Hello everyone,

I need advise and guidance please.....

My beautiful male intact Bullmastiff who will be 2years old on Tuesday as turned into a naughty little ...well big boy on his walks....

No change in routine, same food, same walker, same old everything but over the past 10 days or so he is lunging at passing cars, people on bikes, dogs behind gates ......

All of which he has NEVER done before. He even went to drag our walker over to a gate where 2 corgis are normally but were not there!

He in a picture of health and had not had any injections or heartworm meds or anything so I can't even put it down to that, he is eating well and pooping and peeing normally and shows no signs of change at all at any other time apart from his walks.....he is not aggressive when he lunges either his tail is wagging and doesn't bark....

He has always been perfect in the car too but also recently when travelling he barked at a dog on the pavement as we went by ....again with tail wagging !

Our dog walker who has been his walker for a year said she has never seen any sign of this before and its just recently.....

He has become very affectionate ....even more so if that's possible as he has always been very affectionate ...we had a guest at the house recently who he has met before but not for a while but was very calm and not jumpy or lungy at her so it's just outside the house on his walks....

Please any ideas in what could be causing this and more importantly how to stop it.....he is now nearly 70kgs very lean and powerful so don't want this behaviour to continue as he could drag our walker into a passing car....

I would think he is maturing, just feeling his feet and a few corrections should sort the problem.

I'd say some remedial training too.  He is just coming towards maturity in late adolescence, increasing confidence, needs a bit of reminder that he is not in charge and you all expect better manners.

Perhaps he can smell a bitch in season somewhere in the neighbourhood, which might be upsetting him.

Back to basics I'm afraid...........

Treat him like he is a new pup again, just reiterating all the training that you did, it won't take long to get him back in line this often happens.

Is your dog walker dog savvy with behaviour and training or just a dog walker? Often sadly they are just 'dog walkers' and she may not be able to help in teaching him his commands and walking nicely again and distracting bad behaviour, at this stage she could be more of a hinderance if not correcting him properly and helplessly allowing him to pull her it will become habit rather than a glitch of behaviour which will make things more difficult if he does not have consistency.

I hate to say it but you may need someone else to walk him for a little while who can re-train him along with yourself, if you are now in full time work, then go back to your regular walker once he is out of this phase. :-)

Probably be safer for the walker too, of course goes without saying praise and reward trainer a must, no CM techniques on your lovely Kimbo. :-)

Thank you for all your replies and comments.....I am happy to say that Kelly is a trainer and also behaviourist, she helps out at the pounds here in Houston with dogs that need re training for re homing. She said she can spot the signs well before he does this now and is using the distraction and correction techniques with praise and rewards. I trust her totally but just wanted your opinions as you have all guided me well in the past so I am now pleased to hear that we are doing what we should.....I will keep you posted.

Hello all...quick update....Boscoe has celebrated his 2nd birthday today and our walker bought him a doggy cupcake and a monster chew toy!.....I purchased him a pumpkin chew toy...couldn't resist!

He has had a strict week this week with correction and reward training and also more work on the "come" command .....he has never been particularly good with this command as he is too lazy....and he gets easily distracted.....we can walk away and he stays as commanded but when we call him he just lies on the floor an rolls around on his back.....Cheeky devil.....

But this has also improved this week too.....so we are hopeful we have turned a corner ....we will continue with this training....Praise and reward...

Can I ask a question about dogs sensing illness? Do any of you believe in it ?  I mentioned in my first post he has become even more affectionate than normal.....I am saddened to tell you that my husband has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer this week ....and will be undergoing surgery this week and follow up therapy....I just wondered if this could have anything to do with this unusual behaviour? We are very close to Boscoe and share all experiences together and just wondered....He always gives us kisses at night before his bedtime milk bone and weirdly licks my husbands neck recently and we thought he was just getting "fruity"....

Maybe I am clutching at straws following the news.....

Anyhoooo .....we are in the best cancer treatment city in the world....found the lump last week and within 5 days diagnosed and ready for surgery tomorrow....

Sorry this is a dog forum.....just digressed a little.....

Sorry to hear the news about your husband. Yes dogs can sense illness, I'm not saying all will, nor that all owners will recognise it. Dogs are used very successfully as medical detection dogs after all. They are also very good at picking up our feelings.

I have a dog I used to compete in obedience with. When my mum died a few years ago he went from a solid stays dog to persistently breaking and coming to me. I was hurting a lot but thought I wasn't showing it. Earlier this year I was very upset over something. Again I thought I was putting a brave face on it but my dogs knew. My youngest is a tremendous worker (sheep). I couldn't get her to work away from me for a couple months. Had I not been a stupid human I would have picked up much earlier what she was telling me :-(

I have a friend whose dog kept nuzzling her armpit ... he is what prompted her to go to the doctor leading to a diagnosis of breast cancer. I also know some who has epilepsy (due to diabetes). Her young puppy would go sit on her feet 10 minutes before a seizure. It took her and her family a long time to register what the pup was doing. At 4 yrs old her dog is now a registered medical alert dog and accompanies her to hospital job of work. The dog had no training, she just did it :-)

Dogs are truly amazing :-D

It isn't surprising really, because as a predator they need to be able to pick out the prey most easily caught, so they detect those that are not fully fit, as the prey animal at optimum health is usually just that bit faster.

Someone in the USA involved in rescue for our breed who has an epileptic niece fosters and now trains and places many of them as seizure alert dogs.

Sorry to hear about your husband, hope he will soon be having treatment and sending my best wishes his way.

I agree dogs and cats are well versed and acknowledged as particularly being good at detecting cancers, it is very likely he has picked up on it, hence the extra affection. From what I have read cats do the opposite and discard their human, not wishing to be near us. Although that may not be true, not enough studies have been done on it IMO.

Glad that Boscoe is doing much better and your husband is no doubt in good hands over there, keep strong for him.......

Thanks for all your lovely words about my husband....I have all my extremities crossed for Wednesday....

On a doggy note...Boscoe is doing really well this week .....not sure if you know but some parts of Houston have stray dog issues....always concerning when walking as you never know the temperament or the health of these poor animals but on his walk today he came in close proximity to a stray Great Dane of all breeds....poor thing looked very malnourished and lonely.....Boscoe was told to ignore and walk by ...which I am delighted to say he did with excellent manners....in recent days he would have dragged me across the street but not today!

Let hope he can sense a more positive feel about hopeful recovery for my husband maybe.....let's hope anyway!

Keep you all posted to hopefully a return to a good behaved Boscoe!

Best wishes for your husband and good to hear Boscoes training is going well :-)