My dog is acting out....

Question
Hi I have a 3 year old cocker spaniel male, and he has been acting out for a year now since we got our male puppy. He has been getting into the trash, peeing all over the house, and he is starting to get mean.. Is there anything that we can do??? Please help us....

Answer
Hi, Shawna,

I can't imagine why you have put up with this for an entire year before attempting to solve this problem.

Let me ask you, is the 3 year old dog neutered?  If not, the "peeing" and "meanness" may be attributed to marking behavior and a territorial attitude toward the younger dog.

Is his meanness directed toward the dog, or toward you, or both?

If he is NOT neutered, I would have him, and the younger dog as well, both fixed.  Getting rid of the hormonal issues often does a lot to improve a dog's attitude.

If he IS neutered, I would suggest two things:

1.  You will probably do best if you "dog proof" his environment the same way one would for a child; put things out of his reach (i.e. trash cans behind closet or cabinet doors), crating when he can't be supervised, etc.

2.  Contact a local trainer to come to your home and work with you and the dog.  You can find some knowledgeable people at www.apdt.com