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cookiesmommy · 12-21-2008, 07:01 PM

We adopted Cookie a year and a half ago from the Humane Society. He was found as a stray, underweight with his ribs sticking out and severely matted hair. We don't know if he was neglected, abused, dumped, or lost.

At this particular moment, I tend to think that he was dumped. For the majority of the time that we've had him, he's been a great, albeit odd, dog. He seems to have some obsessive/compulsive issues, such as licking things for huge amounts of time (anything from a person's hand to the carpet).

I am a teacher. The first summer when I went back to work, he started staring at things that were not on the ceiling and running in a huge circle. We couldn't make him stop. The vet suggested we crate him as soon as the behavior started. After a couple of cratings, he stopped.

This year, when I went back to school after the summer, for FIVE WEEKS, every night, he lunged at me, bared his teeth, barked, growled, and tried to bite me. My roommate put him in the crate for about 15-20 minutes. Finally, it stopped....until this past week. He's doing it again, and I don't know what to do. He's in the crate at the moment. He never directs any aggression toward my roommate or anyone other than me. It's only at night. At first, it was when all three of us were on the couch, and I'd stand up....he'd come after me violently. As of tonight, it's also happening when I'm anywhere in the living room....but my roommate also has to be in the room. He doesn't do it if it's just him and me. My roommate says that he's afraid...however, that makes no sense to me at all.

He was at the vet a couple of weeks ago b/c I noticed that the skin on his underbelly was getting darker. The vet said it was just a natural changing of the pigment as he's aging. (We don't know how old he is...maybe around 4).

I'm at my wit's end. My roommate and I love him to death, and we'd never get rid of him. However, I'm scared that this violence is going to escalate and I'm going to end up in the ER. He went through basic obedience, which was mostly a nightmare b/c he doesn't like other dogs (but he ended up doing well by the end).

I hope that there's not a medical problem, although I doubt it since the aggression is only directed toward me. The only other next step that I can think of is to have treats with me in the living room and give him one as I get up.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions.
Thanks,
Kathy

12-21-2008, 07:01 PM	#1
cookiesmommy Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 18	Suddenly barking and biting at me We adopted Cookie a year and a half ago from the Humane Society. He was found as a stray, underweight with his ribs sticking out and severely matted hair. We don't know if he was neglected, abused, dumped, or lost. At this particular moment, I tend to think that he was dumped. For the majority of the time that we've had him, he's been a great, albeit odd, dog. He seems to have some obsessive/compulsive issues, such as licking things for huge amounts of time (anything from a person's hand to the carpet). I am a teacher. The first summer when I went back to work, he started staring at things that were not on the ceiling and running in a huge circle. We couldn't make him stop. The vet suggested we crate him as soon as the behavior started. After a couple of cratings, he stopped. This year, when I went back to school after the summer, for FIVE WEEKS, every night, he lunged at me, bared his teeth, barked, growled, and tried to bite me. My roommate put him in the crate for about 15-20 minutes. Finally, it stopped....until this past week. He's doing it again, and I don't know what to do. He's in the crate at the moment. He never directs any aggression toward my roommate or anyone other than me. It's only at night. At first, it was when all three of us were on the couch, and I'd stand up....he'd come after me violently. As of tonight, it's also happening when I'm anywhere in the living room....but my roommate also has to be in the room. He doesn't do it if it's just him and me. My roommate says that he's afraid...however, that makes no sense to me at all. He was at the vet a couple of weeks ago b/c I noticed that the skin on his underbelly was getting darker. The vet said it was just a natural changing of the pigment as he's aging. (We don't know how old he is...maybe around 4). I'm at my wit's end. My roommate and I love him to death, and we'd never get rid of him. However, I'm scared that this violence is going to escalate and I'm going to end up in the ER. He went through basic obedience, which was mostly a nightmare b/c he doesn't like other dogs (but he ended up doing well by the end). I hope that there's not a medical problem, although I doubt it since the aggression is only directed toward me. The only other next step that I can think of is to have treats with me in the living room and give him one as I get up. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Thanks, Kathy