Hi does anybody out there have any ideas why my springer spaniel dog of about 6 and half years old , all of a sudden flares up for no reason at all and gets very aggressive and can snarl and bite his eyes go red with rage, he is very well bred and has a very good pedigree and comes from a well known gun dog breeder, he seems to be always like this when its coming up to a full moon , but can be ok for weeks and weeks then bang off he goes. It could be a change in the weather that triggers it too I have no idea , does anybody know if Springers are prone to licking where Foxes have urinated when marking territory or matting at this time of year , he will persist in trying to do this time and time again , but I don't let him do it if I can stop him . I wonder if anyone can help me please with this problem , he was my late mother and fathers dog and was always very obedient and friendly as he is most of the time with me and my family now , my brother had him for a while but he didn't have any time for the dog and had him swimming in the river every day no matter how cold it was , but he never dried him properly, Ive often wondered  if he was hitting ( Beating ) the dog. I have also wonder if he could have arthritis but I don't see any signs of this at all, he flared up this morning after being out before 8 and then for no reason, and he bit me near the elbow, I love the dog very much and don't want to have him put to sleep, can anyone help me please I just don't know what to do to stop this behavior, I also have a young springer bitch of just under twelve months and two Jack russels a dog and bitch of the same age, but we keep them away from him. These other dogs are kept away from him because of this bad nature , but he gets on ok with the springer bitch pup we walk them together.

The Vet examined him last year when he had his booster and said he was fine, I'm afraid I'm at a loss with him .

Regards
            Steve

Did he have this behaviour when he was with your parents or did it start since you took him on? If it's started recently, I would go back to the vet - something has to be wrong to make him change in behaviour. If he's always been like that, it could be bad breeding or socialisation, or it could still be something medical that has never been diagnosed, but the experts will be able to advise better - good luck!

Would definatly take him to the vet, any change in behaviour should be investigated.

Aggression can often be the result of pain.  He could have chronic ear infection, painful joints, going deaf or blind, have thyroid dysfunction (a very common cause of unexplained aggression).

Hi,

I would get him to the vets asap and ask for bloods to be done if the vet doesn't find anthing obvious.  Lots of health problems cause behavioural changes. 

Hi,

I would get him to the vets asap and ask for bloods to be done if the vet doesn't find anthing obvious.  Lots of health problems cause behavioural changes.  It also sounds like he's had a bit of a confusing time lately, if the health tests come back clear I would enlist the help of a reputable behaviourist to help figure out what is going on and in the meantime make sure he isn't left alone around any one vulnerable.  I hope he is ok.

I agree would also take him to the vet for investigations.

the http://www.sesss.org/ have a good website with some insight into what problems springers can have.

gets very aggressive and can snarl and bite his eyes go red with rage

he seems to be always like this when its coming up to a full moon , but can be ok for weeks and weeks then bang off he goes. 

Oh dear, if I didn't know better I would say werewolf. :-)

But seriously, I agree with everyone else, I know that our vets give a check over when our dogs get their annual booster, but it is not really very thorough, they do ask us and expect us to tell them of any problems if we don't they do not really look for anything.

If you tell your vet about the rage and it happening every few weeks or so he will have a better idea of what to look for, it may even perhaps be neurological. A behaviourist will also be able to do little tests to see if anything in particular is triggering the behaviour if it proves not to be medical.

Springers love swimming in the winter by the way, they just have a good run around to warm up again. :-)

I don't know if you've already thought of this, but have you considered keeping a diary for a while?? Put in exactly what he ahs to eat and drink, the weather, what exercise etc, and see if you can build up a picture that way??

would also help a vet to try and diagnose.....

hope you get to the bottom of it :)

Aren't springers prone to 'rage' syndrome?  I don't know if they get it with age or whether it effects them from a pup, but I think they are one of the breeds vulnerable to it.

> Aren't springers prone to 'rage' syndrome?&nbsp; I don't know if they get it with age or whether it effects them from a pup, but I think they are one of the breeds vulnerable to it. <

Think that is solid cockers.

Thanks for your comments about my dog Ben, I think the dog may have started after my father passed away, and then my mother, he then came to live with us ,but had been looked after by my brother for a while before he came ,he then became strange for a while when we first got him and he would not go in to his bed at all.

Thanks very much for your comments and help

Regards
           Steve

Hi Thanks for your comments about My Dog Ben, he does not show any signs of pain or ear infection, or any other conditions, I am beginning to think that you and other people could be right and it could be his thyroid, or some other cause inside ie tumor,

Thanks again for your comments and help

Regards
            Steve

Hi there everyone and thanks for the comments and help with Ben , its a strange one this is and I must get to the bottom of the problem, I myself have Arthritis Bad but don't see any signs of it in Ben,
People may laugh at your comments about werewolf, but sometimes it seems that way.

Anyway I would like to thank everyone for their help in trying to sort this out.

Thanks again everyone, and please feel free to comment any time.

Regards
            Steve

Yes 'rage' is known more in cockers, never heard of it in springers but I suppose it's possible, after all they are related breeds. I would go down all the other vet and behaviour routes before suspecting that though.

Rage does seem to being found in some springer lines as well now.  There are thoughts that rage is some kind of epilepsy.  Rage really comes out of the blue though with no warnings and then when it is over the dog seems unaware that anything has happened.  Just also to say that dogs are very good at hiding pain, and sometimes the only clues they give are behavioural changes.  I've known dogs to have broken legs and all sorts and it's been days before owners have known.  Dogs are a lot more stoical than us.