Paper Training Adult Dog Whippet

Cocker Rage is a form of dog aggression that exists not only in the Cocker Spaniel breed. The dog, usually male, bites family members when unprovoked. This dog had no problem at the groomer. Various causes have been given. What is the solution? Neutering early is one solution.


Tolfedine's pain-killer effects on the Cocker Spaniel
This Cocker Spaniel was neutered at 15 months after the father finally agreed to the neuter. The two young adult daughters were aware of the "Cocker Rage" syndrome but had not been able to persuade the father to neuter the dog. The father got bitten. The two daughters' wrist and lower arms were scarred. "I feel it is too cruel," the father said. He was the type who believed in spanking the dog to make it obedient. This dog was not afraid of spanking. Why? It could be his personality. Also, I observed he had the "big mountain" behind him - the care and backing of the two daughters who would tell the Dad off if he wants to discipline the young dog with negative reinforcement training. "The dog gets more ferocious as he grows older," I said. "Neutering may reduce his aggression." My assistant, Mr Saw was most cautious as it was his job to muzzle this fierce dog whom I had earlier touched and examined without being bitten. It was my assistant's job to muzzle him for taking temperature and Mr Saw has the scars and experience to do it and to show the intern, Tanya how it should be done. The father surprisingly agreed to the neuter. The dog came in for his vaccination and since the father said yes, I did not give him time to go home and think about it. This dog could end up being euthanased in later years as he gets stronger and wiser in his biting pre-emptive strikes. That would be very sad for the 2 daughters who love him very much. One of them showed me her right arm scars. They were like black paint strokes and there were many of them. I was shocked. The dog was muzzled and given the Dormitor pre-anaesthetic sedation. He vomited white froth 5 minutes later. After 10 minutes, he was masked with isoflurane gas. He still struggled for a while. I intubated later and his neuter was uneventful. I have had used Tolfedine pain-killers in other dogs after neuter and spay. There were no complaints in most cases. In this case, I had the feedback from the daughter and it was surprising. The dog tried to scratch his scrotal area with his e-collar on Day 3. Why? Well, on Day 2 after surgery, he vomited out the tablet at 7 am when he was dosed on an empty stomach. For practical purposes, he did not get the dosage. This would be the reason. By Day 6, I saw him and got the stitches out. The wound was wet as it was covered up under a plaster but not infected. There was some inflammation as you can see from the picture. With prednisolone 20 mg SC, the dog went home and no more complaints of attempts at the scrotum. The collar would be taken out at Day 10 and all should be well. "Why is the dog still so aggressive (towards me)?" the father asked me at Day 6 when the dog came in for me to examine. The dog just snapped at him. "Yesterday, he bite a child's hand," the father told me about his friend's child who approached the dog. "He has been grouchy." The father had two incredibly obedient and good guard dogs earlier. A German Shepherd and a Rottweiler. Both had passed away. "The Rottweiler kept following my brother who was pulling my daughter on a leash one day." he told me. "The Rottweiler was looking at me and at him waiting for my instructions to attack. My brother was just having some play and fun with my daughter." "What did you do?" I asked. A Rottweiler's attack in defence of the family child is ferocious. "I approached my brother and asked him to stop walking, not to look at the Rottweiler. He was to release the leash. So, nothing happened." Now, the Dad had an incredibly temperamental biting dog. "It will take some time to know the effects of neutering and whether the dog will bite family members," I said to the father. "The male hormone, testosterone is still present in his bloodstream. Also, you need to use positive reinforcement training to get him not to bite you and family members." Easier to advise on social dominance and submission theories and said than done, I guess.