Any dog trainers/vets/pet psychologist, need advice! (Long)

RunningMamaH

Sorry if this gets long!

Ok a little background: (don't know if it is relevant to the current situation but thought I would include it if it helps) FIL and MIL have a 7 yr old lab. He started having seizures about 2-3 years ago. He would have one every few months or so. About 3 months ago they started him on a new preventative med and they have stopped. (don't know the name but I guess it can be used for humans too and is a liquid) FIL has noticed a BIG difference in him since the seizures started. He used to be extremly obedient and is now running out of the yard into the road, not listening to commands, pulling on leash and getting food off of the table/counters. MIL says he just needs more exercise (he gets plenty IMO)

Last month MIL gave the dog a marrow bone on the deck and went and sat down in a lawn chair about 4 feet away from him. All of a sudden he started growling and snapping at her. She stood up and told him to sit and he did and she was able to take the bone away. She tried giving it to him again and he did the same thing. She ended up throwing the bone away and he seemed fine and was fine at dinner. He had never been food aggressive before this.

Two days later he did the same thing to FIL when he fed him breakfast. I guess he made him sit, took the food away and did some other things and then he was fine.

He has done nothing like it again until today.

MIL went to feed him his dinner and he was really growling and snapping at her. When FIL went in he did the same thing to him. MIL ended up pretty much feeding him handfuls out of her hand to make him stop.

We are over there at least 2 times a week and my nephew is there every weekday. I am confidant in my ability to keep DS away from the dog during his food times but I worry because FIL and MIL allow the dog to "clean up" after DS when he eats, even letting the dog be under the table while DS is eating. (at home our dog is not allowed near the table)

I am worried that one day DS will drop something on his chair and reach for it or get down and then go to eat something off the floor and the dog will growl and DS won't know to back off and might get bitten.

Should I say something to IL's or just let it go? MIL feels like it is fine and the dog is growling to warn so what is the problem? 

And, where is this behavior coming from? Is the new med making him super hungry? Have the seizures changed his personality? 

Sorry that this is a novel! Thanks for those who made it to the end! 

vicki0827

Some seizure meds that people take are known to cause agitation and aggression.  I work with kids with autism and many have seizures and it's sometimes sad what happens because of the meds.  sometimes they just have to play with it to find the right cocktail.

I would have your husband discuss the possibility of locking the dog out of the room during meal times when LO is there.The growling is a warning, but it is an animal and that warning may progress to something else.

snansley

Have they mentioned this to the vet? Seizures can cause permanent changes to the brain which could cause personality/behavior  changes.  But it could also be a side-effect of the new medication.  Perhaps they can try a different medication.  It sounds more like resource guarding than hunger.  There are some training exercises that can help with it along with some preventative measures. 

Roxpup

I agree with both PPs, and the vet needs to be called to get their opinion on what's going on.  The medication can cause personality changes as well as extreme hunger (depending what the med is).  

Furthermore, I would not let it go and let the dog in the room when DS eats.  It's a warning, yes, but when people don't listen to those warnings, thats when bites happen.  

You could also insist that the dog is out of the room just for meal time and is still able to 'clean up' after DS when DS is removed from the situation entirely.  Many people have an "out" command for their dog.  

msklar

we had a local dog trainer who runs a program called "dogs and storks" come over and that has helped a ton with our two dogs and baby/toddler since the dogs have food aggression, as well as other sorts of baby jealousy issues. she runs a baby program, and a toddler program, and the advice was priceless. we haven't' had trouble since to speak of. you can find them online.