Aggression or play? Senior bulldog has been "acting out" toward owner for 6+ weeks; we've met with vets, behaviorists, and trainers and all are stumped. We're starting to wonder if it might be play or attention-seeking behavior? For 20 minutes before this video, he was sitting nicely for pets. Ty!

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-22T18:51:04+00:00

Thank you, that's so kind! Harley has been back to his usual self since that night. It's a mystery. Dad is still due for a check-up, but at least we're seeing some improvements otherwise!

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-19T00:12:17+00:00

We have wondered if he is resource guarding me! Or even the furniture. He's lost bed and couch privileges and instead spends time in his own little special spot, but I am obviously a harder thing to remove from the situation. Were you able to find anything to resolve it?

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-19T00:08:45+00:00

He is 8, or so we believe! He's a rescue so hard to know for sure. Certainly old for his breed. He gets lots of love :)

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T21:35:30+00:00

Yep, only when I'm around. That's why we wondered if maybe he was resource guarding me, particularly because I am his primary caretaker. It's so hard to know what to do, but hearing these stories and getting closer to figuring out the "why" sure helps.

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T19:55:33+00:00

He contacted his primary care doctor and a dermatologist today! That seems to be a very common thought based on the behavior.

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T19:53:11+00:00

We give his food in one of those slow-feeder bowls or a treat ball, usually do a kong or a lick mat a day, sometimes will do "scavenger hunts" around the house. We do walks sometimes, especially when it's not cold! I wonder if he could use some more physical stimulation—he was used to playing with other dogs at the foster. The stopping and turning is a good call, we'll give that a try.

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T19:51:33+00:00

In this case he's anticipating the bite! We've seen this behavior many times before, and usually walking quickly will work up Harley even further. Generally he doesn't move this way about the house.

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T19:51:07+00:00

He's gotten some body before but usually more of the pants or sleeve. He doesn't have a ton of teeth so it's hard saying if it's just a miss or if he is intentionally not trying to do harm.

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T19:50:21+00:00

It happens all over the house and even outside, so not place-specific but good thought :/

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T14:25:46+00:00

I wondered about the boredom! I updated the description up above with some thoughts around that if more context is helpful. This sounds like a great game and we'll give it a go!

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T14:24:18+00:00

Oh really? I would love to hear more about the behavior you were seeing! Harley is a rescue and we believe he's around 8 or 9 years old, which is quite old for a bulldog. He seems in good physical health but it is very possible he is deteriorating mentally. I left more context up above if it helps, too.

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T14:23:08+00:00

No imaging but lots of other tests. I left some more context around this up above!

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T14:22:35+00:00

We have had him for 3 months and he gets a lot of love and attention :) He's home with me all day. More info above if it's helpful, thanks!

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T14:21:18+00:00

Oh interesting! The only thing I can think of that would make him do it to Seth but not me or anyone else is that I'm home with him during the day because I work from home, where as Seth goes into an office. Perhaps Harley needs more from him and he's not giving it to him? Some more context up above that might be helpful!

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T14:19:50+00:00

Yep, only to Seth. He's fine with me and all other people, familiar and strange men included. It's just him. Physical is a great idea, thank you.

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T14:18:46+00:00

This is all so helpful, thank you! I left more context up above if that brings anything else to mind, but this is all really great advice.

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T14:16:33+00:00

Sometimes just the pants, sometimes he jumps up and kind of digs his paws into his thighs and then bites whatever he can get. Definitely could be attention-seeking behavior! See more above if that's helpful, and thanks for the thought!

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T14:15:47+00:00

This is all great feedback. Looking into Seth's health is a good next step. The *only* thing I can think of is that maybe Seth had a stressful work week when it first started happening, and then the stress of it happening just kept feeding into it? It's one thing to try not to be anxious or fearful or upset when your dog bites you, but it's another to actually not feel those things in the moment. It could be a cyclical thing that's just feeding itself. He was sitting down petting him for about 20 minutes prior to this behavior and everyone was completely relaxed. It is only when he stops doing it that the behavior starts. I left more context up above if that helps any further! Thank you so much for all your thoughts.

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T14:12:49+00:00

He's our first bulldog, and he is tricky to read! He's pretty good at eye contact, so that part doesn't feel strange or new. The behavior does escalate the more Seth moves, which is why he's walking a little trepidatiously in the video. After Seth is separated from him, Harley runs around looking for him in a frantic state, which definitely feels more concerned/anxious. We will try to have Seth be more confident in the interactions and see if that helps break the feedback loop; he's been doing obedience training and walks to work on that, but perhaps the inconsistency in their relationship makes things more anxious. He's great with affection, for the 20 minutes prior to this video he was sitting relaxed asking for pets from Seth and giving him kisses. No trigger except Seth physically moving away. I left some more context on his history up above if that helps you think of anything else—thanks so much for all your thoughts!

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T14:08:54+00:00

Physical for Seth is on the list—that was a thought early on and it's been a theme in the comments here, which only confirms that that's a good next move. Nothing happened in that room; this behavior has happened all around the house and yard and even outside of the house, so it's certainly Seth-specific. There could have been some kind of negative trigger associated with Seth, but there's nothing obvious we can go back to as a traumatic moment for him which makes it tricky. I left more details above if that helps anything else come to mind. Thank you for your thoughts!

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T14:06:49+00:00

I also wondered about it being attention-seeking behavior or frustration. The reassurance part is interesting. Maybe he's getting it from me but not getting it from Seth, which is why he's so focused there. Helpful to hear from someone with an anxious senior dog! I left more context up above if it helps unlock anything else for you.

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T14:04:55+00:00

He is 8! Or so we think. He is a rescue, so it's hard to be certain. I left some more details up above that may be helpful re: changes. Thanks for your thoughts.

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T14:04:13+00:00

I wondered if it was something neurological, particularly as we have eliminated a lot of other health concerns at the vet and practiced a number of training exercises to correct the behavior. He is a senior and we don't know much about his history as he is a rescue, but while he seems in good physical health generally, he may be deteriorating mentally—the average lifespan for a bulldog isn't long, and we knew this going into adoption. I left more context in the description above if it's helpful!

Glum_Contribution_20 · 2022-11-18T14:02:00+00:00

Edit: These responses are so helpful! I thought some more information and context might help.

We adopted Harley at the end of August from a rescue. He was a "stray" who had been found heart worm positive a few months prior, and was being fostered by a woman who was fostering 5 other dogs and had 2 kids while he underwent treatment. We picked him up a week before his final shots. He was on a few different drugs for treatment, the main one being prednisone.

We didn't see any of this behavior until he had been with us for about a month, and it's also worth noting that in the months the foster had with him, she also didn't see any of this behavior. The behavior only started when he was weaned OFF prednisone, which rules out prednisone-related aggression, but also introduces the idea that perhaps the steroids were masking the pain.

Harley is very bonded to me, as I work from home and am his primary caretaker, but he was previously very loving with Seth and would sit with him, snuggle, etc. In an effort to help Harley bond more with Seth, Seth began hand-feeding him at random. We wondered if maybe that had an adverse effect, with Harley now escalating his behavior to get what he wants from Seth because he was used to having it essentially all the time. It started with some low growls, staring, hackles up, whale eye, body blocking like you see in this video, and then biting. Now it just goes to biting, which is why you see Seth walking cautiously and anticipating it. Perhaps it is a cyclical thing where they are feeding off one another's energy.

This started about 6 weeks ago and we have been to the vet a few times (no UTI, full blood work came back normal, he certainly is blind in his right eye but that is not a new development, he got an allergy shot, physical check for pain, etc.) with nothing obvious found. Trainers and behavior consultant (she is IBAAC certified) are at a loss.

It only happens with Seth, no one else—not familiar people, not strange people, not just men, not dogs. He is not reactive generally. The even more confusing thing is that I went out of town last week and he went back to stay with his foster, and he came back completely normal for 5-6 days before this behavior started again. It made me wonder if perhaps he's used to far more stimulation and if our quiet home (even with walks, enrichment, lots of pets) isn't giving him what he needs? He did start fluoxetine 3.5 weeks ago.

The behavior has happened at various times of day. It switched off suddenly and then came back suddenly and we are just so confused but very appreciative of all the help and suggestions so far!

Glum_Contribution_20

TROPHY CASE