r/redheeler

First camping trip of the season. Excited for the lakeside view!

Hey everyone I’d like to introduce mine and my partners Spicey Floof Pumpkin… This is Copper Dawg he is 3 years old last month, and he is our literal one and only child. He comes out with us almost everywhere, he’s always a happy boy and loves treats, belly rubs, and his panda teddy bear that somehow he has not ripped apart and also carries everywhere.

Copper often is around people, he’d never had an issue with them. He doesn’t really get along with other dogs. I can tell he’s just playing but he tries to herd them and grabs there ankles and they don’t really like it, but he does have a few good pooch friends he sees here and there that he’s fine with.

This is where the confusion starts, about 10 months ago we went 4wding, obviously copper was with us. And the people/family that were with us have been around him since he was a puppy, never had an issue.
Well he bit someone.
No warning
No growl
No signs
No irritation
Just out of no where bit my partners cousin whom he’d grown up with, luckily the person he bit is an animal lover and didn’t press charges or anything, he’s never once done anything to copper. Always given him pets, treats etc.
But copper bite him viciously, super hard through the hand, he was only giving Copper pets. Something in Copper snapped.

Since this we have tried an array of of things to stop it from happening again, however copper still hates people. He picks his favourites, it’s like he sorts people in to categories in his head. There is only a handful of people he likes now. Has anyone else had this situation before with there ACDs and what have they gone through to fix it?

Edit: I want to say thank you to absolutely everyone that has commented thus far, a lot of comments are about a behaviour therapist which we are on a waitlist for, however wait list is very long!

My 16 month old baby boy Cato. The bow tie is mandatory for his personality.

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But sit still for a good pic….