New pup showing 1st signs aggression

[ConnieY]

My senior parents adopted a Basset/Beagle at 4 months. He's now 6 months, neutered, has been friendly, loving, gentle, housebroken. Never been hit. While Mom was in hospital for 2 weeks, Dad took care of Fred. Shortly after Mom returned, Fred started randomly barking at Dad. He would be sleeping, and just get up & walk to Dad while he's sitting in a chair, watching tv or reading, & bark persistently. This led to biting at pant legs, then when Dad would push him (gently) aside, snapping at hands. I came over to watch, they were gonna sell him. He acted perfect all day till I left. Mom called & I heard the constant barking the whole 20 min back to the house. Dad tried standing & turning his back, tried a firm "No!", then we put him in his crate. Got him out after 10 min, he waited about 15 min & started again. (No one was in the room with them, Mom & I were in back room. I waled out & Fred was snapping at Dad's pants & barking. I yelled "No!" & he stopped & exposed his belly. I took him into the back room. After 10 min, he's fine & hanging out with Dad. What do we do!!!???? I will be looking for a trainer, afraid to put the problem on a different owner if they sell him.

[Nettle]

This may be a health or environment issue, or simple frustration. Tine for some detective work! Please would you give us a full rundown of his average day from eyes open to eyes shut, what he is fed and when, exercise, training, when he was neutered, any other creatures in the house, any changes in the environment, anything else you can think of, no detail too small. Then we can start to work it out together.


Also, what is Dad's health like? Has he changed his medication recently?

[ConnieY]

Dad does have mild cognitive impairment,not sure what meds he takes.The only change is when Mom was in the hospital for 2 weeks, he started the behavior about 2 weeks later. He sleeps with Dad, wakes up with him & goes outside. Dad walks him, Mom just had knee surgery. Dad takes him to the neighbors to run in the enclosed fence (this is a new routine, just started 2 days ago) He was neutered at the shelter at aprox 3 months. Dad got him at aprox 4 months. He was a stray, so age is an estimate. He eats 2x a day, am/ pm. The only time the behavior starts is when Dad is in his chair. never any other time. It happens several times a day. I showed Dad a new trick to teach him to do every day for energy (jumping over a broom, & he will add new agility type tricks weekly for bonding & exercise). I found a positive reinforcement trainer through a friend, left a phone message & waiting to hear back, Dad agreed to try training before re homing. Fred is allowed on furniture now & sleeps in bed, this was not allowed when first adopted. He was started off in a crate. I think they might get rid of the chair to see what happens. He is a submissive dog, when you reach down to pet him he cowers & exposes his belly, always has from day 1. No submissive peeing. he approaches people with his body all curved up, they actually thought he had a back problem at first but that is how he approaches people sometimes. He likes to try to jump & be all on top of people too. But he is doing better now that they are using positive training on the jumping and climbing issue.
Thank you!

[ConnieY]

Also, he will ignore my dad after one of these "attacks" for about an hour, not responding to any coaxing from Dad to come near him. Dad had started to smack him with a paper in defense, but as of yesterday I told him to just move the dog to another room and leave him there for 15 min alone. Fred also started chewing on his bed & on Dad's shoes. Sometimes the "attack" starts after Dad tells him No! for chewing his bed, sometimes it's completely out of nowhere.
Today he went after Mom too.