Help with black lab

[Sarahlove]

We have a 7 year old black lab. We've had her a five years and up until the past few months she was great. She would stay in the fence(though it was dog proofed due to our husky), listen to commands, and was happy as long as she had a cat, our husky, or was with one of the people. A few months ago the farm behind us was sold and the new owner has a rooster. Since that time she has been digging out again, not listening to commands and is only happy if she is with the humans so she will bark and dig the door to the garage(she is a loud snorer and wakes up my dad who is a very light sleep if she is in the house)
To add she was always good with waiting for the door to be open and being told to go out before she would move, now she will push me down/into doors/fridge/wall to get past me. Anyone have advice on getting her back to the dog she was?

 

[TheGatorGal]

Have you ruled out any health issues with a vet visit and blood tests? Sudden personality changes in a mature dog can be a sign of possible health problems. Could be the rooster is just a coincidence.

If it truly is the rooster causing such a change, sounds like it may be time to go back to kindergarten in training. Everyone needs a refresher sometimes

 

[*blackrose]

I second the "back to basics" training refresher. Sometimes a change in the environment - such as new neighbors/livestock - can cause anxiety, which may be why she's acting out.

And it also sounds like your other dog just passed away? She may be more lonesome, which has also caused the behavior change. Separation anxiety can manifest in different ways!

For senior pets, it never hurts to have a full checkup done at the vet (including bloodwork) to check for any underlying diseases that may have caused a behavior change.

 

[CarolKnock KarenYork]

Black Lab Help

Sarahlove, based on your information, it sounds like your dog, because of its loud snoring, is being kept in the garage and in the yard more than previously. Because she is used to companionship (cat, husky, etc.), she is digging under the fence to get to the rooster and other humans. She is barking and digging the door to the garage to get let back into the house. Or, you may be shutting her up in the garage and she is barking and digging at the door to get outside and get to the neighbor’s yard, where there are people and something new to be very curious about—the rooster.

It is important to have your dog checked by your veterinarian to make sure there are no physical problems involving her snoring or hearing. If the loud snoring is a problem that can be corrected, she then could be returned to the house. This may solve a great deal of your problems. Also, since the barking is something new, a loss of hearing may be a contributing factor to the excessive barking and/or the behavior issues.

Another option for the behavior issues is a refresher course at a good dog obedience school that uses positive reinforcement.

There are some devices available to assist you with your problems; however, before you consider using them, you need to make sure your lab is healthy.

Watching your dog’s behavior very carefully, observing all of the environmental changes that seem to be taking place, and giving us more detailed information will enable us to be more helpful to you.