# "Vicious" 4 mo. old GSP?



## ChukarBob (Sep 4, 2006)

A friend recently told me that he had returned his female 4 month GSP to the breeder because the dog had turned vicious. He explained that the viciousness had begun a couple of weeks ago -- the dog would growl and bite, not playfully, but viciously. Additionally, the pup was headstrong / stubborn to a fault and would not follow commands that it had previously honored. His vet could not identify any physiological cause.

Has anyone heard of such a thing? Can a 4 month old GSP puppy really be vicious?


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

IMO your friend doesn't know whats hes doing and a four month old GSP pup isnt going to be reliable on commands, one day great the next it could act as if it didn't even hear you

there is more to the story


----------



## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

I'm with Bob


----------



## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

It might there are more people in contact with this dog than the owner. Kids, neighbors, etc? I knew a guy whose dog was deathly afraid of water. The neighbor's kids had dunked it in the swimming pool repeatdly as a puppy.


----------



## ChukarBob (Sep 4, 2006)

Thanks for the feedback. Agree, but don't know that there's anything I can do to confirm or somehow change the outcome. Sad -- probably a puppy scarred for life.


----------



## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

I doubt a dog that young is "scarred for life." You'd be amazed what a bit of socializing will do. That, and coming down like fire and brimstone the next time it growled at someone. Remy did that once when he was a pup -- and trust me, he hasn't dared to do it since.


----------



## ChukarBob (Sep 4, 2006)

Hope you're right about that. I met the dog just once, when she was about 2 mos. old and seemed like a pretty normal pup to me. Hard to accept my friend's characterization that the dog became "vicious" by 4 mos. Friend lives about 200 miles away.


----------



## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

Here is something to think about as well. Before I got a Brittnay I read abook about this behavior and it did show me some ways to help eleviate it! 
"Springer Spaniel Rage is a very rare behavioral problem that has been reported in a variety of breeds, but especially in Springers, hence the common name - Springer Rage Syndrome.

It is where the dog suddenly attacks or shows uncharacteristic bouts of aggression that are totally out of character, it is thought to be caused by some form of epilepsy but this theory is yet to be 100% proven.

When I say it is very rare, I mean it. Many people think that any show of aggression from their dog is down to Rage Syndrome, but more often than not instances of aggression in the springer is merely down to dominant behavior and the Pack Psychology not being enforced within the home, and poor levels of training and discipline being enforced."

### Just another thing to think about? Good luck and I hope it works out for you!


----------



## ChukarBob (Sep 4, 2006)

Well, fortunately, it's not my dog. I hope that the pup recovers. It was tough on my friend, but not sure what is going on.


----------

