Possessive Agressive - 3 dogs/yorkie pup

[butchpoodle]

My pup is nearly 7 months and we start Puppy II in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, though, 2 of my poodles guard resources - one severely, and one a little bit. We generally don't give them any high value treats unless everyone is in their own space and that's been okay - 'til now.

I really want a well-raised yorkie. And I've been working with Brooke Lynn quite a bit, and she's very good. But in the past few weeks, she's begun to exhibit signs of possessive aggression. If I'm sitting on the couch and she is curled up against me and another dog jumps up, she growls at them. I put her on the floor and greet the other dog. Is there something else I should do?

She has the Ian Dunbar set up here - a crate inside a play pen. In her play pen, she has bones and rawhide, which the dogs don't usually get (see above) - and she has started to guard her playpen, sometimes when she's in it, but also just when she's near it. How do I dismantle this behavior? She is so not ready to be without her pen as she's not totally housebroken and chews everything.

Any advice appreciated. I adore my girl. She was the feistiest pup in the litter. Now, during her second fear imprint stage, she's a little scaredy cat girl. I'm working hard to reward confident behavior and ignore submissive behavior in general.

[kjc]

I would add a verbal 'Ah,ah or No, no' for any type guarding issues. If she persists or gets worse, I would put her in 'time out' for a few minutes.

[butchpoodle]

Thanks so much for your response. We started puppy k II tonight and you said the exact same thing the trainer did. The guarding of the pen has improved (after a fight with our top dog poodle) but she still tries to guard me even though I never reinforce that. I'll be adding the ah-ah. Thanks again!!

[Ringo1]

When my Westie exhibited that behavior when laying on my lap or close to me - the vet said he should be put in a 'time out' in another room - away from the pack. Not for any extremely long time - but he will quickly realize that the guarding behavior leads to him being removed from the 'pack' for a short time.

[butchpoodle]

Another great suggestion - thank you. Her pen is in the room we usually hang out in and she sure hates to be put up when everyone else is loose. I do it once in a while for various reasons - and when everyone is fed. Will add it to the program. ) Thank you.

[susan lynn]

My Sassy is the newest of the pack I have of 4 Yorkies, she is the smallest and the wildest. She constantly bites at Tessie (the alpha dog) and if she is sitting with me she snaps at the other dogs. I have started putting her in time out in the laundry room, This way she can't see me or the other dogs. I only leave her there for a few minutes. They are not crated and share the kitchen /sunroom openly but are confined from the rest of the house. The laundry room is also in the kitchen so she isn't alone. This helps sometimes but she is very wild, she will be spayed on June 14 hoping this will help. Good Luck I am sure the puppy classes will help.

[butchpoodle]

Follow up - the guarding puppy behavior has all but disappeared. When she's guarding me or the couch, I give her the Uh Uh and put her on the floor then ignore her for a bit.

After the fight with our big poodle (2# bigger than her), she has not tried to guard her pen with her stuff in it again. I'm quite grateful.