Hi everyone I am new here and looking for advice i have been coming here now for a few weeks just reading the boards and picking up advice along the way :-).
I have a 4 month old scottie (Mac) he has settled in nicely just has few mad 30 mins here there where he tears round the house and everyone has to watch there ankles espically my 3 year old son as the dog tend to jump at him, but i find after this mad 30 mins a couple of times a day he seem miserable he lays in the corner hiding preferring not to go in his bed even when i try to get him intersted in play alot of the time he doesnt want to.
When my friend brings his dog round to play with Mac he is like a different dog he comes alive tail wagging and generally happy and when we are out on walks and he want to play with other dog after and intial growl from Mac so i was wondering should we get another dog (bitch) and what breed of dog would be suited to Mac and my family.
I have 2 young children aged 5 and 3 and a cat all advice will be of a great help
Thanks

Hi Dukey,

Congrats on your Scottie, my friend has a Scottie and they are definately cheeky!!

I wouldn't recomend you get another dog until yours is at least 1 year old and under good control. Two pups together is not easy and they will often bond better with each other, than with you and they take twice the time for training and socialising.

Can I ask what do you feed? I am wondering if the mad moments are connected with the food and sometimes dogs have even been known to be depressed on some of the "cheaper" and "lesser quality" brands, because they don't give them a good balance of nutrition.

I know of lots of dogs and puppies who were fed the "poor quality" brands, who changed completely when fed a better quality, additive free food. They had much more life (not the mad 30 mins sort of life :) ), and were a happier dog, but didn't go crazy once or twice a day, their coat and general well being also improved and they went to the loo less...always a good thing :D

manda
X

Hi Manda
I feed Mac on James wellbeloved puppy complete he seems to enjoy it, but if can get to the cats food he will shovel it down in one go :-).
I can't understand why seems he so miserable i have taken him to the vets he has been checked over and healthy, he is never left on his own, only for a short time in the morning about 40 mins max when i take the kids to school and nursery rest of the time he comes everywhere with us out in the car or for a little walks and even visiting the family.
Do you think he can sense my son has special needs and that why he is subduded when Mac has his mad 30 mins he jumps and growls at my son never growls at anyone else in family, he does growl at strangers on walks but it is an intial growl then he seems fine the same with other dogs an intial growl then he wants to be off and play...???
Any other advice would be great thanks Dukey

Hi Dukey,

James Wellbeloved is a good food, no additives there, but I bet your cat food is meat and full of lovely tasty sugar and additives. This could well be making your pup mad!!!

Do you give him time on his own to sleep and relax? Puppies who get overtired often get moody or naughty. maybe you are taking him around too much and not letting him have time out to sleep and grow.

I wouldn't think his behaviour has anything to do with your special needs son, but dogs can often tell when there is something different about people. What position was he in the litter, ie. was he the bold one who bullied all the other pups, or was he the quiet one who sat back?

Maybe he feels that he is higher up the pack than your son and is trying to bully him.

It does seem very strange that he looks depressed, but if a dog isn't sure of it's place in the pack (both human and canine) it can confuse them and they don't feel secure, maybe he is worrying about this. Do you give him his own bed and keep him confined sometimes in his own area? Does he sleep with you or even on the bed? Do you eat first, or feed him first in the evening? Do you play tuggy games and always let him win?

manda
X

Hi Manda
Mac was one of the quite ones who sat at the back my husband chose him, He has a crate with his bed and toys in it which is in the dining room but he also likes to sleep in the cats house, the door is left open to the living room so he can come and go as he pleases.
Mac gets fed in a morning after the kids have eaten there breakfast but he doesnt always eat it all so i put it away till lunch time he gets fed again in the evening after everyone else has eaten.
He goes for a couple of walks a day just round the local area getting him use to other dogs, people and traffic after his walk he sleeps for a couple hours.
When i said he is with us all the time i meant he wasnt left on his own for hours in the house if we are going out and going to be out a couple of house we like to take him so he isnt on his own in the house he usually sleeps while we are driving in the car when we go to family he will settle down in a corner and rest after he has had a good nosey about :-). Maybe I am thinking he is miserable because he isnt bounding about all the time like you say he may just need his rest. He doesnt growl as much at my son he tends to growl when he is having his mad 30 mins or my son is running round.
Dukey

Fogot to add about the tugg of war games sometimes he will growl if i try to take his ball out of this mouth in the garden and sometimes with his rope but this is occasionally i dont always let him win tugg of war games espically when he is playing tugg of war with my trouser leg :-).
Thanks Dukey