I am just despairing. I can't see there will ever be light at the end of the tunnel.

My miniature poodle is now almost 2 1/2. He was neutered at 18 months due to excessive bitching and undescended testicle. I saw a behaviourist just before lockdown but I think she's ill now and we cant do the full consultation as its in 2 parts. .

It seems that everything is a problem: he doesn't want to be groomed or have his nails cut, growls all the way through the most basic brushing and will bite. He resource guards. He scavenges and eats revolting things which upset his stomach. He barks at everyone. He had developed a new trait of trying to chase people and/or bikes on the park. He has now attacked two puppies - no biting (I think, but I intervened really quickly) but really very nasty. He first tried to bite me at 5 months.

I did socialise him with people and dogs and puppy groups. I have groomed him since day one. I have never used punishments or harsh methods. I have some success with curbing the barking by distracting him. I put him on the lead at the first sign of problems, like when people or children come near him, or people have the temerity to actually use the park. I dont dare fuss another dog otherwise he will attack it.

I didn't buy him from a BYB, his breeder came from a breeder will known in the show ring and recommended by the local breed secretary. His parents were health tested. I was careful.

I feel like crying with shame, despair, sadness and pity for him. On the one hand he is a little comedian who loves a cuddle. on the other he is fear aggressive and resource guarding. There was no need for him to attack the pup today. This is new. This morning at 7am he met a 17 week old pup and was lovely with it. Just now he met a 7 month old cockerpoo and attacked it. Last week he attacked a pup that he'd previously been lovely with.

I just dont know how this will ever get better. I feel he's a disaster waiting to happen. We never have a relaxed walk now because I have lost trust in him as he eats poo and will resource guard to the point of biting, I already posted on here about when he ate a whole poo bag and i had to let him finish eating it. I have ordered a basketville muzzle which should arrive tomorrow, so after he is used to that, walks should be relaxed again. In the meantime i pick up other people's dogs' poo and pick up the full poo bags they leave behind them and their tissues and their rubbish, otherwise he will pick it up in a flash, run away, guard it and eat it. I dont always see it as sometimes people just throw it all, including nappies, in long grass and bushes.

Some days he is relaxed, and its like we have a real understanding, but those days are few and most  times its like he's shut off and in menace mode. My son adores him and is never anything other than perfect with him. in return he is growled at for even touching him sometimes.

He is bright: he can do a sit, wait and find on hand signals. He gets enough exercise and mental stimulation and play. I listen to his behaviour, i try to make his life less stressful.

But I feel very low today. I feel I'm living with a timebomb. I wrack my brain for triggers and reasons so i can pre-empt his behaviour but whatever his triggers and whatever my preventative measures, i dont see he will ever change. I will live on more and more eggshells. There are just so many issues. It seems that everything with him is a problem. i appreciate i sound self pitying and that it isn't his fault, and that possibly a lot of it is mine, but nonetheless, it is very hard sometimes. I see some of you posting on here about your dogs and how you enjoy them, and i ofren envy you, as my experience isn't like that.

hey some dogs are just like that- does not mean  you fluffed up . 
my first weimaraner was a trustworthy darling with everything - marvelous with puppies, kids, new experiences, people etc ... my second weimaraner reared exactly the same way was fear aggressive and sometimes plain aggressive- a wonderful dog with those she knew well but I did not trust her an inch with other dogs, kids, strangers etc .  I still loved her and she was a very special dog with a good life and a pleasure to be around.   

it just meant we made adjustments- muzzle on if off lead or couldn't maintain a distance from targets (ie crowded vet waiting room)  ok a shame as she liked to retrieve a ball but she could not be trusted- it was just her way.  she had many plus points-an utterly loyal friend, a cuddler, obedient (well once older lol)

grooming - in your shoes I would take him to a professional- dogs are often a hell of a lot more respectful of people they know less well.    scavenging- muzzle will stop that... running off- use a long line or extending lead while he is being a sod

I think if you do the above for the moment your stress levels will drop and when you are more relaxed because you know he physically cannot do all these horrible things he will relax and be nicer to be around. when you get upset- which you naturally will when he is being a git it will wind him up further. 

once the chaos of the pandemic is over you can get a behaviourist in to address his issues but for the moment just be easy on yourself- set him up to win not fail.  on a lead muzzled he cannot do many of these things and you will get  a break.   remember it is NOT all you- some of this is dog and some are harder then others. good luck

You really have my sympathies, having had my first reactive (fear) pup/dog 3 year's ago I honestly had no clue what one was.  There are some similarities with your boy although it does sound like you have more on your plate that I did.   Life for the past 18 months really has been one step forward and several back but things have really improved now and the low points were some of the lowest in my life and there have been times I have walked home in tears with the looks I have been given from dog owners.  You are doing the right thing in terms of breaking these issues down and removing his ability to do the things that are unacceptable e.g. the muzzle.    I am no way an expert, I have just learnt what works for my boy and I understand his triggers and avoid them and/or manage them.   I wonder if you have heard of a great facebook group called Reactive Dogs Uk, the trainers are professional, they are experienced at dealing with a lot of your problems and their advice is free.  They don't deal with resource guarding though and there is another facebook group that they tend to direct people to.   Such a pity you have lost your behaviourist but free prof advice is available.   It is so upsetting to see a puppy being set upon by your own dog.  At 10 months old mine pinned a pup down and aggressively snarled at its belly.  I thought maybe he would grow out of it but 8 months later exactly the same thing happened.  Lesson learned, he will never be off lead with puppies again.   Hopefully tomorrow you feel a bit better and stronger and keep going, this is not your fault, once I accepted my boy is what he is I found I was more able to make progress and I don't ever put him in the position where he will react.    As for the grooming, I think it might be a good idea to try a professional groomer, one who has dealt with difficult dogs before.

another plus- at least he is little... imagine me with 30kg of furious weimaraner playing up because she wants to kill neighbours little dog.. I got dragged into road, pulled over, all sorts before managed to install a STOP switch and she still wanted to and could not be trusted off lead unmuzzled. I swear its her that wrecked my knee (now badly arthritic) believe me it could be a hell of a lot worse. I know its hard when you see other peoples perfect pooches and its easy to get dispondent but he is sortable, the most quirky dogs often make up for their dreadful side by having other redeeming features the picture perfect pets never achieve.

If I hadn't had my other weimaraner first I would have been convinced it was all me but honestly sometimes it is not, my first weimaraner Jodie was not an 'easy' dog but she did not have the violent streak that my beloved Nell had. and she was beloved- for all her tricky nature she was a super dog, responsive, loving, easy round house, obedient (when older lol)

we now have a little whippet and its a relief to have a dog that likes other dogs and people, again raised same as other 2 but I'm not kidding myself that its all my doing that she is a good girl- it was already in her to like everyone-same as it was already in my lovely Nell to dislike most.

Just would like to add I wouldn't be letting him off lead at all if he is at risk of biting or attacking. Maybe hire a field where he can go to be let off but I would be using a long line for now with a harness so you have that control of him and work on recall back to you when he sees another dog or person

Totally agree with suejaw in all her comments
. I have a reactive dog when near other dogs  and she only comes off a lead in a secure field.that we use where noone else is there at the same time as us.
It allows her to have a good run and shuffle and us to relax .win win .
Google  dog fields there are more and more becoming available for not very much money for an hour

The first thing I would do is have a vet check him over. It could be he has an underlying health problem that is causing him pain and the growling is his way of telling you. Never ever tell him off for growling (not saying that you do) as that is his way of communicating that he isn't happy with a situation and if he is taught that growling is wrong then the only way he can communicate his discomfort is to step up the warning to another level which most certainly isn't what you want to do.

I too have a fearful dog. He is a rescue and was great with other dogs until he was leaped on several times by another dog that was out of control when my dog was on his lead and now he sees it that he has to warn off any other dog that might enter his space. He is a collie so very active. I was told to not walk him for several days to allow him to relax and not be on constant alert. Originally I thought that was a daft idea as I have always walked my dogs every day of the year, whatever the weather, and also do agility with them. But I tried it and did brain games with him instead at home for a couple of days and those tired him out just as well as physical exercise. When we went out for a walk after that he was far more relaxed and able to cope. I still miss a walk out if needed and never walk him the day following an agility session as he needs that time to relax and come down from his high. He loves agility so I decided to continue with that rather than stop it but make sure he has plenty of time afterwards to relax and destress before putting him in a situation where he feels he needs to be on the lookout for anything stressful.

I promise you that your dog won't suffer from not having a walk every single day although it is hard to get your mind around that concept when you have spent your life believing that your dogs need a walk every single day. For a fearful dog time out can make a huge difference. I am not sure if we are allowed to mention other groups on here but I belong to a fb group called Reactive Dogs UK and they have brilliant advice and even more important is the support from other owners that makes you realise you are  not alone with the problems and difficulties that are involved with owning a reactive dog. Apologies if I am not allowed to put that on here but I think it is incredibly important to get the right help for both owner and dog.

Thank you all so very much for your incredibly kind and helpful replies. I have read them all and will respond in full later. but I wanted you all to know I have read and taken on board what you have said.
XX

> I didn't buy him from a BYB, his breeder came from a breeder will known in the show ring and recommended by the local breed secretary. His parents were health tested. I was careful.

It happens, sometimes.  My malinois is well bred, from health tested parents with good temperaments.  Her breeder was a positive reinforcement trainer too, as am I (and a behaviourist).  But she still has major behavioural issues anyway (which are why she's here), which mean lifelong micromanagement from me, and avoiding the entire world when we're out to prevent those issues from getting permanently worse (which happens with each and every bad encounter she has, which can be something as small as a dog looking at her).  She's just not wired right.

I wonder how common it is for pups to have brain damage if whelping takes a long time or there are complications?

My boy has always been a bit of a weirdo, a lovely sweet boy and very affectionate but with some odd behaviours at times. Is it due to him being stuck behind a stillborn pup or down to being elsewhere between eight and ten weeks (he went to a family with young children to begin with). He does like routine and loves our three Goldie girls, but isn’t keen on dogs he hasn’t met before especially if they run towards him at speed. I find I’m constantly on the alert for new dogs, but if they mind their own business he minds his. I had to be quite assertive yesterday when a particular dog and bloke came on the field - they always make a beeline for us and I wish they wouldn’t, it’s exactly the scenario my boy hates. He’s four now and we’ve ironed out most of his little weirdnesses but this one persists. I should add I take him to shows and ringcraft class where he mixes with other dogs no problem. Perhaps he just doesn’t like ill mannered dogs!

I wonder how common it is for pups to have brain damage if whelping takes a long time or there are complications?

Not about pups but over 40 yrs ago we had a common or garden moggie that had a litter of kittens.
All well till they were about 6-7 weeks old when they got what turned out to be very mild cat-flu, all seemed to get over it and 6 of the 7 went off to new homes, we kept the one the kids chose.
As he got older he was a bit slow and ended up being somewhat 'dim' about most things ............ how many 4 yr old entire toms would happily lie on their back in a dolls pram with a sleeping bag on? he also got seen off from a place in front of the fire by a leveret that I reared after it came up with the spuds on a harvesting machine I was working on
Physically he looked and grew normally and lived till he was about 15.

I think the mild brain damage scenario is probably more common than you’d think, it would certainly make sense that a delayed birth would lead to a pup being starved of oxygen.

I’m sorry that you’re not enjoying your boy, have you spoken to his breeder about the situation ?
I always have my dogs neutered, but I think I’ve read somewhere that some males get a bit of a complex after neutering and feel a bit less ‘manly’ so are on the defensive all the time. I hope someone with  knowledge of this will come along and mention it.
Have you ever taken him to a groomer ? Sometimes a different face and place can make the difference. You’d have to explain the circumstances though.
When I groom my poodle I give tiny pieces of cheese throughout, as mine doesn’t enjoy it but the cheese makes the difference. Also, mine hates having her feet done and I now never trim her nails. Mine growls when I do her front legs and tail. I know I’ve snagged the hair on her tail once and she screamed like only a poodle can !  Mine has a very long memory and anything that has hurt her in the past she is fearful of. On one of her first puppy walks, 8 years ago, she fell down a grid and has never walked over any type of metal grid in the road or pavement since !
What does he resource guard in the house ?
Mine chases our postman  on his bike as she defends our house from him, and as a consequence any bike gets her going,
Not all dogs like puppies, they seem to find  them too bouncy and in your face. Just keep him away from them.
It sounds like you might be getting there. The muzzle should help a lot and keep practising the distraction technique.
My girl isn’t a cuddly dog, she doesn’t like being stroked when sleeping and will growl to warn us. She frequently growls if we pick her up as she doesn’t want to be picked up. I think that’s ok, she basically wants leaving alone until she wants attention !
I don’t think this is your fault, I think some of this is in him from birth and I understand that you’re frustrated that you’ve not got the dog you dreamed of. My girl isn’t the dog I dreamed of either, she’s VERY nervous and a real pain in the car. She won’t settle in the car, barks excessively and tries to get on my knee when I’m driving. We thought, before we got her, that we’d take her on family holidays to Cornwall, but there’s no chance of that. She’s not the dog we wanted, she’s the dog we got.
Like others have said , keep him on a long line in the park, and I prefer a harness as you can always grab them by the back of it in an emergency. Some  people use a harness and collar, and attach them somehow as it gives greater control.
Keep going and good luck.

Can I just add with long lines they need to be attached to a harness not a collar . This is because if the dog does shoot off the chances of it hurting the dogs neck and leading to serious issues is very high .
Any  damage doesn't always show until far later

I really feel for you. Check your insurance to see if you are covered for behaviour work. In your shoes I would be seeking help from a veterinary behaviourist as soon as possible. I think you need to exclude any medical issues as well as get an experienced eye as to any behavioural pathologies. As others have suggested, he may not be wired right, and a vet behaviourist is probably best placed to give holistic assessment and advise on medication to support treatment, if suitable. I don’t know where you live but you could see if the small animal behaviour clinics at either Lincoln or RCV Potters Bar are offering anything at the moment.

I don’t know if your current behaviourist is a clinical animal behaviourist (CAB) but that is the minimum standard you need for something like this. Check the CAB registers of the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (abtcouncil.org.uk) Many behaviourists are offering remote help and that is not as daft as it might sound.

(Just tagging on to the last post.) This is such a sad thread. Not just the original poster, but St Domingo too. I waited 50 years to get my Miniature Poodle and she's hands down the most amazing dog I've ever had. Loves everyone, everything, and everyone who meets her fall in love with her. Even those who never thought they'd like a Poodle. She adores being cuddled and comes running if I hold my arms open. I have never heard her growl in her entire life. Yesterday she had a litter of 4 week old puppies of a different breed literally hanging from her ears and all she did was wag her tail.

Looking at this sad issue from a breeder's point of view -have you spoken to the breeder? I once had a litter of my large breed, and that one litter was a disaster. A few of the pups were absolutely fine, but the rest were anything but. With hindsight I should have realised something was wrong when the pups were backing away from people at just 3 weeks of age, but I had several very experienced breeders/exhibitors/judges visit and they all said not to worry about it. It was only my third litter. Most of them died before they were 10. Epilepsy, cancer, one of the two we had to keep just died in his sleep, and one had to be put down as his fear aggression eventually became so bad that he bit the "wrong" person. Yet NONE of the owners had done anything wrong at all. These pups just weren't normal. Needless to say I made sure none were bred on from etc. But I felt so guilty all along, felt so bad for these poor owners. The pups that had no problems are still alive, currently aged 12. All the buyers were fantastic, nobody blamed me, but I will always feel bad about it. Two of the owners that lost their dogs (the others that died were owned by us) I gave a free puppy to even though it was 5 and 6 years later. I felt it was the only decent thing to do, and I'm happy to say both these pups turned out to be absolutely what their owners had hoped for. I'm not saying all breeders SHOULD do that, I'm just saying that to me it was the right thing to do, and any good, caring breeder will want to know of any serious behaviour problems so that they can act accordingly and do their best to prevent it from happening again.

As for the grooming, there has to be a good groomer somewhere willing to help. Maybe the breeder?? If it was my dog, I would keep the coat clipped as short as possible all the time. Essentially just have a topknot and the ears. There's then basically nothing that needs grooming, and you can start getting the dog to accept being groomed when there is very little chance of it hurting. Not have any hair long enough to mat! Then start with just a soft brush for a few seconds with big rewards.

I do agree about a veterinary behaviourist as well and indeed Lincoln university is excellent, but that's the only one I have personal experience with.

Great post Goldmali. Just as with people, some dogs can for various reasons develop mental health issues and this sounds beyond the scope of your average vet or behaviourist, you need a specialist.  If your dog had a complex physical condition you may well get referred on (Fitzpatrick for example) the same applies here, it does not sound as though your dog falls within the 'normal' range of behaviour issues and it is not good for you or him to be consumed with guilt and stress. I really hope you get specialist advice soon. Your vet will need to refer you.

> If it was my dog, I would keep the coat clipped as short as possible all the time. Essentially just have a topknot and the ears. There's then basically nothing that needs grooming, and you can start getting the dog to accept being groomed when there is very little chance of it hurting. Not have any hair long enough to mat! Then start with just a soft brush for a few seconds with big rewards.

Fully agree although speaking as the groomer of a dog who was banned from all the other groomers for biting, I wouldn't even leave the topknot and ears.  Everything off so there's no chance at all of any knots forming that could be caught with a brush or comb.  Then you've got a clean slate and you can take however long he needs.  Or indeed not worry about brushing him at all and just keep him clipped totally all the time, which is what we do for my client's dog.

Thank you and sorry for the belated reply.

You have all covered a lot of areas. I just wanted to add:

1. Groomer. I have an appointment for Tuesday, short back and sides! She sounds great and has 30 years' experience, has several poodles and has had one just like my dog (who is called 'Raffi') so knows about biters and difficult dogs. We will go for extremely short all over except a slightly longer topknot and ears and tail - he is actually fine with these areas, he doesn't like it but I can manage those bits. But he really needs attention for the knotted bits under his elbows and thighs and belly that I cant get at. and nails.

I really hope that we ave found a kind, sensible firm groomer who will get the job done. he wont like it whether the groomer muzzles him or not, and it is now essential.
.
2. Vet. They havent been taking non-urgent appointments until next week, so hopefully I can get him booked in for sedated ear plucking. I have been treating an irritation/redness with steroid drops for 7 days, so hopefully everything's settled down now.

3. Health. He has been checked. Vet found nothing and I think is of the opinion that Raffi is very intelligent and I havent handled him correctly. That being said he yanked out a clump of ear hair the last time we were there and I couldn't get near Raffi for ages. So that wont happen again. BUT: Raffi has very sensitive stomach and the behaviourist did ask me about Guardia (if that it) and I had thought about that, read about it and thought he doesn't have the symptoms. He was very skinny prior to neutering and now he eats everything and is not so skinny. AND the lest time we saw the vet he mentioned that Raffi's eyes are very light reflective and said after lockdown we should see the optician, as if he isn't seeing well this might account for some behaviour. His parents were checked for eye diseases and are clear, so I cannot imagine what this might be. I have long suspected that Raffi doesn't see well in the dark. Yet more vet fees.

4. Behaviourist. We were referred to her through the vet. She has the appropriate qualifications and is doing further training. I also asked Bristol university if they would consider seeing him (they have a specialist department) but they wont take him for free and they are enormously expensive, plus its a distance, I dont drive, it would be a very long train journey which would make him anxious in any event. I did also consult a few potential behaviourists, people who were recommended by well-meaning friends, etc, but I didn't let them near Raffi.

5. Lead. We use a long lead when we play balls with him (we use 2, long story). He is extremely focussed on the balls and nothing distracts him. When I read that ball-throwing increases adrenalin I stopped this and walked him around the streets instead, or threw treats for him to find, but this didn't work for us. He really became difficult, and I would say frustrated and quite angry and resentful. I reinstated this with a long lead (as he wouldn't let me put him back on the lead) and this is one of the few things that does work. He just loves it. he comes in exhausted, drinks, sleeps. I saw the vet about 1 week after I reinstated the balls, and the vet asked me what id done, as Raffi seemed so much calmer and more manageable. Also, I reinstated on behaviourists advice, and she also suggested the long lead.

The triggers for us are the times I take him on the park without balls. he is very friendly with a couple of dogs (from a huge working lab to a miniature dachshund) and he loves to run and wrestle with a cockerpoo bitch. They both get very exited and this is where there is the potential for him to chase someone who is walking across the park, or a dog he doesn't know. I am cutting out these times but its such a shame because he really loves running with this little dog. They are truly 'joyful', just so happy to be alive. Raffi is happy with smaller dogs, behaves differently if big dogs come along, stands on the periphery looking into space. I just bring him in now when this happens.

The park is where most of his bad behaviour happens and the behaviourist and I discussed this at length. I cannot avoid it as its like my garden. But if there are lots of dogs/people/kids we bring him in to avoid issues. we dont have a garden but a courtyard. So we need to take him outside. However, I am cutting out the long walks except maybe at weekends. I have replaced the long walks with another session of playing with balls. This isn't just endless running, we play hide and seek and also just let him lie down playing with the balls. we dont let him have these balls inside the house, so they remain just for that use.

6. Muzzle - it is here. now I need to get him used to it.

7. Breeder input. They are responsible but they are not behaviourists and I havent asked for their opinion since Raffi tried to bite me when he was 5 months old, and they said to castrate immediately as Raffi thought he was in charge and didn't accept my leadership. I cant blame them (for their attitude not their ideas) because as far as they are concerned they sold me a perfectly happy, outgoing pup that they said was a blank slate and would be what I made him.

8. Genetics. yes, well. His mum was a bit skittish, but friendly. But the breeder told me he'd only ever had one dog returned because it had growled and snapped at a child in the family who was autistic (breeder suspected there had been some rough play). he said they didn't have any growers in their dogs. He immediately picked up the pup and she went on to be very successful in the ring. This is Raffi's maternal aunt.

9. Neutering. I knew it was a risk as some of the behaviours were already apparent, but I really do not believe I had a choice. He had a retained testicle so that had to come out, but even if the vet would have agreed to take just the retained testicle, the real problem was the excess bitching which would have continued and I really believed he would have ended up under a lorry. He was OBSESSED. and around here, people just walk their bitches in season. One man with an in-season bitch told me that it was my problem not his. And his behaviour has worsened, without a doubt. But in my view it was alive and snappy, or dead and dead. It wasn't a decision taken lightly and I delayed as long as I could. I never wanted to neuter, and wouldn't recommend it unless it is essential.

Now? It had really helped me to realise that I am not the only one, and that I am not solely responsible for Raffi's temperament. I understand now that I have to micromanage his life to avoid triggers as far as I can. Some areas he is getting better at - barking at every person we walk past (that gets old really quickly). his aggression to pups increases and I wonder if it is because they are new on the park?

Thanks,

BD

sorry I forgot to ad that regards a harness, yes, I agree, we need one. I went to the pet shop to get one just before lockdown but this is one of his snapping triggers - the closure, either velcro or plastic clip. in fact, it was this that led him to try to bite me at 5 months. I tried all the harness in the shop and all the closures upset him to the point of snapping.

Velco isn't suitable as the sound lasts a long time and the sensation of being tightly enclosed is worse for him that a short sharp 'click'. The risky part will be taking it on and off.

Any ideas?

DB

decent collar maker could make you a small leather harness with buckles- he sounds very sound sensitive so may well much prefer the quieter action of a buckle.  dare say will be a bit dear but he is fully grown and leather would last for life.

The one thing that stands out for me in all of that is the sensitive gut.  Gut health can have a HUGE impact on behaviour.  In fact just this morning I read an excerpt from a report of a dog with serious aggression issues that were completely resolved with diet (and flared again with changes to it), and I've known of other cases too.  Even though he seems better, it could still be playing a role.

Also, what exactly did the vet check when they didn't find anything?  It is entirely possible that something has been missed.  I've seen it happen numerous times and on top of that, dogs can be born in pain and it not be discovered for some time - that happened with one of mine.  Because it's there from the start, it's part of normal life so can be extremely hard to identify.  My dog's only symptom was charging at and bullying strange dogs, and it stopped overnight when she went on painkillers for a disc issue at 6 years old.  The other issue was a spinal deformity that was found accidentally on the MRI that found the disc.

With a complex case like him, although you've already got what sounds like excellent help, I'd be inclined to get in touch with Sarah Fisher of Tilley Farm if you can - she's a TTouch practitioner, highest level and her knowledge of dogs and observing behaviour, body language, looking for any discomfort at the subtlest level is incredible.  Second to none.  She may be able to give more insights into what's going on with him or suggest some TTouch techniques to help.  It's a very subtle, gentle approach, but the results can be amazing.

Also not seeing well when it's darker -classic PRA. If parents just had normal eye testing as opposed to DNA it is possible for the pup to still develop it. You can get a DNA test done yourself for £40, I've just sent one off for my Poodle. It's very easy.
https://www.petgeneticslab.co.uk/products/single-health-tests-dog?variant=20510158291014

Regards health check, this was a while ago now so I cant remember exactly what we did, but there weren't any tests, just discussion and examination of belly and joints, spine, neck etc. He has also been examined while sedated, so his feet examined because he bites them sometimes (I dont believe this is yeast as we have a specialist shampoo and even when I bathed he still did it). When we get an appointment for sedated ear plucking I will discuss with the vet. I will look into the T touch but I am not sure we have anyone local - I did look into this before.

However, his ears are always a problem so I wonder if he is constantly irritated by his ears - hairs growing inside, tickling/itching, the heat building up, infections, etc. we have a regime of washing with Otodine and wiping, and cutting hair away from outer ear, but its a constant job to keep it under control.

Regards his stomach, yes, this has always been a problem too. After a lot of trial and error he seems OK with his current diet of working dog kibble mixed with Butchers Tripe. I think we need to address his treats though, and I will get something he can tolerate which isn't full of junk. BUT his teeth are filthy. i dont feed him junk and his teeth should be clean on what he eats but I dont think he drinks as much as he should. i cant use the teeth cleaning additive to water as he just doesn't drink at all.

Regards DNA testing, thank you for that link. I believe his parents were actually DNA tested.

Regards the harness, I hadn't thought of a leather harness with a traditional buckle and that seems a good idea. I have found one made by Hunter (has crystals which isn't really Raffi's thing and he may get embarrassed) and is available on Amazon, but I am still looking. The other was by Ruffwear which had a plastic snap clip which fastens at the top and not side - I think this may help, as he doesn't have any issues with his snap click collar.

On our early walk this am, he was great, only barked at someone who took him by surprise, he wasn't too spooked by sudden noises (he doesn't like these) and wasn't bothered by lots more people being on the streets. he is sweet and gentle so far. For the last 2 nights I have let him sleep outside his crate (I dont like this as he can get destructive with his claws by digging) but he slept great (dont know where) and so did I - no crying in the night. So this is our new pattern - i leave his crate open and cover up the sofa and let him sleep where he wants.

phew.

i think his tummy issues need to be investigated and i will discuss with vet.

Thanks BD

a great chew treat I give my whippet (and is tooth cleaning) are dried rabbit ears.  very healthy, low fat, no junk.  I prefer the ones without fur as the fur makes an appalling mess and I'm not too fond of having to vacuum every time give a treat.  I also like the cows hoofs- unfilled- as those too are good tooth cleaners and last ages

I use a meckuti harness which clips on the back .they also have a return policy where u can try it for a couple of weeks and ff  doesn't suit return a f getfull refund
I like ot because unlike many harnesses it has a d ring in the front a d side which stops pulling and gives u gentle control .also a long line clips to it

I have used
Perfect Fit harnesses on several rescue dogs that have problems & they are very helpful to get a good fit & have plastic clips.

Thank you Ann and furriefriends for the links, but I think these wont suit us as they both fasten at the side and that is one of his triggers and although I initially thought we might get away with a walk-in harness with a clip at the middle of the shoulders (i.e.behind his head) I am not so sure now.

I am leaning towards the leather one with a buckle by Hunter.

Goldmail, I have just checked the Kennel Club website and he shows as being DNA hereditary clear for prcd-PRA. So, does that mean that it isn't in his DNA and he cannot get it?

the vet said one eye was more affected than the other.

DB

> However, his ears are always a problem so I wonder if he is constantly irritated by his ears - hairs growing inside, tickling/itching, the heat building up, infections, etc. we have a regime of washing with Otodine and wiping, and cutting hair away from outer ear, but its a constant job to keep it under control.

Very possible.  I worked with a poodle year before last who had constantly itchy ears and when I finally got the owners to get him on steroid drops from the vet, he was transformed - his reactivity just fell away to minimal, after months of very slow progress.  I've seen similar improvements in other dogs when chronic ear problems were addressed.

For your guy again, that takes me back to his diet as repeated ear problems are often an indication of food sensitivities, even when things appear to be stable otherwise.  Likewise chewing of feet (but this can be pain related too).  Have you ever run a full exclusion diet with him?

Nikita, no I havent. what does that entail?

I have tried lots of foods because he used to be very fussy prior to neutering and was skinny. Now he eats everything so I have no issues there.

I feed a working dog kibble (lamb and rice)  and a wet topper (Butcher's Tripe). These foods are working.  I know about the link with yeast and ears and I tried to go grain free but those kibbles had lots of potato and he became wired on that, especially sweet potato. He has a very sensitive stomach and gets diarrhoea very easily.

I cant do raw as (1) I dont have a freezer and (2) whenever I have given him bits of raw food (i.e. chicken or beef) he gets an upset tummy.

In my experience, he is sensitive to chicken and beef. I give him a daily YouDigest tablet. I also give him bits of cheese and its of tuna if I open a tin. I sometimes replace Butchers TRipe with sardines but have stopped as the smell in his long face hair is just awful!

He came to me from the breeder on a Purina Puppy which I changed as soon as I could to a better quality food.

He is a typical poodle - any upset at all comes out as diarrhoea.

BD

My poodle doesn’t get diarrhoea !!
And I’d be careful of cheese, it can be an allergen.

Have you as,Ed the groomer if she plucks ears ?
I can’t stress enough how important it is that you keep his ears hair free. It has been known to cause terrible trouble in poodles and they used to do an awful operation to ‘cure’ the problem.

Was he better on Purina ?
If he’s better on a poorer quality food I’d be inclined to feed it.

Goldmail, I have just checked the Kennel Club website and he shows as being DNA hereditary clear for prcd-PRA. So, does that mean that it isn't in his DNA and he cannot get it?

Yes that is correct so that's good news.

> Nikita, no I havent. what does that entail?

You feed a novel protein, or sometimes half/half novel protein and novel starch, for a minimum of 6-8 weeks to allow any food-based reactions to stop.  Then you slowly reintroduce foods one at a time to look for reactions, so you can establish exactly what his triggers are.  It can be done with cooked rather than raw, as long as the foods used have never been eaten before, to minimise the chance of the dog reacting to them.  It allows you to establish exactly what his triggers are with no variables (e.g. "I think it might be chicken but this kibble also has soybean, beet, yeast, rice etc in it...".  Treats can be made out of the foods you use.

It's a slow process and with lower level reactions, it can take longer - I've done it twice and for my boy, who gets grubby, itchy ears as one of his reactions, I actually missed one of his triggers because it builds very slowly for him (turkey).  One day I'd suddenly realised that it was probably a trigger for the other dog I'd done the diet for at the same time, and so I removed it from both their diets and his ears finally cleared up completely.

Some people do exclusion diets using hydrolyzed protein kibble as their novel food but I do not believe this is actually suitable for fully identifying all triggers - there are too many ingredients and I know from experience that dogs can react to anything (including kibble itself, as my other dog did).

I'm right now planning my next one for my dobermann, as I think he may have some subtler sensitivities that I've possibly not identified that could be driving his energy and arousal levels.  I did a kibble based one when he first arrived, putting him on salmon and rice to remove beef and chicken as possible triggers as he'd been fed on cheap crap, and he is indeed allergic to beef.  But I want to check rice, as some things make him hyperactive and he's never not been on that in some form, as far as I know.

UPDATE
We saw the vet optician today and although there is no PRA or PRA-related conditions, or cataracts, he does have an issue with his optic nerve myelin sheath - this is far thinner than normal, only 60% of what it should be, which means he has 40% damage. The myelin sheath facilitates nerve messages from eye to brain (I think, all a bit of a blur.) Optician thinks his vision is very possibly blurry and out of focus -we dont know how badly affected his vision is. But acuity in poor light will be down, and that accords with my experience of him at night. She also said that she sees this a lot in small dogs and they are almost always the nervous ones with behavioural issues. She said it tends to be more of an issue in the more intelligent breeds 'who think' and that in the less intelligent breeds they are more laid back about it. The vets have emailed the behaviourist so she knows and can fit into our plan. Obviously this will be part of his behaviour/nervousness issues. He also has some long hairs growing into his eye and quite a lot of hair close to his eyes which will be removed under sedation on Monday. Lots of lashes growing close to the eye but not entropian (I had had this checked previously). Vet said to use eye wetting drops to make his eye liquid thicker (although there isn't an issue with that) and that should help with the hair that gets into his eyes. However, she said the hairs are very fine and unpleasant rather than painful - but I think I wouldn't like it.

We saw the groomer yesterday and he looks fantastic, short all over apart from ears, tail and topknot. Nails trimmed and ears trimmed but not plucked, which was pre-agreed as we are having ears plucked by vet under sedation on Monday. It is too traumatising for the ears to be plucked while awake, as the hair is deep inside the ear and inaccessible to a groomer. The groomer said he was very well behaved, and they'd had lots of cuddles. She and her husband raved about him, which was nice. He didn't bite but did growl, and she just talked to him. Now the matts have gone he no longer protects his sides and belly.

It looks like poor little Raff has been dealt a tough hand, what with his ears and eyes.

BD

Well done for all you have done and are doing 
having a tricky dog with ear issues myself  that we think caused her behaviour issues around other dogs I know how hard it is too manage everything

What a lovely update. Not that the eyesight is poor obviously, but that you now have answers, an action plan, and a well groomed dog that behaved well at the groomers! Well done on getting it all sorted out!

You sound much more positive.  He's a very lucky boy to have you.