I have a gorgeous cocker spanial and she is 18months old.She has always had a wonderful nature,friendly with people,dogs and even cats,she loves everyone and i just adore her.For the last week i have had a friend staying with me and sometimes she has been on her own with my friend.The last couple of days i noticed that she seemed desperate to sleep as far under my bed as possible,not in her usual place and seems almost scared.Yesterday i came home and she always greets me at the door but she was hiding under the bed shaking like a leaf and wouldnt calm down until she realised it was me.Her tail was between her legs! She wont go near my friend.My friend has a small child so i asked her if something had happened to my dog ie the child had maby hit her but she said no.I have 2 children and regularly have other children visiting so she is used to children and loves them as they do her.Today she even snapped at my cat and my friends dog( she previously adored them).She also has been kind of sneezing and pawing at her nose,she is not unwell and still eats well.Does this sound like she has been mistreated while i have been out because this all began after my friend arrived and i am so worried.I am taking her to the vet just to make sure she is in good health.Any advice would be appreciated.Thank you

Just wanted to ask if she has been spayed?

I'd take her to the vet for a check up - especially mention the sneezing thing as she may have something stuck up her nose (who knows how it got there.......)

Hello there,

Definitely take her to the vet and have her thoroughly checked out. Also, ask the vet to check for thyroid problems.

The best thing is to ask the vet to refer you to a behaviourist.

Bear in mind that little children are a different species altogether as far as dogs (and other animals) are concerned. My cat is the most tolerant less aggressive cat I've ever had and after 20 minutes of having a toddler running around the house shouting where's the cat, where's the cat and getting a poke once or twice - my cat became quite hissy and intolerant for about 2 days of anything and everything.

Dogs and children must be supervised at ALL times. Spaniels are extremely sensitive dogs and can be affected easily by negative events.

A way to know whether it is your friend's kid or not, is to go away with your dog for a day or two and see how your dog recovers.

Most people think dogs have to tolerate children, this is a grave mistake and will create problems. The fact is that children have to respect dogs and this can only be done with the full supervision of adults.

All the best,
Patty

>Most people think dogs have to tolerate children, this is a grave mistake and will create problems. The fact is that children have to respect dogs and this can only be done with the full supervision of adults.

I couldn't agree more.

I'd suggest she was certainly affected by your friend's visit in some way, and agree with the above posts too, children can really upset some dogs even if they are used to children of their own.

Lindsay
x

Sometimes children hurt dogs without realising what they've done or without any intent to hurt. Our old family dog (brought up around children and totally reliable with them) was once petted by our neighbour's child who was carrying a blunt ended pair of scissors he'd been using to cut the grass with.  The child was very young and genuinely didn't mean the scissors to come into contact with the dog but they did and from then on, Ruggs would have nothing to do with him.  His reaction to other children remained as it always had been - cheerful and friendly -  but he showed fear and mistrust of the little boy next door. Had we not seen the incident but asked the child whether he'd hurt the dog I expect the answer would have been "No". Not because he was a child given to telling lies but because he hadn't fully realised what he'd done and certainly hadn't meant to cause Ruggs pain.