Dog advice needed!

[Turnip]

Evening Folks!

I'm in need of some advice regarding how to keep a dog calm whilst checking him over, he was recently taken for a walk by my father and picked up a tick, tick removed and trip to the vets last week for his 6 month check where the vet said he's all good! BUT! since then it feels like there is something on his side under/ in his coat and if i try to check he's growling, same thing when I try to check his ears. he just seems a little off, and only growls at me! (I am the only one who checks him over fully etc though)
He is usually (and still is until i go to check him) a very soft affectionate playful dog.
I don't have a problem with the growling, I just want to get to the root cause whether me or him! so please help if you can!

Thank you all in advance!

Cheers

Jon

 

[Tat2trev]

try taking his mind off the inspection with cheese keep the buisness end busy with eating then check him over.If all else fails stand him on all fours stand behind him lift the back legs off the ground then do the check with legs off the ground he cant bite you or get too distressed

 

[santaman2000]

Depends. If it's just a general lack of training, time and patience will get him to trust you more. On the other hand, he may be growling because something's wrong (i.e. that spot might be sore for some reason)

 

[Turnip]

try taking his mind off the inspection with cheese keep the buisness end busy with eating then check him over.If all else fails stand him on all fours stand behind him lift the back legs off the ground then do the check with legs off the ground he cant bite you or get too distressed

Ah good old cheese! I've tried biscuits and he still gets the grumps but now you mentioned it cheese is his weakness! he knows when I'm getting the cheese out the fridge before I do! never heard of lifting the legs! thanks for that!

 

[Macaroon]

It took me a long long time to be able to do this stuff with my Springer - she's the closest thing I've ever had to the perfect dog, 5 years old this month and never apart from me for more than 20 minutes in all that time.
When she was two she had problems resulting in many vet visits then surgery and after that she wouldn't let me near her for any kind of treatment, medication or inspection. It took well over two years to get her to drop this behaviour, just really slowly touching and feeling 'till she growled, pushing it on a tiny bit each time 'till she eventually felt ok with it. Strange thing was she would let me touch her anywhere, handle her mouth and was still very happy and affectionate - but she knew when I had it in mind to inspect her or try to treat her in any way............and boy oh boy! she meant it! she left me in no doubt that she'd attack me full on if I took it any further............then the same day in the woods, she'd get a thorn in her foot and sit by me with her foot up, asking me to get it out. Seemes it was ok if she came to me but not the other way around.....good as gold now, so just patience and then more patience............

One problem with all this, you need to go get a good quality humane but safe muzzle and get her used to wearing it - not to do anything to her, just so she's used to it and doesn't fear it. The reason for this is that if anything happened to the dog where you had no choice but to treat her or help her in an emergency, the last thing you need is the dog freaking out.hope this helps, atb mac

 

[Turnip]

Depends. If it's just a general lack of training, time and patience will get him to trust you more. On the other hand, he may be growling because something's wrong (i.e. that spot might be sore for some reason)

I trained him from pup, he, like me, has his moments but he has never acted like this before hence the reason for wanting to check him over before taking him back to the vets!

 

[santaman2000]

I trained him from pup, he, like me, has his moments but he has never acted like this before hence the reason for wanting to check him over before taking him back to the vets!

Sounds like the trip to the vet may well be warranted then. Something's bothering him.

BTW. +1 to mac's advice.

 

[Turnip]

It took me a long long time to be able to do this stuff with my Springer - she's the closest thing I've ever had to the perfect dog, 5 years old this month and never apart from me for more than 20 minutes in all that time.
When she was two she had problems resulting in many vet visits then surgery and after that she wouldn't let me near her for any kind of treatment, medication or inspection. It took well over two years to get her to drop this behaviour, just really slowly touching and feeling 'till she growled, pushing it on a tiny bit each time 'till she eventually felt ok with it. Strange thing was she would let me touch her anywhere, handle her mouth and was still very happy and affectionate - but she knew when I had it in mind to inspect her or try to treat her in any way............and boy oh boy! she meant it! she left me in no doubt that she'd attack me full on if I took it any further............then the same day in the woods, she'd get a thorn in her foot and sit by me with her foot up, asking me to get it out. Seemes it was ok if she came to me but not the other way around.....good as gold now, so just patience and then more patience............

One problem with all this, you need to go get a good quality humane but safe muzzle and get her used to wearing it - not to do anything to her, just so she's used to it and doesn't fear it. The reason for this is that if anything happened to the dog where you had no choice but to treat her or help her in an emergency, the last thing you need is the dog freaking out.hope this helps, atb mac

Cheers mac! I do wander if he knows I'm intent on checking him over, any other time he is fine and being a cheeky sod as always!
I'm usually the one in the house who has to check him and no one else has found what I'm on about so might be why he's giving me the warning!

 

[Stew]

Only you know your dog mate.

If it was mine I would know what her limits are, whats unusual etc but I can't relate that directly over to your's and the same goes for handling.

 

[Niels]

I just taught mine that struggling doesn't help. Grooming and tick removal is still gonna happen. And the first time he only softly growled at me as a pup, I pinched him in the neck so hard he screamed. You can say what you want about that but he's not growled at a human since.

 

[Turnip]

I just taught mine that struggling doesn't help. Grooming and tick removal is still gonna happen. And the first time he only softly growled at me as a pup, I pinched him in the neck so hard he screamed. You can say what you want about that but he's not growled at a human since.

I'm not to concerned about the fact he is growling as such, its showing me something is wrong. but he is a very sensitive dog and I would like to make it as stress free as possible for him, he is usually fine so there is obviously something bothering him!

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Prehaps your father hurt him while pulling out the tick so now he gets worried in case you're going to hurt him again......is the lump you feel on the skin i.e. a tick or under the skin like a lump. I ask because if a bit of tick is left in the beast, it can cause an abscess which may be a little sore.

 

[Turnip]

Prehaps your father hurt him while pulling out the tick so now he gets worried in case you're going to hurt him again......is the lump you feel on the skin i.e. a tick or under the skin like a lump. I ask because if a bit of tick is left in the beast, it can cause an abscess which may be a little sore.

It's possible, the tick was on his eyelid so not the most ideal place to try and get at and he started to growl when I found it! It did come out in one piece though luckily!
so I'm probably not his favorite person atm!
I cant really tell what is on his side yet, stroke him across the area and he seems fine, but when you try to move some of his coat to investigate he starts to growl, it might just be a thorn but I'd like to get whatever it is sorted asap so there's no lasting effects!

Cheers!

 

[Tony]

I've limited experience with dogs, other than my own, I tend to have a get on with it attitude, if it needs checking out check it out, give him the cheese or whatever he needs to be distracted, if it's uncomfortable then it might just have to be that way. If you approach it confidently he'll feel the reassurance of that and that will help calm him. My Maremma will often take his emotional lead from me, like I said though, i've limited experience.

Good luck with it.

 

[mrcharly]

I just taught mine that struggling doesn't help. Grooming and tick removal is still gonna happen. And the first time he only softly growled at me as a pup, I pinched him in the neck so hard he screamed. You can say what you want about that but he's not growled at a human since.

This is the way to raise all animals. It prevents stress for them later on.

I'm doubtful about the hind leg idea mentioned earlier. I've known dogs who could twist round in mid air and sink their teeth in if provoked.
It's hard to know what to suggest without meeting the dog, but I'd be inclined to pin them down firmly and start by brushing their coat. Get them used to being pinned down and it not being bad. Then carefully examine the sore area.

 

[Elen Sentier]

Sounds like the trip to the vet may well be warranted then. Something's bothering him.

BTW. +1 to mac's advice.

I was thinking that too ... all animals get cranky if something hurts and don't want you to touch it usually. The back legs up always worked for me. But the Vet seems like a good idea.

 

[fishfish]

what breed is it? sounds like collie or spaniel! give him a travel sickness pill ,child dose, thatll calm him down that way he will get used to a check over then stop the pils.

 

[Turnip]

what breed is it? sounds like collie or spaniel! give him a travel sickness pill ,child dose, thatll calm him down that way he will get used to a check over then stop the pils.

he's a 3 year old lab X springer. until this time he has never been a problem to check over. usually the only problem I have whilst trying to check him is that all he wants is his belly scratched!

 

[Turnip]

Cheers to all of you who have taken your time to read this and reply! your input and advice is very much appreciated! I will try a couple of things that have been suggested and see how i get on!

 

[Niels]

Cheers to all of you who have taken your time to read this and reply! your input and advice is very much appreciated! I will try a couple of things that have been suggested and see how i get on!

Good luck! If we hear nothing, I'll assume you've been eaten.