Recently Smokie has done a big about face. Whenever someone knocks on the door - he attacks us. I mean seriously - biting, draws blood attacks. I do not know why, what happened to make him begin doing this, I have no answers. The rest of the time he is fine.
After this began, we purchased a Pet Zoom Sonic Trainer, for several reasons. Living in town, we have to walk him, and even with a harness he wants to walk us. (Smokie is most certainly an Alpha Male) The Pet Zoom trainer works really well. After only a few times of using it on a walk, I can now give him his full 20 ft of leash and he no longer pulls on me, if I tell him to wait or stop he does, it made all the difference in the world on our walks.
Today the UPS man knocked on the door and dropped the package and left. All that kept me from getting only one bite was the Sonic Trainer. That and a pillow between us. He came clear across the room to attack me. Finally I got him calmed down and told him come on, lets open the door and see who is there....but it took a lot of hitting that button on the Sonic Trainer and several attempts to push him back from me with the pillow. He did get me on the knee, though. Yesterday it was my right arm. Today's was a small bite mark, like a big scratch, but yesterday he left puncture wounds.
He knows he is doing something bad. He is currently hiding under the bed and won't come out, and when he does come out - to apologize - he will lick my wounds. And if he makes me cry, he licks my tears.....he is not a vicious dog at all. What do I do...put up a sign that says, do not knock, just yell????? LOL! Maybe get one of those cheap easy to install doorbells and add the sign do not knock. I don't know...I know I can't stand to be bit much more. And its not just me he bites, he will bite my husband too.
I am at my wits end. I do not know what to do about this anymore. He never did this until a few months ago. I know when it was winter, there were times we left him home alone since it was just too cold to take him with us. I thought maybe during one of those times of being home something may have scared him, but it can even be my neighbor who he just dearly loves - if she talks to me through the screen instead of coming in, he freaks out.
Help me please. I do not know what to do. I do not want to get rid of him. We found Smokie when he was about 7-8 months old and was needing to be rehomed. I had just had to put down my lab I'd had for 11 years, and I cannot bear to lose Smokie.
I know he needs to be neutered, but we do not have the money, as I feel that would calm him down a lot. I've looked for free clinics, but there are none that I have found. I cannot take getting bit much more. The only thing that doesn't worry me is I know his shots are up to date. We can pass kids on the street and he doesn't bite them, the only time he offers to bite it when someone knocks on the door. I need help. Please. What do I do??????
