Marley is an 11-year-old cocker spaniel. He is incredibly affectionate and sweet 95% of the time, but has a long-standing bite history — 10 – 15 incidents — typically when startled, guarding, or accidentally stepped on in the evening. We’ve worked with behaviourists in the past, and the recommendation was to manage his triggers closely, which we’ve done for those 11 years.
However, we’ve recently had a baby, and managing both Marley and a child has become difficult having to separate them all the time. We are now at a heartbreaking crossroads and are looking for support to find a new home or appropriate setting for Marley.
We are fully aware of the risks and are disclosing his history openly. Our ideal outcome is to rehome him somewhere calm, without young children, where his space and needs can be better met — potentially a farm, lifestyle block, or to someone experienced with reactive dogs.