Monday, May 24, 2010

My puppy is possesive. HELP!?

I have a 1.5 year old boy and girl puppy. when i give them a bone, the boy is normal and i can take the bone away from him without annoying him, however with the girl she growls when ANYONE goes near her. if i try to take the bone away she barks, growls and bites VERY badly. we have tried spraying water and vinegar at her if she growls but it doesn't work. WHAT SHOULD I DO!!??
Answers:
Never tolerate growling. This is a threat and it means your dog sees you as a subordinate meant to be dominated by him. Tell him No! Let him know it is not acceptable to EVER growl at you or your children. Make it clear that your children are the offspring of his Alpha leader (you) and that they are to be treated as Alpha "pups."

Do not let your dog walk through the door first. If your dog always goes ahead of you, you need to get your leash and open the door. When he rushes ahead you pull him back and tell him "No. Wait. " You walk in and then give him permission to come in. This will be easier and faster if you have someone help you.

Do not let your dog sleep in the same bed as you. This is a definite Alpha position. If you just can't be without your dog in the bed, at the very least you need to make sure he sleeps at the foot of the bed. A doggie bed on the floor beside you is your best bet for maintaining Alpha position. (this rule is for aggressive dogs or dogs showing signs they are forgetting their place... A pet that is well behaved and obedient can sleep next to you or your child)

Socialize, socialize, socialize. I cannot stress enough the importance of introducing your dog to different places and people. Find something to do with your dog. Join and agility or obedience class. Take your dog to the park. If you have a laid back dog or puppy share your time with the local nursing home. Volunteer with disability groups so children and adults with special needs can enjoy the non-judgmental love a dog or puppy can provide.

Do not let your dog ride in your lap in the car. Make him sit in his own seat or on the floor. It is unsafe for you and your dog. Buy him his own seat belt or safety booster or use a kennel. Some states will give you a ticket for being a distracted driver.

Do not baby your dog too much. He needs to learn to be a dog. Do not over-protect him. He needs to explore and learn to be independent. You do not want to raise a flighty, paranoid dog. When he acts afraid of something that he should not be afraid of, do not pick him up and ooh and ahh over him. Simply tell him it is okay, and show him the object, person, etc. Your confidence will make him a confident and dependable dog. If you feed his imaginary fears, he will become a snappy and untrustworthy dog. He may develop fear aggression. An example of fear aggression could be a dog that sits in its owner's lap and growls at people or other animals. If you pet him, and tell him "It's okay." You are really telling him this is the type of behavior you expect of him, and he will continue to do it because there is a reward attached to it. Tell him no and put him down off your lap. While some owners think it is sweet that their little lap dog is "protecting them," it is not. When a child reaches to pet the dog or hug Grandma it could bite them if it is allowed to get away with this antisocial behavior. This is a dog that has taken on Alpha position and you are a subordinate. I have seen so many children chastised when they get bitten, when it's the owner that is responsible. You will often hear people say "Now, you know Granny's dog doesn't like you to go near her. She is jealous, and protective. We have told you over and over not to do that." What a shame. And it could all be avoided if we would just take the time to learn canine behavior. As much as we would like to believe that they think like us, they do not.


And when she starts to be a good little girl again, you can be sweet to her again.

I got my information from dogbreedinfo.com
i dunno. watch a whole bunch of dog whisperer episodes or buy his book and do what he would.
Dog whisperer to the rescue.
take her to a veterinarian, unfortunately i dont think thats curable :(, ive seen shows on animal planet where they do those test with a rubber hand, and when the dog keeps biting, they put them to sleep :(, sham on em,
You have to show your pet that you are the boss.
I guess you get my point.
I would say, contact a professional behavoirist. The simple answer is, that is a problem that can not be dealt with easily.

Food aggression is a serious issue, and as a previous Answerer said, in animal shelters dogs that show that sort of aggression are often put down because of the difficulties in correcting that sort of problem. It often translates into other aggression issues, and can escalate into a kind of trouble NOBODY wants to think about.

Talk to your vet. They should have contacts to behaviorists, or to someone who can get you in contact with someone.
never spry ur dog with vinegar.give her food and let her alone when she is eating.
If she acts this way, avoid giving her raw hides and bones.
Google : Nothing In Life is Free and use that to help establish that you are in charge. If you don't correct her in the right way you can make her worse.

Make her earn everything till she's better. No couches, human beds or treats. Lots of exercise and training. Food when she earns it. Treats sparingly when she earns them.

I too would suggest Cesar Millan's book and show.

Also google for a local obed. club and consider taking her to class.

Spay and neuter both of them if they aren't already.

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