Aggressive/possessive behavior
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| It's really hard for me to offer suggestions on this without seeing your boy in person, but there are a number of things I would or could try. I would try substitution; giving of a special treat in return for giving up the item. The "LEAVE IT" command, followed by a treat when/if he drops whatever is in his mouth.
I might also consider the Nothing in Life is Free approach, ensuring that Humans are tops in the house. Humans eat before the dog, the dog must work (by sitting, waiting or achieving some other goal) to earn any food or snack. Dog must sit befoer going through a door and people are always first through the door. You can use the Google Search box at the top of this thread to search oes.org for nothing in life is free and there should be lots of good suggestion on how to accomplish that technique. Welcome to the forum! I'm sorry we meet during this difficult time for you. |
BDavid wrote: We have a 2yr old male neutered OES who is very possessive with toys and wll not give up articles (eg mittens) he has in his mouth. He will go to his crate and growl/bark aggressively. Any suggestions?
Sorry I must have missed this post! Your pooch is displaying very normal behavior for a dog. It is called "resource guarding". Now I will mention that although it is normal, it is also dangerous and undesirable. Please do not set yourself or anyone else up to get bitten. It is a real possiblity. Please look for the book called "Mine" by Joan Donaldson. It has all kinds of information on how you can turn this around. It takes time and consistency, but it is possible. Do not correct your dog for doign this as it will get worse. Ron has the right idea....right now you "trade up" , that is, for something more desireable. And be very careful with him and don't let him around children when toys are around. He amy be fine with kdis, but you are right that they turn into a different being when in "guard" mode. oh, by the way...as that Aurora, Ontario??? Are we neighbors? |
Nicole - did you mean Jean Donaldson? 
It is available at amazon- but it doesn't come up as a new item I think. Ron can we get a link for this? Shellie |
| Your wish is my command, oh Shellie one.
I fold my arms, twitch my nose, click my mouse 7 times, press control-c (the last two not being easily done with folded arms), and Shazzaam! Mine!: A practical guide to resource guarding in dogs, by Jean Donaldson (Limited Availability) |
| Oh man - our own personal OES genie!!
Perfect Thanks Shellie |
| If he was an OES genie, none of us would ever have to groom a dog again! |
Shellie wrote: Nicole - did you mean Jean Donaldson?
Yes, Jean...
One of my most favourite doggie persons...She also wrote ' The Culture Clash " which I think every dog owner should have. It is a real eye-opener, but written in a clever, sarcastic fashion that is easy to read....and then has tons of tips on behavioral problems and training. In my opnion, this book is a MUST read.. |
| Just be careful on how you proceed and respect any growls. It's always best to talk with a professional trainer when it comes to aggression. With this said, there are times when compromise has been a good approach for us... it keeps both sides happy.
First, we had the same issue with a crate and our Schipperke-mix. She saw the crate as her den that she didn't like anyone near. This is one thing I do not like about using crates with some dogs... there is only one way in and they are now cornered if you're at the door. We got rid of the crate but she still has some bossy tendencies. Anyway, here is what we do... When it comes time to pick up something that our Schip-mix has, we do what we call a trade. I have a couple of treats and I swap her for the item I need to retrieve. I tell her to "give" and we make the trade. The same result is achieved without the confrontation. You might ask if this approach would be advisable. Jaci |
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