Expert: Delores Beck - 2/26/2011

Question
QUESTION: I wrote you last May about our recue cocker spaniel, Max, who had bitten both my husband and I when we disturbed him when he was asleep on our bed. We have had no issues since with him biting since-until last night. I was not home but my husband was on the bed with both our cocker spaniels and he says Max was not asleep. He was petting both dogs when Max suddenly turned and bit his hand ( no doubt about this!!) and would not turn lose until he sprayed him with water (????). Max was obviously very subdued and upset when I arrived home and kept his distance from both of us after his usual greeting me when I arrived home from work. He went to sleep on his bed and it was early AM before he jumped on the bed and laid down nest to me. He still seems a little subdued for him tonight but is still wanting to be close to both of us and  play with our other cocker. NOW WHAT DO WE DO? This appears to be his first bite that was not because we startled him when he was aleep-still on the bed but this has not been an issue since you advised me before!! Your answer was so right on target  before that I hope you can help again. He is such a delightful, cuddly, sweet clown that it is difficult to even believe he did this.

ANSWER: I'm sure I would have told you Max was not allowed on the bed.

You say you haven't had any issues since last May - what did you do at that point?

Max seems to realize he did something bad but that very night he was allowed back on the bed.

Do you see the error of that?


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

QUESTION: Yes-I am sure it was wrong to allow him back on the bed. When this occurred before you advised us to ban him from the bed and then when he realized it was NOT his bed, we could allow him on it WHEN invited. Guess we reverted to allowing him to be the alpha when he was not immediately banned again!
Thanks for you help-now can we ever let him on the bed with us again or is this a bad idea forever?

Answer
It's very easy to get complacent (been there-done that:)when a behavior "seems" to have been dealt with successfully.

Max should not only not be allowed on ANY furniture/bed but shouldn't be allowed in the bedroom
at all.  Have you taught him the "off" command?  If not, do that - make it fun with lots of praise & rewards but let him unequivocally know he moves when you tell him to move.

This is a very specific aggression and, in that sense, easier to correct than general aggression.
The easy way to go is "Max doesn't get on furniture" - the harder way is to teach him the couch/bed is YOURS and he will get off on command..instantly.  Even if you go that route, I'd ban him from the bedroom totally for quite a long time.

I'm here with assistance if you want to start at Square One with him.  First he goesn't get in the bedroom - we teach him the OFF command - we teach him to leave the bedroom on command (and make it clear he's not allowed in "your" space.  Much, much, much later you can ease up if and when he leaves a space instantly on command.

When dogs kind of take their time obeying it's a challenge to the owner...never don't see it through - stare him down until he does what he's told.

I'm happy to talk you through it all if that's what you decide to do.