I have an 18 month old bitch, she has been spayed, has a lovely home, is fed well etc... but, she has recently been showing a nasty side to her nature and has been snapping at me, particularly when she is groomed. Have you got any suggestions please on what to do with her as I am running out of ideas and am getting quite concerned as I am hoping to have children in the future and don't think that I could trust her with a small child. pleas help..... Donna x x

Hi Guest
I would start by simply removing her from the room every time she snaps.Shut her somewhere e.g. garden and ignore her.I would also start to reinforce my dominance by making sure I went through all doors first,not allowing her on furniture,making her wait for her food etc...It wouldn't do any harm to do some obedience training aswell since this is teaching her to obey commands and respect you.JMHO.
Hope things work out,Archer

Give her a good check over to make sure she hasn't got any sore spots etc. Does she go for you at any other time. If she hasn't got any tender areas and she snaps at you again get hold of her by the neck and give her a shake and in a growl voice say 'no' the second she stops tell 'what a good girl'.b She may well growl again be ready for it and immediately do it again as necessary remembering to growl 'no'. What ever you do don't say don't do that 'theres a good girl' that condones the growl.

If the behavour change is, in your opinion, very sudden, (it's not quite clear from your post) then I would suggest a vet check, as any personality change esp. overnight often indicates a medical problem.

Once that is sorted, and she has been given a clean bill of health, ask yourself what is happening exaclty when she snaps. If she didn'tused to do it, then what has changed? Is she under any sort of stress (family arguments, etc.....)

If you feel it is mainly the grooming, then it is possible that it is hurting her - she may have a very low physical threshold and find beign groomed almost unbearable. I'm no expert on grooming, but my Terv as a pup couldn't bear being groomed, until I switched to a rubber brush from The Company of Animals, then she was fine. AS she grew she soon learnt that she got a toy reward if she stood for grooming (and i was very careful I didn't pull hairs etc or try to pull out tangles by pulling her skin) and she now accepts a slicker and various other brushes incluing the pin brush which was the original cause of the problem.

You do say she snaps at other times; could it be that, as an example, you have told her off for say, snapping during grooming, and then you use the same mannerisms and she reacts by snapping as she feels threatened? If so then it reallly is the grooming that needs to be looked at, as it is the cause of the problem.

If you cannot work out what is happening and you are verh worried, consider getting advice from a reputable behaviourist.

Good luck

Lindsay

Two possibilities.

One/ If it has gradually built up it could be that at 18 months old she is just beginning to exert her dominance. Be a little firmer! Be careful not to hurt her teasing out any little tangle but dont accept a show of temper!

Two/ If it is as sudden as your post tends to indicate then a trip to the vets may well be in order. Dogs do not "Suddenly" change their nature without some reason.

Regards, John

Thank you all very much for your advice, I think a trip to the vets is required just to be on the safe side! Donna x x