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06-08-2012, 02:15 PM | #1 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Bay Area, California
Posts: 114
| Becoming Aggressive I don't know what's happening to Ladybug. She has been growling at us when we come near her blanket. She usually never uses a blanket but about a week ago I left a blanket hanging over my office chair and she snuggled up with the part that fell to the floor. She seemed to like it so much that I dusted off my crochet needle and made her her very own blanket and she just loves it. In fact, she loves any fabric that she can lay on. My 9 year old's jacket "mysteriously" wound up on the floor and Ladybug claimed it as her own. When my daughter went to pick it up, Ladybug growled at her. The next day I dropped a paperclip next to her blanket and when I bent down to pick it up, she growled at me and even turned her head as if she were going to bite me. The final straw was this morning when my husband let her back in the house from doing her early morning business. She ran back to her blanket and when my husband bent down to pet her, she growled and attempted to bite him. He scolded her and told her to get in her crate. That was so out of character because she respects my husband as the "pack leader" so to speak. What do I do? Do I just take the blanket from her and the behavior goes away? That doesn't seem to be the right thing to do because I feel she can become attached to something else and act out the same way. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
__________________ Ladybug Love |
Welcome Guest! | |
06-08-2012, 02:29 PM | #2 |
Ringo (1) and Lucy too! Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: On the Edge of Glory
Posts: 3,447
| Lucy went through a period of doing this when she was still pretty young. I got so I just picked her up ~ blanket and all and took her where I wanted her to go. I also tried approaching her with a treat - so that everytime I moved her from her favorite comfy spot - she got a treat. She's pretty laid back about it now.
__________________ Mommy to Lucy, Ringo, and Matthew |
06-08-2012, 05:53 PM | #3 |
YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY
Posts: 6,582
| Maybe you should make her a couple of more blankets that she can have in various places so she does not have to feel so protective of it. Is it possible that she is not feeling well? She seems to be taking a lot of comfort in resting on something comfortable. Are your floors cold? Maybe you should look into the possibility of something causing her some discomfort. If it is out of character for her to act like that then I think there is more to it than just liking the blanket. |
06-08-2012, 08:00 PM | #4 |
Thor's Human Donating Member | Sounds like resource guarding. It's more common with toys or food, but it can be anything of value. It's not necessarily about dominance. I think you've gotten some good suggestions - either manage the behavior by not letting her have a blanket, or make sure she has several comfy spots. Since it's rather unusual, a vet check would not be out of order. One other thing you can try is to make sure your body language is not threatening. Rather than bending over her from a standing position, make sure to kneel down first, palm up, and move slowly. "Trading" her for her blanket is also a good idea. You can even teach it as "Leave It" so she knows if she gets up off her spot, she may just earn a treat.
__________________ If you love something, set it free. Unless it's an angry tiger. |
06-09-2012, 01:56 AM | #5 |
YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY
Posts: 6,582
| Maybe you both could post these issues over in the "general training" area and get some good responses from people with real training experience. As I said these dogs are insecure and there are ways of dealing with this serious issue. |
06-09-2012, 02:48 AM | #6 |
I♥PeekTinkySaph&Finny Donating Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 18,866
| Has anyone been teasing her or playing 'keep away' with her toys with her lately? My Tinkerbell came with this issue... I bought toys with duplicate items like Hide a squirrel and egg babies... and worked teaching her if I took a toy or she gave up what she had, she would get one back immediately. She came to me from a family with 5 children under the age of 12 years... all she knew was how to play with toys but was very protective and would bite to get me to leave the toy alone. Other toys didn't work, but the ones with duplicates did work for her... I've noticed my grandkids like to play with her, but they tend to keep the toys away more than give or throw them for the dog... so I've had to really watch her as I don't want her to start biting again... and teaching the kids to give her back the toy quicker...bc they are Tink's toys, not theirs.
__________________ Kat Chloe Lizzy PeekABooTinkerbell SapphireInfinity |
06-09-2012, 05:37 AM | #7 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Bay Area, California
Posts: 114
| Thank you all for your feedback. As of right now we've taken the blanket and put it in her crate. She's been in her same favorite spot under the chair and she's completely fine without the blanket. No aggressive behavior when we bend down to give her love. She hasn't even gone to the crate for her blanket at all. Right now I think that's the best thing to do. I think that's a good idea to have several blankets for her in other spots of the house. I'll make a few more blankets for her soon and see how that works! Thanks again!
__________________ Ladybug Love |
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