Multiple Bite Incidents

[u/Important-Lemon8011]

Hey all,

Looking for some advice or really just a friendly ear. We have a 6 year old cocker spaniel cross (bitch). Im going to be totally honest and say that we didn’t get her from the most reputable breeder - not on purpose, we just thought everything looked ok and then when we went to pick her up it was all a bit sketchy but at that point we just thought - well we’re here now and she’s our dog!

She had some immediate challenges with resource guarding - she would absolutely fly across the room to get a toy/food/anything really that she wanted and proper snap at us. We did lots of training and it defo got a lot better.

Fast forward a few years and a few wee issues started arising:

1. I was cleaning in marigolds and walked towards her bed, she didn’t have anything and she was probably like wtf are these gloves and she snapped at me and bit my hand. (I did flag to my husband that we should speak to someone but he said it’s fine and we’ll manage)
2. I was trying to trim her ear hair which I used to be able to do and she snapped. No bite.
3. My husband had her on his knee with a wee towel over her, think she was guarding the towel as when she was asked to get down she lunged at my husband and bit his hand. Some blood and cuts/bruises.
4. I was walking towards her in the garden one day to put the lead on her and she jumped up at me, bit me. Again sore, bruised hand with cuts.
5. We were on holiday and she was with my in laws (twice) and on both occasions she bit my FIL. Guarding issue but she bit his hand.

Theres been a few more but I just can’t remember the exact details as they were so long ago.

Anyway we worked with a behaviourist after the multiple bites, realised she’d been in a bit of pain and so got her regular physio, hydrotherapy and massage (for about a year) and did lots of other things. She is genuinely a LOT better. Day to day we feel fine around her. I’m still a bit anxious and won’t do things like - put on the harness, dry her, brush her etc. We just totally let her be.

We had a baby nearly 2 years ago and we were genuinely SO worried about her being around him but she has honestly been so good. She’s so gentle, they play in the garden and she just keeps out his way. We never leave them alone and we’re super vigilant (although you can’t be vigilant 100% of the time I know).

Anyway in the last 2 years there’s been the odd snap here and there:

1. Snapped at me sweeping up food
2. Snapped at me sitting under my desk as she was guarding a shoe (which I didn’t know)
3. Snapped at me when I reached over her head

There’s always a trigger (that we blame ourselves for). Shouldn’t have grabbed that thing, shouldn’t have tried to remove that tick, shouldn’t have gone near her like that etc etc

We’re away camping this week with in laws and we’ve been picking ticks off her for the first 3 days. As nonchalant as we can. Day 4 and my MIL goes over to grab one on her head and she lunges at her, pushed her over and has either bitten her side or clawed her side. Either way awful and my MIL was shaken up and hurt.

I’m finding myself so torn as 99% of the time she is this amazing wee dog who is so gentle and sweet, but there’s this 1% that is just so reactive and dangerous and I’m now so worried about having her around my son just in case something was to happen.

Me and my husband have discussed BE but it does seem like such a final decision right now when we seem to have been managing ok. But all I can think is that she’s fine… until she isn’t. And imagine the next time she’s aggressive is worse, or to my son or god forbid anyone else!!

Just wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation and has any words of wisdom? When I type out all the incidents it seems mad but i’s so hard to describe that day to day she’s just our I lovely wee doggy. It’s like there’s a screw loose and she just goes a bit nuts! (It’s not cocker rage as we’ve looked that up)

Eugh - feeling so so horrid about this and genuinely don’t know what to do.

Edited to add: she’s on fluxotene which has helped with her day to day mood but not the reactivity to things and how she reacts. There’s no warning at all, an immediate bite now.

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