Puppy aggression issues
She is 50/50 on letting me pick her up, but reverts to the same growling/snaping behavior. Last night, I put her on the table for grooming, and she would not get down. When I touched her to pick her up, the growling started. The only way to get her down was to drop a leg on the table and let her walk down. It's getting to the point that she now guards food, water (at puppy school), the couch (when she's on it), the front seat of the car, and being picked up. She has no issues at all socializing with other dogs and plays very well with them. She likes people and is an absolute softy and sweetheart. She is very smart and picks things up very quickly. But, I've been warned, that if she bites Dublin, she is gone. I want to try to correct this now instead of later, as we still have car chasing issues with Dublin that we are always working on correcting. Does anyone have any experience with this or any tips? Thanks. |
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| Have you read that Jean Donaldson book? It's called "Mine! A Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs." A lot of people highly recommend it for issues with resource guarding. I'd talk to your breeder first. Let her know what's going on and she may have some good advice to start with. Not to mention, a reputable breeder will want to know if you're having problems with one of her pups. She definitely doesn't want to hear about it at the end. Next, I'd consider getting a qualified behaviorist or even a trainer to come in and observe the behavior and give you some pointers. At 5 months old, you have to stop this behavior now or you're going to have a real mess on your hands. I don't have a lot of advice on this as I really haven't had issues to that extent but I know others will chime in. One thing I would consider though, it's very likely your other dog will get bit during the process of trying to modify the other dog's guarding behavior. You can't watch them every second. I'm not saying it should be tolerated but I don't know if it's a fair end point to give up on a dog. I understand your concern, and Dublin shouldn't be terrorized but there's a good chance a bite will happen but if you're working with the little one and making progress, I wouldn't throw in the towel over one dog on dog bite. Or is it your breeder that doesn't want you to keep her if she bites the other dog? |
| Has she been to training class? Have you heard of nothing in life is free? For the guarding issues, Simon was like that as a pup. What I did was sit on the floor with his food bowl in my lap and hand feed him. He was not allowed to eat out of the bowl at all for (sigh) days on end. Then I allowed him to eat out of the bowl but I held the bowl. I would suggest starting with that with the food. Pick up water and only allow a drink when you are holding the bowl. Your dog is guarding the couch, the couch is now totally off limits. Put your dog on a leash and attach it to yourself so that she has to go where you go(this will also help in keeping her off the couch). Feed your other dog with the crate door closed so you can monitor when he/she is done and pick up the bowl. I know this all sounds like a pain...it is but you have to get this under control before you have a big dog instead of just a puppy with attitude. As a responsible pet person you have to teach that pet what is acceptable and what is not. Its not too late to teach her that YOU are in charge, not her. You might do some one on one with a trainer so that the trainer can see what is going on and help you to get control of the situation. I am by no means a professional and most of what I learned, I learned here  What Jill said is true, one bite or small tiff is really not that big. As your pup gets older she may decide she wants to be top dog and there may be issues. I have two males and they had one BIG fight and they were done. I've heard of others on here that it can be more then that. Its normal in a dog world. |
| My Maggie at 2 1/2 is a submissive dog when approached by anyone or any dog...she rolls over with stomach up for you to rub. I took her to training classes and did what they said...didn't work. As she got older she guarded not only her food but the area when I was preparing the food. She attached Rosie when she came near which surprised me as Maggie acts so submissive most of the time. After much reading and research I think Maggie was the smallest of the litter and didn't get her share of the food as a new pup...the breeder free fed all the pups and she was a litter of 6 with 3 adults dogs around her. She is submissive probably from this experience and coming to me with Rosie who was 8 yrs at the time. She has been great with grandchildren until this week...the 2 yr old ran at her and grabbed her face...she growled and luckily I was there...she did this out of fear...in the past it was her licking the 2 year old...she is fine if she is the one approaching. She doesn't mind if I feed her, pick up her food etc...however I separate both dogs at feeding time. I gate both dogs around toddler when food is present and now I gate Maggie when my grandaughter is over just playing...I would rather be safe than sorry. Maggie is a sweet loving dog but I think her submissive behavior also makes her scared and she will bite if she fears being cornered...everything I have read says I can't change this behavior as it began at birth...I have tried so many things. Bottom line is I separate her around food and I keep her away from toddler now...I don't want the toddler thinking she is playing and run at Maggie when she is laying down and something happen. I hate this as Rosie, the older dog will just leave and hide if she doesn't want to be bothered and has never shown any growling etc...around children. She loves being with them and is most tolerant. She is getting older going on 11 and I will gate her as well now as you never know when she will change. They actually seem to like being gated and seem to rest better when grandaughter is here playing. They love seeing her and will lick her to death if she let them but I don't want to analyze what happened if grandaughter was bitten...everything I read says a submissive dog is fearful and will bite because of fear. Looking back my children were 6 and 8 when I first added an OES to our family...much different than having toddlers running around. |
| Abbey just completed her fourth week in puppy class. And thanks to the snow, she was the only one in class last night and got some one on one training in these issues. She did act up but she didn't bite, but scratches with her teeth. We are definately open to all suggestions because she is just the sweetest little thing. We have been giving her water only in a bowl (by hand) and then taking it back. The biggest thing the trainer said was that Abbey senses our hesitation around her and is testing us, so we all have things to work on. Thanks for the suggestions. |
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