can anymore help my friend as been crying on the phone to me tonite, she as a blenhiem bitch cavalier king charles spaniel she is 2 in june, she has had her since being 8 week old, and the breeder as not had any reports of any other pups being the same. the only major incident in her life was she lost a claw which envolve bandages but has now regrown. when they first got the pup, the children were very over powering and down right naughty with her smacking her etc, but the novelty wore off, she then bought another cav he is great. the problem is she is very aggressive she bites people while out walking, barks and sleeps alot she is fine with the other dogs she knows in her home and does not bite any family members but the children cant have anyone to play and she has to be locked in a cage in a another room if any trades men come. she sleeps on her mums lap at night. all this seem to start around dec 05 upto then she was just a bit giddy. what can we do, she is thinking of taking her to a rescue center, could i change her behavour over a period of time, any suggestions

/To be honest I think a lot of the children's behaviour to the dog (smacking her etc ) has contributed to the problem :(

Your friend needs hands on help - see www.apdt.co.uk for starters, there should be someone near her who can do a home visit.

I am going to be a bit blunt here and say that I hope your friend now has control of her children around the dog - there is no excuse for letting children smack dogs, so I hope that the second dog is not getting that treatment...

Best wishes
Lindsay
x

Being 'smacked' by children during her various learning stages has obviously been detrimental to her character.  If your friend permitted this to go on she shouldn't be allowed pets in her home.  That poor dog has been taught that human hands mean abuse and children the same.  She'll not get over her problems easily and would be best served by a professional behaviorist.

I would get her checked out by a vet if she is sleeping a lot and the aggression has really only begun from Dec then it could be a health problem (thyroid)
Worth a try.

Roni

Just to add to what others have said, please try to make sure your friend dose NOT take the dog to a general rescue -in a place like that the most likely people to pick a cavalier may well be families with children and you'll never be sure how much of the dog's background they will be told. If she isn't keeping the bitch, then the BREEDER should be the person to have her back, and if he or she won't for some reason, then breed rescue would be much better.

She sounds like shes stuck for ideas!  Has she tried anything else apart from locking her in her cage?  Its a big problem if she biting people on walks, it could be someones child next time.  I think I would get a trainer perhaps one recommended through the vet, a trainer who specialises is aggressive behavour.  Better late than never. Hope she gets there in the end

How very sad , cavi's usually such "willing to please" dogs, Its worth getting her checked at the vets, an abcess can couse nasty behavour, a bad tooth, bad back, kidney trouble, even after a season anything. A cage is not the answer she needs professional help, no not the dog, the owner The dog is  generally upset and distressed most of the time by the sounds of it and is in need of some doggy language pretty quick.