It is never acceptable to have your dog agressive or possessive of anything as then he thinks he/she is the boss. In your home everything is YOURS because you are the pack leader. You should nip this behavior right away. Rather then working with "reaching" into the crate you need to start training on having your dog "come out" or "out" with a command. You might start with a yummy treat and as soon as he begins to exit the crate say your key word "ie: OUT" and give the treat with praise. The goal is to eventually be able to just say "out". You might also check on-line for additional suggestions but do not allow the crate possessiveness to continue. Otherwise, some day you might have someone over who reaches towards that crate without being aware and what if they get bit? Remember, YOU are the leader and your dog needs to know and trust that, it might be his/her den, but YOU own it. You might also check Cesars site for any suggestions as he is well known for dealing with dogs that have agression/possession issues.
Good Luck,
Kathy |