GREAT THREAD!!!
TJ has started to guard and be aggressive too! It started about 1 month ago. He was 10 months old. MY BF would try to pick him up off of my neck while he was sleeping and he would do a quick growl. Kind of like: "I AM SLEEPING, LEAVE ME THE F*&% ALONE!!!" The first couple of times were kinda cute, we would joke how TJ was 'cranky'. Well, TJ started to do this more often and he started to do it to me too, and then he would do a growl and then try to snap at you. NOT FUNNY! I try to talk calmly if I am going to move an disturb TJ. This has helped, but TJ is growling and snapping at others things...
1. TJ doesn't like toys, etc. that make strange sounds or move. He wants to KILL these things. He will growl and attack these type of toys, so I really try not to let him see or have any of them!
2. This past week he started to attack Roxy for her cookie. TJ has turned into the DEVIL...The routine in the morning has been the same ever since I got them back in May 2005. I won't go into the whole thing but, when I gate them in there room, I give them a cookie each so I can sneak off to work. Well, NOW...TJ wants his cookie and Roxy's cookie. He is focused ONLY on both cookies. He jumps and attacks and growls and bites Roxy, to the point that she SCREAMS (very strange to hear a dog scream, but she does). She gets sooooooooooo scared that she doesn't even want to look at the cookie in fear of being attacked. If I try to hold him back he starts to wiggle, growl and snap at me. ALL HE WANTS IS BOTH COOKIES FOR HIMSELF. And he lets BOTH OF US know he means business!
3. Special chew bones are the same way. I feel soooooooo bad for Roxy. She likes to have these too, and I want her to have them, for pleasure and to help her teeth, but TJ wants them both!!!
I have to get control of this DEVIL DOG!!!
I am going to check out and probably buy:
MINE! A GUIDE TO RESOURCE GUARDING IN DOGS, by Jean Donaldson
I hope this is a good start!
Any other suggestions are GREATLY APPRECIATED! |