Tinky bit my son yesterday...

[schatzie]

Originally Posted by chloeandj

Tinkerbell bit my 4 year old son yesterday over a bone. I did everything I thought I should do. I took the bone away, she tried to bite me. So I flipped her on her back, yelled at her no, waited for her to stop struggling then put her in her crate for a long time out. When I let her out she was so submissive and bashful, I felt bad. Today me and my son will be practicing taking the bone away from her and giving it back. I can not have her ever bite a child. Any other suggestions of what I should be doing? She is a little over 5 months now.

It sounds like you did some excellent training procedures with your Tinkerbell.

I hope your son is ok and has forgiven Tinkerbell yet agree with you that biting a child is uncalled for. I am guessing Tinkerbell will learn her rules soon since she is just shy of 6 months old. Good job!!

[rnnw62]

I think you are handling things very well. You can not tolerate
any sort of food related aggression. I have 4 dogs from the
yorkie up to 100 pound Labs and if I want to take food, bones
or anything else away I have no problem nor does anyone else.
We so work on that issue from day one...My sister did daycare
and she owned a Scottie that was the mildest sweetheart of a
dog except when it came to food. For that reason she always
kept Hector in another part of the house away from the kids
just as a safe guard and never had an issue until one day after
her day had ended a little boy that she did daycare for that
lived right down the street came and just walked into the house
while she was in another part of the house. Hector was eating
and had dropped a piece on the floor near his bowl and the little
boy saw this and went to pick it up and Hector attacked him.
His face was literally ripped to shreds. A surgeon from the cities
had to fly out just to do the surgery that was required. It was
the most horrible thing a person could go through in the whole
world. She was sued obviously, her home insurance dropped
her and she has to deal with the guilt of that little boy living
with those life long scars. That is why I don't believe in the
DO NOT DISTURB policy that was mentioned. A dog must be
corrected immediately when such behavior begins because to
tolerate it is reinforcing that the behavior is acceptable. And
that is just my own opinion of course. I realize we are dealing
with animals and their instincts and that any pet has the potential
to bite but I try to make that potential as low as possible % wise.
I have done classes with some of my dogs and hired behavior
specialists with others that I have had problems with and my
personal opinion is that first and fore most the day I brought that new
puppy home I became responsible in making him/her an asset to
our family and not a problem waiting to happen. Good Luck with
your little guy and again I applaud your quick action because it isn't
anything to fool around with.

[PinkMartini]

Originally Posted by rnnw62

I think you are handling things very well. You can not tolerate any sort of food related aggression.

I couldn't agree more. Throughout the training classes I've been to, food aggression is one of the most 'serious' problems. Luckily Bailey hasn't had any aggression problems at all (since they're from the same litter and all) but in training, I learned a lot regarding the issue. Here are some links that I was recommended that might help to read to get some suggestions.

http://www.dogproblems.com/foodaggression.htm

http://www.doglogic.com/possess.htm

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Con...?P=C&C=157&S=0

http://www.thepetprofessor.com/secAr...or_in_dogs.asp

http://www.workingdogs.com/doc0182.htm

Good luck fixing the problem. There's no way I'd be able to handle a dog biting my child.

[chloeandj]

I appreciate the info Summer, thanks. She did very well with giving her the bone and taking it away tonight and we will continue to do work on that.

[chloeandj]

Originally Posted by schatzie

I hope your son is ok and has forgiven Tinkerbell yet agree with you that biting a child is uncalled for. I am guessing Tinkerbell will learn her rules soon since she is just shy of 6 months old. Good job!!

I have such a tender hearted son. He's 4 and he felt so bad for Tinkerbell having a time out, he put his finger in the crate and when she licked him he said "mommy she said sorry, let her out", (but of course I didn't).

[red98vett]

I think you're off to a good start - I've heard laying them on their backs is very effective - haven't had the need to do that with mine but I would if they were to bite also.....Good luck !

[jpb1971]

I think you did the right thing. Yorkies are yorkies and they have that "it's all mine" thing going on but you are still alpha and have to prove it. We make sure we take things from our puppies all the time and we are always picking them up to hold them on their back like you're cradling a baby. It's just one more of those alpha things.

My dad used to raise German Shepherds when I was a kid and we started out the same way with the puppies ... putting them on their backs on the ground or in our arms and making sure we took things from them from a small age. Occasionally also we just "stare them down" ... make sure you don't blink or move your eyes before they do.

They're like kids ... you can love 'em all day long but still have to be firm.

[Julie1]

You will probably all bite my head off but IMO food aggression isn't so bad. I've had a couple of food aggressive dogs Duncan being one of them but his only really is over high value foods like bones. If you have a food aggressive dog leaving it alone to eat it's food in peace is all you need to do. IMO no one adult or child should play near any dog with a high value treat - get between me and my chocolate and I might bite too

[Debr]

object guarding, which is the act of aggressively protecting toys, chewables such as Rawhide bones, or stolen objects such as shoes, underwear and human food.

Why does the dog see the need to protect an item from his beloved family members? Because he thinks they are going to take it away. They've done it before, haven't they? As a puppy, Bosco roamed the house investigating his environment by picking up almost everything he could with his mouth. Every time he found a treasure, it was snatched away. Before long, Bosco upped the ante by growling, snarling and/or biting. What else is a dog to do?

Your dog should be used to having his mouth touched so that when you wish to remove something from it, you won't get bitten. From puppyhood on, brush your dog's teeth, play with his flews, open his mouth and inquire, "Anybody in there?" In other words, make it a game.

Purchase foot-long retriever sticks for dogs who have problems with Rawhide and other bones. Hold on to one end of the stick while the dog chews on the other. Bosco may not enjoy this as much as hiding under a table with the stick, but in time he will get used to your presence and relax.

It is important for a dog to view his owner as the provider of all good things. This can be accomplished by tightly controlling the dog's environment. Keep all but a couple of chew toys up off the floor and take the others down only when you want to play. Make sure you offer an item with a command like "Take it." When you are tired of the game (you that is, not the dog), tell the dog to "Drop it." Give him another item in exchange, and then pick up the first object and put it away.

Do you know your dog's likes and dislikes? Compose a hierarchy of all the things your dog really enjoys including food, toys, treats and activities. In exchange for dropping the first item, give your dog a second, "better" item. For instance, if tennis ball retrieving is third on your dog's list, reward him with liver for dropping the tennis ball. If your canine tries to indulge in a choice bit of garbage from the street, command him to "drop it" and then throw him his tennis ball.

Someone higher up on the pack order ladder should be able to take whatever he wants from those further down the ladder. The family dog should be on the bottom rung, and any family member should be able to take anything from him. In reality, however, dominant dogs have a hard time believing children are above them on the ladder. In many households, the dog believes that his rightful place is on the rung between dad and mom, if not higher. If this is the case in your home, enroll your dog in a 30-day "tough love" leadership program to reclaim your rightful role as leader of the pack. Contact ASPCA Companion Animal Services for more information about this.

If your dog's possession aggression problems have been years in the making or are to the point of making you fearful, it is imperative that you work with a professional dog trainer or behavior consultant. He or she will carefully access the situation and design a protocol that is tailor made for your dog and you.

ASPCA Companion Animal Services
424 East 92nd Street, New York, NY 10128-6804
(212) 876-7700, ext. 4421

[Debr]

Understanding Aggressive Behavior in Dogs

Dog aggression is any behavior meant to intimidate or harm a person or another animal. Growling, baring teeth, snarling, snapping and biting are all aggressive behaviors. Although aggressive behaviors are normal for dogs, they're generally unacceptable to humans. From a dog's perspective, there's always a reason for aggressive behavior. Because humans and dogs have different communication systems, misunderstandings can occur between the two species. A person may intend to be friendly, but a dog may perceive that person's behavior as threatening or intimidating. Dogs aren't schizophrenic, psychotic, crazy, or necessarily "vicious," when displaying aggressive behavior.

Because aggression is so complex, and because the potential consequences are so serious, we recommend that you get professional in-home help from an animal behavior specialist if your dog is displaying aggressive behavior. Our Behavior Helpline can't assist you with aggressive behavior problems (see our handout: "When The Behavior Helpline Can't Help").

Types Of Aggression

Dominance Aggression: Dominance aggression is motivated by a challenge to a dog's social status or to his control of a social interaction. Dogs are social animals and view their human families as their social group or "pack." Based on the outcomes of social challenges among group members, a dominance hierarchy or "pecking order" is established (see our handout: "Dealing With Dominance In Dogs").

If your dog perceives his own ranking in the hierarchy to be higher than yours, it's likely that he'll challenge you in certain situations. Because people don't always understand canine communication, you may inadvertently challenge your dog's social position. A dominantly aggressive dog may growl if he is disturbed when resting or sleeping, or if he is asked to give up a favorite spot, such as the couch or the bed. Physical restraint, even when done in a friendly manner, like hugging, may also cause your dog to respond aggressively. Reaching for your dog's collar, or reaching out over his head to pet him, could also be interpreted by him as a challenge for dominance. Dominantly aggressive dogs are often described as "Jekyll and Hydes" because they can be very friendly when not challenged. Dominance aggression may be directed at people or at other animals. The most common reason for dogs in the same family to fight with each other is instability in the dominance hierarchy (see our handout: "Canine Rivalry").

Fear-Motivated Aggression: Fear-motivated aggression is a defensive reaction and occurs when a dog believes he is in danger of being harmed. Remember that it's your dog's perception of the situation, not your actual intent, which determines your dog's response. For example, you may raise your arm to throw a ball, but your dog, perceiving this to be a threat, may bite you because he believes he is protecting himself from being hit. A dog may also be fearfully aggressive when approached by other dogs.

Protective, Territorial And Possessive Aggression: Protective, territorial and possessive aggression are all very similar, and involve the defense of valuable resources. Territorial aggression is usually associated with defense of property. However, your dog's sense of territory may extend well past the boundaries of "his" yard. For example, if you walk your dog regularly around the neighborhood and allow him to urine-mark, to him, his territory may be the entire block! Protective aggression usually refers to aggression directed toward people or animals that a dog perceives as threats to his family, or pack. Dogs become possessively aggressive when defending their food, toys or other valued objects, such as Kleenex stolen from the trash!

Redirected Aggression: This type of aggression is relatively common, but is a behavior that pet owners may not always understand. If a dog is aroused into an aggressive response by a person or animal that he is prevented from attacking, he may redirect this aggression onto someone else. A common example occurs when two family dogs become excited, bark and growl in response to another dog passing through the front yard. The two dogs, confined behind a fence, may turn and attack each other because they can't attack the intruder.

Predation is usually considered to be a unique kind of aggressive behavior, because it's motivated by the intent to obtain food, and not primarily by the intent to harm or intimidate.

Individual Variation

Dogs differ in their likelihood to show aggressive behavior in any particular situation. Some dogs tend to respond aggressively with very little stimulation. Others may be subjected to all kinds of threatening stimuli and events, and never attempt to bite. The difference in this threshold at which a dog displays aggressive behavior is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. If this threshold is low, a dog will be more likely to bite. Raising the threshold makes a dog less likely to respond aggressively. This threshold can be raised using behavior modification techniques. How easily the threshold can be changed is influenced by the dog's gender, age, breed, general temperament, and by whether the appropriate behavior modification techniques are chosen and correctly implemented. Working with aggressive dogs can be potentially dangerous, and should be done only by, or under the guidance of, an experienced animal behavior professional who understands animal learning theory and behavior.

What You Can Do:

First check with your veterinarian to rule out medical causes for the aggressive behavior.
Seek professional help. An aggression problem will not go away by itself. Working with aggression problems requires in-home help from an animal behavior specialist.
Take precautions. Your first priority is to keep everyone safe. Supervise, confine and/or restrict your dog's activities until you can obtain professional help. You're liable for your dog's behavior. If you must take your dog out in public, consider a cage-type muzzle as a temporary precaution, and keep in mind that some dogs can get a muzzle off.
Avoid exposing your dog to situations where he is more likely to show aggression. You may need to keep him confined to a safe room and limit his people-contact.
If your dog is possessive of food, treats or a certain place, don't allow him access to those items. In an emergency, bribe him with something better than what he has. For example, if he steals your shoe, trade him the shoe for a piece of chicken.
Spay or neuter your dog. Intact dogs are more likely to display dominance, territorial and protective aggressive behavior.
What Not To Do:

Punishment won't help and, in fact, will make the problem worse. If the aggression is motivated by fear, punishment will make your dog more fearful, and therefore more aggressive. Attempting to punish or dominate a dominantly aggressive dog is likely to cause him to escalate his behavior in order to retain his dominant position. This is likely to result in a bite or a severe attack. Punishing territorial, possessive or protective aggression is likely to elicit additional defensive aggression.
Don't encourage aggressive behavior. Playing tug-of-war or wrestling games encourages your dog to attempt to "best" you or "win" over you, which can result in the beginning of a dominance aggression problem. When dogs are encouraged to "go get 'em" or to bark and dash about in response to outside noises or at the approach of a person, territorial and protective aggressive behavior may be the result.
Copyright Denver Dumb Friends League and Humane Society of the United States. All rights reserved.


more coming later tonight

[Debr]

How To Practice "Nothing In Life Is Free:" NILIF program


Using positive reinforcement methods, teach your dog a few commands and/or tricks. "Sit," "Down" and "Stay" are useful commands and "Shake," "Speak" and "Rollover" are fun tricks to teach your dog.Once your dog knows a few commands, you can begin to practice "nothing in life is free." Before you give your dog anything (food, a treat, a walk, a pat on the head) it must first perform one of the commands it has learned. For example:

YOU:
YOUR DOG:

Put your dog’s leash on to go for a walk
Must sit until you’ve put the leash on

Feed your dog
Must lie down and stay until you’ve put the bowl down

Play a game of fetch after work
Must sit and shake hands each time you throw the toy

Rub your dog’s belly while watching TV
Must lie down and rollover before being petted

Once you’ve given the command, don’t give your dog what it wants until it does what you want. If it refuses to perform the command, walk away, come back a few minutes later and start again. If your dog refuses to obey the command, be patient and remember that eventually it will have to obey your command in order to get what it wants.
Make sure your dog knows the command well and understands what you want before you begin practicing "nothing in life is free."
The Benefits Of This Technique
Most dogs assume a neutral or submissive role toward people, but some dogs will challenge their owners for dominance. Requiring a dominant dog to work for everything it wants is a safe and non-confrontational way to establish control.
Dogs who may never display aggressive behavior such as growling, snarling, or snapping, may still manage to manipulate you. These dogs may display affectionate, though "pushy" behavior, such as nudging your hand to be petted or "worming" its way on to the furniture in order to be close to you. This technique gently reminds the "pushy" dog that it must abide by your rules.
Obeying commands helps build a fearful dog’s confidence; having a strong leader and knowing its place in the hierarchy helps to make the submissive dog feel more secure.
Why This Technique Works
Animals that live in groups, like dogs, establish a social structure within the group called a dominance hierarchy. This dominance hierarchy serves to maintain order, reduce conflict and promote cooperation among pack members. In order for your home to be a safe and happy place for pets and people, it’s best that the humans in the household assume the highest positions in the dominance hierarchy. Practicing "nothing in life is free" effectively and gently communicates to your dog that its position in the hierarchy is subordinate to yours. From your dog’s point of view, children also have a place in this hierarchy. Because children are small and can get down on the dog’s level to play, dogs often consider them to be playmates, rather than superiors. With the supervision of an adult, it’s a good idea to encourage children in the household (aged eight and over) to also practice "nothing in life is free" with your dog.

[Debr]

with the 3 above articles it should assist you in getting things going forward. If need more or specific exercises to do let me know.

All my dogs, (except zak who was a rescue at approx 6mos old) were taught I give them their food, I can take it at will-from their mouths should I feel like it. They also learned I give them toys and I will take them when I want to or I will play when I want to. If I tell them sit and leave it- they will sit and stare at their food until I say ok. If they have a steak and I say drop it, they drop it. Zoie & Joker came to me at 8 weeks, feeding was done on schedule and I would put my hand into their food when they ate. I would take a piece of food out of their mouths, then let them have it. I do not give bones-raw hide, nyla's nothing. Bones cause good dogs to argue, bones are like going to a chocoholic meeting and placing 1 candy bar on the table-watch how many fight for it.Since I have multiple dog home I feel it is asking for trouble. Dixie does have a nyla bone which she gets only in her crate and she is all alone with it. I only allow her to have it for teething and once her adult teeth are in she will no longer have it.

the NILIF aka nothing in life is free program really works great. Your dog learns to respect you as their provider/care taker and helps establish you as alpha.

[Bodhi'sMom]

Whew! That's alot of good info Debr! Mind if I add a link to our dog trainer's article?

Resource Guarding

Let me commend you chloeandj for your desire to train your dog instead of "getting rid of her". I'm sure that you'll have her "eating out of your son's hand", in no time!

[chloeandj]

WOW! Thank you very much for getting all of that together!

I will read and reread all of it. Tinkerbell will not be a little stinkerbell for long. Such great info. Thanks to everyone for the information.

[MeganS]

I don't know if it will work for tink if she is older but my dad read something somwhere that said when they are puppies when they're eating you stick your hand in their food bowl. its supposed to teach them that its your food you're just giving it to them and aggressive behavior is unnacceptable. i'm not sure if it works or not. if you stick your hand in tucker's food bowl he walks away so we're gonna wait a few more wks before we do that.