Expert: Have4Paws - 12/16/2008

Question
QUESTION:
My boyfriend and I have a 3yr. old Beagle named Ralphie. For the most part, he is very sweet, loving and cuddly. As long as he gets plenty of exercise, his behavior is fine. The problem lately is when he sleeps. We’ve known that he is a grumpy sleeper. He grunts and moans with sounds of discontentment when disturbed while sleeping. Lately, and occurring more regularly, I’ve awoken in the middle of the night to Ralphie biting and nipping at my boyfriend in a sudden scuffle. He bits at the air and the blankets. I yell at him and he quickly settles down and falls back to sleep cuddling up with the two of us. Is he angry in the night, and trying to claim the bed? He is such a loving dog, it doesn’t seem like he is attacking us. Is it possible for Ralphie to be “talking in his sleep”? He has also awoken us with imaginary scuffles at the end of the bed –almost like he attacking something in a dream.

ANSWER: Ralphie is adorable! Thanks for sharing the picture.

Just to be sure, I think you should have him checked out by the vet to rule out any kind of seizure issue. There is a tiny possibility that that could be the problem.

Once cleared for that the next thing to look at is he may need an attitude adjustment as to whose bed it really is. You didn't mention if you got him as a young puppy or if he was a rescue? Can you give me more information about his normal behavior such as....when you feed him, if you try to take a toy away from him, or any other behaviors?

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for responding. You are probably right about the attitude adjustment. My boyfriend got him as a puppy before I was in the picture...so no, he is not a rescue. As for his eating habits, he takes food gently from hands, but he does not want anyone messing with his food once it has been placed in his bowl. He growls and bites at the air if he thinks someone is going to take it away. He's fine with taking the toys away. He generally searches the house a few times, and then lays down. One other strange behavior that he does have is when he is playing fetch. When I throw the toy, he chases it while sniffing every place that it has touched. When getting to the toy, he howls and barks in a turrets-like manner. He calls out in one tone, and then answers himself in another. He continues to sniff and act like he doesn't know where the toy is until finally grabbing the toy and retrieving it. Visitors to our house always ask if he is blind, but I know that he is not. It's an obnoxious behavior, but we love him. We fetch him until we are tired and then take the toy away so that he will settle down.

Answer
The key to everything came through for me when you described his behavior with food in his bowl. This is food aggression and it signifies that he is under the impression that HE is the Alpha dog, not you guys. Add to that the sleeping stuff and it all fits, you are on your way to an aggressive dog. That being said here's a few things to try but I will caution you that if it isn't done just right (through no intentional fault of your own) you could inadvertently reinforce these behaviors he is exhibiting. So I must always add, as I do ANYTIME there is any aggression no matter how benign it seems, that the best thing to do is to have a trainer come to your house for several sessions and work one on one with you to change this behavior. It is tough in an e-mail to fix these issues.

AS far as the bed I would not allow Ralphie on the bed anymore without being invited. Once invited he must sit and lay down where you tell him to. If he moves or doesn't want to then he is pushed off the bed and told Un UH (that sound that is made to signify no) The stuff that happens when he is sleeping is somewhat normal. Some dogs dream more than others and are really active. A dog that is sound asleep and disturbed will startle and may be "grumpy" or snap. Some dogs react worse than others. That means that you shouldn't wake him that way, make noises, clap your hands or something to wake him so that when you deal with him he is then awake already. The stuff he does to your boyfriend in the middle of the night sounds more like aggression, he is warning him that he doesn't like being moved or pushed or whatever. This type of behavior means he does not respect him as the Alpha dog. A pack member(which beagles are genetically wired to be more than other breeds) would NEVER act like that to the boss dog unless he thinks HE is the boss dog.

There are several things that can be done with the food issues but honestly it isn't safe for me to advise you via e-mail. You do need one on one help so it is done correctly and only reinforces the right behaviors.

I don't know where you live but here in So. Calif you can get a trainer to come for like $75 a session and usually these things can be dealt with and fixed in a few sessions if you are dedicated to practicing and doing what they say.

Once again, hope this is helpful

Have4Paws