Susie, you are most welcome. For what it's worth, my friend is now teachng at a Vet Tech school so she is definitely up-to-date on all the latest information.
--- In [email protected], "Susie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Thank you for your reply Lindsay and please thank your friend for her > comments also. > > I do believe that at least one member of this group needs to start her > own group and label it "Only PERFECT Cockapoos Allowed." > > Or, maybe we should start another group where all Cockapoo issues can > be discussed without the fear of being labeled bad parents if there > are problems that we'd like to discuss. > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "Lindsay" <Siouxldy@> wrote: > > > > I thought I had posted this earlier but for some reason it hasn't > > shown up. I took the liberty to contact a friend of mine who was a > > Vet Tech in a very progressive Vet's office about aggression in dogs > > and here's what she said: > > > > It depends on what the aggressive behaviors are, but some of those are > > learned behaviors and I believe some are congenital. I know that the > > obedience gurus and Cesar Milan say there are no bad dogs- just bad > > owners; > > but I have truly seen some dogs who were just a challenge! I had one > > patient, a German Shepherd, and we started seeing him when he was > > just 8 > > weeks old. This dog had some very bad temperment/aggression problems > > by the > > time we saw him at 12 weeks. The owner did everything right- she took > > him to > > many classes, socialized him, brought him by the clinic just to visit, > > worked with a behavior specialist and by the time this dog was 18 > > months > > old, she ended up having to put him to sleep. He had bitten over 10 > > people > > in those 18 months, the last time was her elderly father. The bite was > > unprovoked and the father ended up in the hospital due to the > > severity of > > the bites. So- there was a case of the dog was just not right! I have > > never > > cried as much as I did that day, but I agreed with the owner- she did > > everything that she could and this still turned out to be just a bad > > dog. > > > > I am not sure why thyroid was suggested to be checked. Usually with > > hypothyroidism we see lethargy, weight gain, hair pattern loss, > > occaisionally seizures. Aggression is not a typical symptom. It is a > > very > > rare case that we see hyperthyroidism and the symptoms for that are > > generally massive weight loss, loose stools, hunger that is out of > > control > > (this is mostly in cats that we see hyperthyroidism). > > > > It would be interesting to see what the exact aggressions are. If > > they are > > food or toy agressions, behavior modification would be in order. > > Training is > > always a good thing. Consulting with a behavior veterinarian may be > > called > > for. Medications/behavior modification go hand in hand in some cases > > also. > > If it is dominance that is a problem- there are many things you can > > do to > > try to curb that. Make sure the dog does not go out the door before > > you do, > > feed the dog in a crate, do not let the dog sit on the couch or sleep > > with > > the humans, make the dog sit before each treat, do not let the dog > > get into > > a staring contest and win with the human, if the dog puts a paw over > > your > > arm- take it off...do not let the dog be "top dog" if that makes > > sense. Just > > reinforce that the dog is a dog and the humans are in charge. > > > > Hope this helps somewhat. I sent her another email explaining the > > aggression so waiting to hear back from her again. > > > > I have to say I was taken aback by some of the responses to this > > thread as to me, anyway, they came off as being not so nice or > > supportive but more accusatory. > > > Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cockapoo/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cockapoo/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
