In case your Canine is often candy and cuddly, however his conduct immediately flips into reactivity or aggression, you’ll have a canine with Jekyll and Hyde Syndrome. In that case, this text will enable you perceive and handle your canine’s uncommon conduct utilizing easy and optimistic methods.

Jekyll and Hyde syndrome could be tough to handle. Earlier than I educated as a canine behaviorist, I made many errors with my border collie Jessie, a Jekyll and Hyde canine. 

I’ve helped many different canine with comparable points together with Poppy, my weimaraner cross. Generally, long-lasting chews may also help divert a food-motivated Jekyll and Hyde canine, however we are going to cowl a number of methods to assist your canine handle his conduct. 

What’s Jekyll and Hyde Syndrome?

Jekyll and Hyde syndrome refers to a canine that shows unpredictable aggression. That can assist you perceive, I’ll describe an incident with Jessie, my rescue collie.

We rescued Jessie when she was 4 months previous. She had a candy, cuddly character and settled properly. When Jessie was about 9 months previous, she immediately turned dog-reactive. Her reactions had been excessive, like a pink rage in direction of different canine, however she was nice with folks. 

At some point, our good friend Julie was standing and stroking Jessie, who had her paws on Julie’s waist. Jessie appeared pleased with the eye however immediately turned and bit Julie’s hand, inflicting bleeding. I used to be horrified and baffled by the conduct and took Jessie to the veterinary clinic to get checked for ache. They might discover nothing bodily improper. 

After that, Jessie bit two different folks randomly. On the time, I had no thought easy methods to deal with canine aggression.

What causes Jekyll and Hyde Syndrome?

There may very well be a number of causes for Jekyll and Hyde syndrome. In Jessie’s case, I consider it was a go to to a loud canine occasion I attended. She was a working collie breed and tremendous delicate. With a whole lot of canine barking, Jessie froze. 

Wanting again, I understand poor Jessie was terrified. What I ought to have carried out is take away her from the surroundings. Fourteen years later, I nonetheless really feel responsible about my lack of know-how. 

There may very well be one or a number of causes for Jekyll and Hyde conduct: 

• Meals or useful resource guarding
• Pack bullying (if in case you have different canine)
• Neurological points
• Lack of train
• Lack of coaching
• The canine is in ache
• Tough dealing with 
• Poor breeding
• Incorrect weight loss plan
• Well being points

Methods to handle Jekyll and Hyde conduct

Step one is to rule out ache or well being issues. We later found that Jessie had a pancreatic downside, which might have made her really feel unwell and grumpy. 

Secondly, perceive that it is not your canine’s fault. Our job as canine homeowners is to find what’s inflicting the difficulty. We frequently do not discover modifications in our canine’s every day conduct and habits till it escalates into one thing problematic. 

It is useful to maintain a every day journal and doc the next:

• Your canine’s meals 
• Monitor his stools
• Train ranges
• When the conduct occurred (what was the time of day? What was taking place on the time? Did something about your canine’s conduct change earlier than the response? Who was concerned? How lengthy did the conduct final? How did you react? What steps did you are taking after the conduct?

I want I had identified to maintain every day particulars as a result of that is what I did with my reactive canine, Poppy. I failed with Jessie. My canine coach fell in love together with her, and he or she joined her household of 9 canine. Ultimately, the vet recognized pancreatitis, and he or she retired to a quieter residence with my canine coach’s mum. 

It was not a simple journey, however my errors with Jessie led me to turn out to be a canine behaviorist. After I rescued Poppy, I used to be higher ready to beat her reactivity. She would have additionally turn out to be a Jekyll and Hyde canine within the improper palms. 

You would possibly like to find the 5 errors I made with my reactive canine that you just’ll need to keep away from. 

Listed here are my 9 prime ideas for what to do with a Jekyll and Hyde canine:

1. Modify your conduct: Attempt to see issues out of your canine’s perspective. As an illustration, in case your canine is reactive, it may very well be fear-driven conduct. Defending what he values might have turn out to be a behavior in case your canine useful resource guards meals or toys.

2. Get assist from a canine behaviorist: Discover somebody who makes use of optimistic reinforcement and understands easy methods to calm a reactive canine.

3. Monitor modifications: it might probably typically appear to be your canine’s conduct is not enhancing, so monitor incremental modifications.

4. Get the household on the identical web page: Your complete household should comply with the identical coaching protocols when rehabilitating your canine.

5. Handle the conduct safely: In case your canine exhibits aggression, preserve him secure and away from what triggers him till you’ve got a coaching plan to work with. Preserve him on the leash round no matter triggers the conduct, akin to different canine. 

6. Get him checked by your vet: It’s important to rule out ache or sickness.

7. Think about altering his weight loss plan: Some canine are allergic to sure components, like grains. A change to a different feed can typically create radical enhancements. Your vet might advise. This function on altering pet food will enable you to transition safely. 

8. Keep away from flooding your canine: Flooding is while you expose a canine to one thing he fears. It was my greatest mistake with Jessie. As an alternative, transfer your canine away from what he fears till he calms. Steadily, you may lower distances by utilizing optimistic reinforcement.

9. Keep hopeful: It is attainable to rehabilitate a Jekyll and Hyde canine except it is a neurological problem. Keep optimistic and search assist in case you’re struggling to deal with your canine’s conduct. 

Like folks, canine should be understood. My journey with my reactive canine Poppy, as a canine behaviorist, was probably the most rewarding expertise I’ve ever had with a canine. Working collectively and watching my reactive canine turn out to be glad and balanced remodeled our relationship right into a deep bond. 

Good luck with rehabilitating your Jekyll and Hyde canine. Benefit from the journey and the rewards of dwelling with a happier and calmer canine.

In case your canine is food-motivated, this function reveals every thing it is advisable learn about coaching canine with treats. On the lookout for the greatest canine deal withs? We’ve rounded up the most effective in the marketplace on this information.