Resource Guarding, HELP?

[PrincessDiana]

I'm almost embarrassed to write this post, but I think it's time to admit that Franklin has a problem. I got him as a college student and while he has had a healthy, happy life, I wasn't as diligent about training him as I should have been. We all know that little dogs tend to get away with more things because, well, they're cute and little. I know I am EXTREMELY guilty of that. Well, fast forward 5 years later, it's not so cute anymore.

Franklin has always been a little possessive of toys and food. It was never really a problem because Maggie is very calm and shy and not at all interested in his toys or food. He would growl at her now and then when he was on my lap and she came near, but we always just gave him a stern "no" brushed it off. He gets VERY aggressive with high value items like bully sticks and rawhides. So much so that I kind of just stopped giving them to him. About a month ago, we were visiting some friends and Franklin found a rawhide. When I went to take it from him, he growled at me. I reached into his mouth to take it (as I've done his entire life), and he bit me so hard that my nail cracked in half and all the skin off the tip of my finger was ripped off. He has NEVER bitten me before.

Now that we have a new Golden Retriever puppy, the problem has become much more evident. Franklin suddenly has an interest in toys he never cared about before. He drags around bones and toys the size of his body because he doesn't want Tucker to have them. It's gotten so bad that we can't even play with Tucker because Franklin runs in and snatches any ball or toy we throw. They then proceed to chase each other around and "wrestle." Luckily Tucker is still very young and while he is around 40 lbs, he just thinks Franklin is playing. Franklin, however, is NOT playing and is very upset with his teeth bared and all. We all know that an well-exercised puppy is a well-behaved puppy, so not playing with Tucker is not an option. However, I feel like putting Franklin in another room or leaving him inside is only going to make his jealousy worse.

Tucker is doing very well with his training and I don't want him to pick up any of these bad habits. Nor do I think Franklin's behavior is acceptable. I understand there is likely a deeper issue of fear and anxiety attached to this, but I'm feeling very overwhelmed. Is this an issue that can be corrected with at home training, or should we immediately be seeking professional help? I love all of my dogs and want them to coexist peacefully, if not happily.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Whether you want to work with your dog yourself or seek a professional is up to you and your finances. I would recommend that you do hire one if you can afford it as the good ones are familiar with how to teach you how to deal with this problem.

So many people have had problems like yours and one of the very first things you can do to start to work toward helping Franklin, if you don't have the resources for professional help, is to Google the term Nothing In Life Is Free. The guidelines are free on many websites. Many dog behavior experts recommend using this method for handling any dog that is becoming aggressive and/or dominant, assuming pack leader duties - which in reality is your role. If you will read all that you can about the proper way to start to handle him and that he has to look to you as his pack leader, begin to utterly respect you as the one who decides all things in your family and not him, then the things you will teach him later about how to learn not to resource guard, will come a lot easier. Every single thing he wants in life from this point on should be on your terms and he needs to work a bit to get it, just like in the wild all pack members work for their share of pack resources. The NILIF program will help him begin to accept your instruction as his leader and to realize that he gets what he needs when he does.

The next step is to start him on basic obedience again, even if he's learned all the things as a young dog. Our library here has a good, basic program. Scroll down to Guide Part 5 V for basic obedience and begin working with him.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/pup...w-parents.html

If he is already good in basic obedience, I would start him on the Canine Good Citizen program as a guide for keeping him working with you, learning, looking to you as his team leader and more quickly accustom him to quickly obeying your commands. He'll soon want to please you.

I will get back online tomorrow or the next day(having some dental surgery in the A.M. so can't right now) and give you some tools for actually dealing with the resource guarding and how to work to correct it over time. It is not a quick fix. No doubt others will offer advice too and you can use any of it that you feel will best work for you and your dog. But I would sure get him into the NILIF program from one of the guidelines on several of the websites that teach the steps and techniques.

[Wallee]

Looking forward to the advice. I have a friend with a s**tzu with this problem and I can't have him here any more cause he bit Wallee when he was very young over one of Wallee 's toys he wanted.

[PrincessDiana]

yorkietalkjilly, what a wonderfully informative post! Thank you so much! Those are definitely things we will start implementing - some we already do. For instance, all the dogs must sit and stay before eating as well as before going outside. We start puppy obedience class with Tucker soon so I will speak with the trainer there about private lessons to see how feasible it is.

What do you suggest we do about play time? Just do it separately since we aren't able to play with Tucker?

[yorkietalkjilly]

Diana, for the present I would have separate play sessions, until you've had some help and gotten some good guidance on how to handle your little "wild child" (ha) appropriately and then, over time, the dog behaviorist will teach you how to introduce them to play without triggering so much reaction. It will be slow and Franklin has much to learn before you get there. He's got to learn that you, and not he, decides who plays with what when and with a highly motivated resource-guarder, sometimes you never fully get there unless you are an extremely dedicated and an innate dog handler/trainer by nature. However, if you are motivated enough and willing to take on the challenge and work with Franklin training, motivating, essentially positively reshaping his behavior over time, causing him to happily work for and ask you for everything, never letting him get by with not following your directions or command by ALWAYS following through to see that he obeys, get him working hard to please you - which - when you make it all fun, set them up for success and stay matter of fact and indefatigably patient no matter what - he'll WANT to get on board and he'll work his little Yorkie butt off to buy into your program and do what you ask. If the rewards of your training program are satisfying enough in his mind and it's all made to be fun and motivating, he'll do just about anything for you.

I won't lie - it really takes dedication to the program to wrestle the "attitude" from the little resource-guarder that he's the boss and has the right to that toy or chew. That 'tude is usually genetic and one that comes about usually in dogs that feel somewhat comfortable taking over pack leader roll at times. One of the ways I handle them is once I've used the resource-guarding desensitization technique to teach them over time another way to respond to their genetic impulse, as well as taught them "Leave It!", once they start to approach a dog with a chew or begin to show interest in what a another dog is doing, or start to guard and alert when another dog or person comes near their food or chew, I say "Leave It", and when the dog backs off, relaxes on cue, because he's learned impulse control over his genetic tendency, learned that pleasing me is ultimately good to him, I always, always, always, always, always get up and get him a treat and give him big praise him for his hard work overriding his impulse to start to alert to the other dog over a resource. I don't care if I am post-op or seriously ill or what, that dog gets his reward and praise when he stops alerting and backs off. So I use the "Leave It" for many things than just to get a dog to drop something in its mouth, etc., but it also means stop whatever you are doing or thinking and back off from the object or situation AND relax. And they know mom will back it up and stand up, walk to them, bore them with my eyes, point at them with a finger directed right at them(NOT mad or threatening at all - just in third-grade teacher mode) and keep the "pressure" on until they decide to "let go"/relinquish whatever they are starting to alert to/guard. Then they know mom gets that treat and gets right into their little face and tells them what a darling boy they are, how good, how smart, how precious and lots of sweet loving. They know if they want something really bad, even a piece of chicken on the floor but they leave it, back off and look to me that mommy always gives them a reward and takes special time to show them they are really wonderful. Every single "leave it" situation is celebrated and they come to learn that.

But you have to work a lot with a dog to train it that well and the training work has got to be fun enough, rewarding enough that they want to please you because you make them feel so darn good and happy when they do. And they know that if they mess up or make a mistake, there is no harm or fear coming to them - my dogs I train all can trust me implicitly without fear or intimidation(I want happy dogs!), just a mommy that will say "uh oh" and keep working with them in such a way as to cause them to WANT to get it right. So part of their going against genetics and bad habits and such is that they get more reward from pleasing me and being a team member of mine than they do from keeping up the bad behavior. I guess they just love all the celebration and love and happiness and such from successfully doing what I ask - well, that and the treat!(ha). It's a big deal to me when they do something right and they are made to know that they are absolutely wonderful for doing that.

But just as in any family, some siblings don't mesh all times and it is something parents learn to work around. I would keep the toys and chews and things away when both are together in the room or leash the little aggressor near you while the other one is chewing a chew or playing with toys, if he's in the same room and while the other dog is enjoying his toy or chew, toss a treat to Franklin every so often during the other dog's entire play/chew session so Franklin is distracted and associates the other dog's play/chew session with his getting treats even if he is restrained. Also, a little squeak toy to squeak in his face or at his bottom playfully during that time can distract him and cause him to focus on you and the squeaky and not have a lot of time to keep alerting and thinking about that toy/chew he wants. Then let him outside to run off his pent-up feelings once the play/chew session of Tucker's is over. That is just something you could try to tide you over until you can get some training in how to deal with this from a professional.

Well, the tooth is starting to throb a bit. Back later.

[yorkietalkjilly]

I will post the "Leave It!" technique separately. Work with your dog to help him control his instinct and genetic tendency to guard his food or toys using this technique but only AFTER you have used it to teach him well to leave the treat or toy you are training him to ignore and learn impulse control. I use the "Leave It!" training to help dogs learn that things they want to possess or guard are even have in their mouths is not to be guarded or held onto if they hear me say "Leave It!". It takes time for them to really learn this technqiue and not just be "performing" it for you. Performing a trick or exercise is what dogs do early on when they get what you want them to do and do it for a reward and praise. Learning a trick or exercise is what happens when it becomes part of their muscle memory, instinctively done when they hear a command to do something and don't think, just do it. So never progress on training anything until the dog has "learned" the command and does it without thinking.

Use the term "Leave It!" in anything but a mean or harsh tone. Use your instructional voice and keep emotion out of it - be a teacher, a leader but don't scare your little one. Just teach and do it matter-of-factly so your dog can learn free of fear or intimidation. Repetition and patience is how he will learn.

Once you have taught the "Leave It!" technique, you can modify the "Leave It!" technique in time when the dog is standing over the food bowl and when they back off as they learn to do in this exercise, toss the exchange treat across the room from the food bowl so that they leave the area and go get the treat away from the bowl, relinquishing their ownership and rights to the bowl. Walk over to the dog where he now is and treat/praise there away from the bowl. Do some "Leave It!" work right there, away from the bowl, repeating the technique below, keeping the dog from the food bowl for a minute or two and then walk away.

Keep repeating this technique so that the dog readily leaves his bowl with you standing right there in the room, cross the room for the exchange treat and working with him over there to keep him from the food a bit.

Begin to handfeed the dog from his bowl sitting outside or in another room, anywhere but his normal feeding area now where he might resource guard. Hold the food bowl, take up a piece of food and offer it. When he takes it, smile and offer another piece. Don't verbally react, just stay a positive, matter-of-fact leader. This will habituate him over time to your owning the food bowl, the food and feeding rights over him and he will in time become comfortable with your right to his food and bowl.

Take his empty food bowl and sit it in the middle of the floor and begin to walk up to it, tossing a treat across the room or even a squeaky toy and go praise and treat him when he leaves the bowl alone. Place the bowl lots of different places and walk up to it, toss a treat across the room, treat again and praise when he goes to it rather than guard the bowl. In time, he will accept that you can walk up to his bowl in any room or setting, take it up, take the food out or whatever you want to do as he back off and goes across the room. Of course, when he does that, TREAT and PRAISE that dog over across the room where he went to get the treat during training. Take the bowl into your lap and pretend to eat from it, tossing a treat as you do and treat/praise when he goes for the tossed treat.

Keep repeating that approaching his food bowl, tossing treats to get him to back off and go after the treat for 3 times each session - no more. After a couple of weeks of that, put a few bites of food in the bowl and repeat all of the above exercises. Eventually, relinquish the bowl to him and let him eat the bit of food. Slowly increase the amount of food in the bowl over time as long as he is relinquishing it to you to go after the tossed treat. Keep him off his guard by feeding him in different places once you resume his eating from his bowl directly and not handfeeding.

But first, go read, read, read and learn the "Leave It!" technique posted separately and then, once that is well-learned and part of your dog's routine, progress to the above techniques for foodbowl resource guarding.

[yorkietalkjilly]

LEAVE IT!

I taught Tibbe using the trade-out method.Gave him a toy to take in his mouth as I hid a treat behind my back. When he dropped the toy in his routine play, I said "Leave it!" (speaking in a matter-of-fact teacher's tone) immediately gave him the treat. Repeated over & over for a few times each session for a couple of days. He soon was dropping his toy on his own, trying to get a treat.After a time as he was playing with a toy, I would say "Leave it"before he got the chance to drop it on his own and if he dropped & looked at me, I instantly treated him & praised him with a "Good boy"and would repeat the exercise again. Once I gave the command and he didn't drop it, I would say "uh oh" & turn away from him to start to let him know that "uh oh" meant no attention and no treat. After a minute -60 seconds, would turn back around and start over with "Leave it" and keep going through the treating/praising if he did drop it & turn to me and"uh oh", no treat & turning away if he didn't.

At this point in the training, after he'd started learning to drop the toy as a result of the verbal command to "Leave it", if he dropped it on his own to get a treat, he got none. I only treated when I had said "Leave it", as this starts teaching him at this stage in the training that responding to the command is what gets him the treat now.

Later, I would put toy on the floor & tell him to "Leave it",treating him if he avoided taking it in his mouth.

Once he got very good at leaving it - dropping the toy on command, I would hold two treats, one in each hand, offering him one and holding one out in front of me so he could see it. Once he took the first treat, I would say "leave it". He didn't know any better at first & his first reflex was eat treats, at which time I would say "uh oh", retract the hand with the second treat & turn away. Eventually once he dropped the first treat, he got the other offered treat immediately and big, big praises. dropping food out of its mouth on command is a big step forward in the "Leave it" training. That is VERY BIG. Immediately I got two more treats, offered him one, held the other out in the other hand so he could see it and said"Leave it". He ate the first treat immediately! That's how it goes.So, I said "Uh on", turned away, retracting the hand with the other treat, waited 60 seconds then turned back & got another treat, started over with "Leave it". Eventually, he got it - a game - when playing"Leave it", you drop whatever you are given - whatever it is - even food - and you will immediately get a second treat. And big big big praises& happiness by mommy! Then I would place the treat on the floor and tell him to "Leave it", praising if he did.

After a while, I even tried him on chicken pieces. He learned to drop a piece of chicken when I said "Leave it", because he knew he would get the second piece in my hand instantly! I could place the meat on the floor in front of him and he would back off if I said "Leave it". He did it to get the piece he knew was waiting - that piece of chicken & the praise. You can literally train a dog to do anything, even delay instant food gratification if you are patient, keep the sessions very short & let them know that if there are no results, no treat/praise is forthcoming but, oh, boy, if they do leave it, the reward is immediate & good!

The last piece you have to know is when you use the "Leave it"command in a non-training way as when the dog picks up a sock or a dropped pill, always go get them a good treat & praise, praise, praise when they do drop the object. ALWAYS get them their treat. I don't care if you are ill - get the dog his treat & praise him lovingly. It will keep the lesson in his head that dropping the object or food in his mouth is the thing to do as he'sgoing to get his reward/praise and a happy, happy mommie. There are many ways to do this lesson so as others give their methods, pick what best works for you and your dog.

Make a game of it, keep it short, stay patient & repeat the game frequently- even when he is old. Patient repetition and persistence with a firm but upbeat, gentle spirit and happy rewards will best help your dog learn and retain anything you teach him. Make his rewards so fun he wants to do this successfully! Repeat this lesson often. It can save his life and be used in many situations to get your dog to avoid a bad or dangerous situation.

[rubynrosie]

Jeanie-

I can hardly believe Tibbe the dog you describe in your training posts is the same dog you described for me in the first pictures thread. Your knack for training and the easy to understand "how to's" you write amaze me!! I haven't trained Ruby n Rosie other than in how to be a princess...but reading your info is getting me excited to try with the girls...heaven knows they are smart enough...hopefully their momma is too!!

[yorkietalkjilly]

Oh, thank you for your kind words and I'm sorry my posts are long but I try to take it step by step. But there are many ways to train a dog to do anything and hopefully some of our wonderful dog handlers and trainers or any member will add their ways here for all of us to read and gain skills from. I've just posted one way of approaching it more slowly over time to work up to approaching food-bowl guarding, etc. But whatever way works best for you and your own dog is what you should use. I take a slower approach to try to gain the dog's respect and control his impulses first and then branch into more touchy things over time after he begun to accept me as his trusted leader. There are other ways that can work faster and hopefully a lot of people will post their ways so anybody reading this thread can have a choice of tools to help them and their dog co-exist happily once they learn not to guard their resources.

Oh, and yes, Tibbe is a totally different dog than the one who came home with me from his caged world. I know he's happy!