I don't know if anyone can help - but here goes!
My pup Mikey has a best friend in the park called Charlie who is a 7 month old terrier cross (Yorkie/Westie). They play brilliantly together and Charlie is a sweet little chap.
Recently he's been getting suddenly aggressive with some dogs and people for no apparent reason.
He doesn't get quite enough walks a day - his owner works and has 2 kids and to be honest, I don't think she realised what she was taking on. She is now trying to give him more than 1 walk a day!!!
Her husband didn't want a dog and is not taking part in any dog activities.
Her 9 year old son continually teases Charlie and the other day went too far (in spite of his mum repeatedly reprimanding him) and got bitten on the leg.
I haven't heard since whether the son has learned from this but I do know his mother is beginning to think about finding Charlie another home. She really loves this puppy who - most of the time - is an affectionate darling little dog.
Is there ANY advice I can give her - someone who could maybe train the whole family! - which would stop her from trying to re-home him?
I probably feel too emotionally involved because I love Charlie and his mum - but more importantly Mikey and he play so wonderfully together and have loved each other from the first, so selfishly I can't bear the thought of losing Charlie!
Obviously her kids come first but I know in this case Charlie would never have bitten the child if he hadn't been pushed to it.
Thanks for your time and sorry this is so long!
Alison

Dear alison,

I sympathise with your feelings towards Charlie, but after reading it all I wonder if the poor thing wouldnt be better off with somebody else?
If she cant even "teach" her 9-year old son not to tease a little puppy up to the point it feels the need to retaliate, than she hasn't got a
chance in hell of training her dog.
I only forsee more problems in this little guys future.
*shrug* a bit harsh perhaps as I do not know your friend and base this judgement solely on the information you have provided.

I tend to agree Charlie may be better off with someone else, sadly :( as being constantly teased by a child may mean he ends up hating children, if he doenst' already.......the teasing may also lead to him realising he can then control his environment by eventually retaliating and even biting :( because this is what his environment is teaching him.

I would like to suggest good training and socialistion classes, training and behavour books, and so on, but unless your friend is absolutely committed and c an see what is happening to Charlie's character, I don't feel any of it will help - sorry to sound negative. Is there any chance youcould take Charlie on ?

Best wishes
Lindsay

Dear WolfWitch
No, I agree with what you say in principle and think you're right but she's making huge efforts to train him and do all the right things for and with him. Unfortunately she's hooked on Jan Fennell's training methods and while I think she's got some excellent theories which work on many dogs, it's not right for Charlie and she's a little to slavish to those ideas. Also her family don't help her to maintain all the rules etc and so it's not consistant.
He does walk to heel, come on re-call and all sorts of things 95% of the time. I think it would be more to the point if she could train her son. I really don't know why she lets him get away with it. I did say to her she ought to control the boy but there's a limit to what you can say as a friend - and I'm always giving her advice though I try not to make it sound too bossy!!
She's such a gentle soul, I don't think it's in her to shout and get really strict sadly.
I've just spent time with them in the park again and he's had a calmer day. He now goes up to the other dogs (friends of my Mikey) and is fine once he's got to know them but if a big strange dog comes up to make friends, he's off again!
Thanks for replying... I'll see how it goes. I'm tempted to ask to have him if she ever does rehome him but I dread to see the effect he'll have on my 3 cats...
Alison

Alison,

7 month old puppies are adolescents and they often turn from good behaviour to bad behaviour, not unlike human adolescents. However, this is exactly the time where a puppy needs an environment where they are given time and attention. Otherwise the ill manners are likely to carry on indefinitely. If he is constantly teased by a young child, he is also eventually likely to end up snappy and short of patience with all children.

I agree with the other responses, it sounds to me like Charlie is not in the right home and would be better off placed with another family.

Stacey

I totally agree with you Stacey and have tried to gently point this out to her...but there is a limit to what another person can say.
I know she cares terribly about Charlie's happiness and welfare so I pray she won't let him continue like this. She really is doing her best and is working so hard to do everything right for him! I'll try to have another word about her son and his teasing. I can't believe any mother would let that continue - I would have really gone mad if my child had ever behaved like that to ANY animal!!
Alison