical reasons for the aggression.

It is very difficult to give advice over the internet as you have to see the dog and the behaviour on a one to one basis for any advice to be effective.

Could you try a harness instead of a collar?

Also, please don't take any chances that he may bite any visiting children. I would put him in another room when you have kids round, certainly until you know him better.

[lankeela]

I am afraid my advice would be to take him back now. He was only at the rescue centre a very short while and they did not have time to assess him properly. There are so many nice dogs out there needing a home that to persevere with a nervous aggressive dog is only going to cause you heartache in the long run.

You cannot afford to be too careful where there are children around, and you will never be able to watch him 100% of the time.

Think of the dog as well as your family, he cannot he happy if he is constantly worrying because he is nervous what you are going to do.

Sorry its probably not what you wanted to hear, but I think your husband is right. No dog has the right to bite people and you have now given him a fair chance and it seems he is getting worse. You have to ask yourself why the previous owners parted with him at 7 months. If they had been trying since he was a puppy then given up, this may have been going on since then.

At least ask them to take him back for a full assessment and get them to take the risks of being bitten until it is decided whether he is safe to be rehomed. Owning a dog should be a pleasure, not a worry. This is the problem with taking on rescue dogs, people very rarely put a dog into rescue because they are well behaved and a pleasure to own. Unless you are very experienced dog handlers then you are putting yourself and your family at risk, as he is still a young dog; think what he could be like if fully grown and you are unable to handle him.

[learntojive]

Thank you, I was afraid that was the advice I would get because deep down I think I know we have to return him.
I do so want to give him a chance but I am worried about the situation.
When the behaviourist came from the trust he told us he had gone for one of their handlers the day before we took him, we were never told this.
We have managed to get in a class starting this saturday run by a lady who is also a behaviourist as well as doing the training. She is very experienced and supposed to be the best in the area, it's expensive but I'm happy to pay it if it would work.
I'll take a look at that forum, I just really wondered if anyone else had come across this problem and managed to get the dog to stop, the man from the trust said he would be optimistic because he's young but he hasn't been here when the dog has done this, he was obedient and loving when he came here!
We have swapped to a harness which has done wonders for the pulling but he still trys to bite the lead and jumps at it and it's a nightmare taking him out. We can't let him off the lead yet (they advised 2 months) so although he's having 4 good walks a day he's really in need of a good run round to get rid of some energy. We can't find anywhere enclosed enough to try it yet and I can't risk him running off.

[kita1]

I am very surprised that the Dogs Trust let you have him, especially when you say he went for one of their handlers (presumably a very knowledgeable person) the day before you got him!!

I personally would not risk him near young children.

It also frightens me when you say he gets a certain look in his eye and then snaps, that is why I suggested consulting a vet - it could be something like a mild form of epilepsy or something else medical. The advice the behaviourist gave about not pulling your hand away when he bites I quite frankly don't understand - if he (god forbid) bites one of your children that is exactly what they are going to do instinctively.

Beware - there is no quick fix in dog training, it could take months or even years before you can trust him around children.

Springer Spaniels are bred to work, search the undergrowth etc. so having one that you cannot let off lead is going to be very frustrating for the dog and is going to make the aggression worse.

This is one reason why I like King Charles spaniels, they were bred to be lap dogs and I have never met a bad one. Of course you have to make sure the parents are heart tested etc.

I know you want to give him a chance, but to be honest I think you will be giving him a better chance by letting him go back and get a home that has the knowledge and time to cope with his needs.

If he ends up biting someone (a child) badly and drawing blood he will not get any chance - there will be only one option.