Dog Service Network, LLC » Guarding / Territorial

Object Guarding – Canine Possession Aggression

Dog Service Network — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:39:11 +0000

Canine Possession Aggression……..object guarding, this is the act of aggressively protecting objects such as toys, pigs ears, rawhide chews, bones, or articles that the dog has found or stolen, such as socks shoes underwear tissues and human food.

The ears going back will be part of typical body language relating to this behaviour. The dog then will go into a crouch over the object, displaying a whale eye, that is the head turned away but the eyes are swivelled back towards you the perceived threat to his possession, the whites showing, you may also find the lips are slightly pulled back almost in a grin. Look at pictures of whales and you will see why whale eye gets its name.

Mine! All Mine.

So why would the dog want to protect these objects? Simple answer is that it’s normally a learned experience. Either it is a reaction from their siblings taking and tugging objects away at an early age, or we teach them this behaviour by our actions and reactions. As a puppy, your dog wandered through parts of the house, picking up and investigating any little object left lying around. However as soon as he picked up something we did not want him to have, we immediately snatched this precious possession away.

Before long, our intrepid pup would pick up an object then run away so we couldn’t take away his find, he would scamper either to another room, the garden, under or behind a table, settee, or chair anywhere where we could not easily relieve him of his treasure.

So what do we do? We follow him to wherever he has hidden away, shouting leave it, or drop! What does the little monster do, he whale eyes you and starts to growl. He has now learned a couple of very valuable lessons.

When you give a command, he does not always need to obey.
If he shows aggression, you back off.

And by our actions, we have successfully taught him to resource guard.

Advice?

Well meaning friends and of course the inimitable doggy experts. You will find these in abundance in any park, street, pub or internet forum, they will tell you to grab the dog by the scruff of the neck then forcibly remove the object, put the dog into an alpha roll position, or give it a good thump. The tips and advice are endless. If you analyse them all you will find that nearly every suggestion will be confrontational, these methods will inevitably have the exact opposite effect to what you are hoping to cure.

What you will rarely be told is to train the dog so that it wants to give up the object, that the dog will think it is fun and rewarding to let you have these treasured articles back.

Start Early

Your puppies and adult dogs should be used to having their mouth touched, when you then wish to remove something it isn’t seen as confrontational. From the day you get your dog, either as a puppy or adult dog, brush his teeth, play with his flews (the floppy bits on the upper lip), open his mouth, check his tonsils, look down his throat, do this in a positive fun way with lots of praise and the occasional treat.

Purchase a long rawhide knot or bone. Hold on to one end of the knot while the dog chews on the other. He may want to play tug, but just hold do not pull away, in time he will get used to your presence and relax and just chew.
It is important for your dog to view you as the provider of all good things. You can do this by tightly controlling the dog’s environment. Keep all but one or two 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” or “Dead” Give him another item or treat in exchange, and then pick up the first object and put it away.

Do you know your dog’s likes and dislikes? Compose a list of all the things your dog really enjoys including food, toys, treats and activities, rank them in a hierarchical order, 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 cheese, frankfurter or puffed jerky for dropping the tennis ball. If your dog attempts to pick up a bit of rubbish in the street, command him to “drop” and then throw or give him his tennis ball.

Give a Cue

Teach the word dead, drop, or give, do it in a fun way with a happy high silly voice. Start by allowing him to have something that is not so valuable then trade with him for his favourite treat, what is his favourite treats or game? Do you really know your dog’s likes and dislikes?

This is fine for teaching young pups or dogs that are not presently guarding but what about ones that are already way down the road of resource guarding. Training a young puppy is relatively easy. Re-training an older dog is more difficult, but not impossible.

Trade and Reward

Firstly take away all objects the dog is guarding, that could be toys, tissues, chews, bones, pigs ears or sleeping places, that includes beds, sofas or chairs. You may not be able to move the latter but you can cover it, put a box or something else on it that will restrict access. Do not allow access to these precious resources a number of days.

You need to prepare for the next stage if the guarding is articles such as toys chews bones etc, prepare some of the dogs really favourite treats, cheese or frankfurter tends to be high on the list. Then get a low value object, it may be a tissue or a sock, a pigs ear for instance may be perceived as high value. Try to be slightly to the side of the dog rather than face on and relax, take the tension you may feel out of your body as the dog will both smell and sense your fear and this could trigger a reaction.

Offer the object to the dog but try and keep hold of it as the dog takes it, use whatever release command you have decided on it could be “dead” “drop” “leave” or “trade” immediately produce the tasty treat from behind your back and exchange. Praise when the exchange takes place and give back the object you first exchanged.

Set scheduled times to repeat this exercise at least four times a day but also just do it in opportune moments. Gradually up the anti of treasured goods. Over a period of time the dog will start to look forward to your approach and game. It is at this time that you give your dog the object and walk away, at first come back immediately and trade gradually making the time and distance you walk away longer, until you clearly see the dog is having no problems with your approach whatsoever. Then only give a treat every third time, then every tenth, take the object away and immediately give it back extending the period on this until the guarding behaviour disappears.

As with food guarding, you want to build a positive association around people approaching the objects being guarded. The dog needs to understand that approaching people and the removal of objects can be positive and rewarding.

Location or Bed Guarding

This is not always as simple as it may seem, as the severity or incidence may be related to who is approaching. It may be that a woman can approach the bed or sleeping place but not a man, an adult but not a child. It is not always tied to the object being guarded, but more to the relationship or lack of it of the person approaching the resource.

Sometimes this behaviour manifests itself when we try to move the dog off a sofa or when we handle or stroke the dog. It is worth in these cases making sure the dog is not ill or in pain as this could stimulate aggressive reactions.

As with other forms of guarding, make this a positive experience. Gauge how far you can approach before any aggressive reaction occurs. Initially keep to this distance and as you pass throw a treat, praising the dog at the same time. Make sure you do not praise or treat if there is growling or any show of aggression. Gradually decrease the distance over a period of time, do not rush the exercise, if the dog starts to react go back a few steps and start again. Change your angle of approach and the person who is approaching. Always try not to approach head on come in at an angle from the side give lots of verbal praise for a calm and passive reaction from the dog.

Maintain the Status Quo

Over time your pet will come to realise that your approach is a positive experience and the guarding will hopefully cease. However if it starts up again repeat the exercise. You should practice once a week exchange or trade, for the remainder 0of the dogs life.

If you are already at the point where the dog has actually bitten you, then I would suggest you get professional help. This should be from a behaviourist or a trainer who understands aggression. You should look for one that comes to your house. I never understand how professionals can assess your dog’s behaviour from the confines of a vets or an office. The dog reacts very differently when out of its own environment.

© Copyright: Stan Rawlinson (Doglistener) one of the leading Dog Behaviourists and Obedience Trainers in the UK. Who has owned and worked dogs for over 30 years, starting with Gundogs then moving on to the behavioural and obedience side of Pet Dogs. He now has a successful practice covering London, Surrey and Middlesex. Visit his Web Site for more information and details of his work. www.doglistener.co.uk.

Please do not distribute this article in any media without prior permission.

Stan Rawlinson.
Dog Behaviourist & Trainer
www.doglistener.co.uk
enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
H 0208 979 2019
M 07976 153161

Different Types of Aggression

Dog Service Network — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:43:17 +0000

Aggression is one of the main reasons that dogs are euthanised or rehomed; at least 30% of all dogs in rescue centres are there because of the incidence of aggressive behaviour in one form or another. It is actually unusual to have a dog that is aggressing to have just one type of aggression; most dogs have more than one of the following types of behaviour.

It would be prudent, before embarking on any program of aggressive behaviour modification, to rule out any medical reasons for that behaviour, especially if there is a sudden change in the dog’s temperament. Their are some fifty-odd different medical reasons why a dog may be showing aggressive tendencies, these range from Pain to Thyroid Dysfunction, Epilepsy to Hypoglycemia and Diabetes. The following is a list of the more common aggressions and why they may be occurring. This is only a part of the total types. Because of the constraints of space it can only be a fleeting reference. I have covered fully in previous articles in DM “Food Guarding “and “Object and Possession Aggression”

1. Fear / Nervous Aggression (Interdog)

Quite often, this behaviour has its roots directly to the pup’s mother. Breeders that breed from fearful and timid bitches will often make excuses as to why you cannot see the dam. If you do view a litter of puppies and the mother is fearful, then do not even think of buying the puppy. It will be almost a certainty that the pups will inherit some of the mother’s traits, through both genetics and socialisation, genetically the pups may inherit her timidity and through the time they are with her will observe her fear and follow suit.

Scientific research has shown that even the pups that are born to a solid and stable mother that are then put with a bitch that is fearful, they will pick up some of the unstable habits from the fearful dog. Other reasons for this fear type of problem is when the puppy or adult dog is attacked by another dog, especially whilst on the lead, with no means of escape and restricted from showing submissive body language to the attacker.

Lack of early socialisation can also have an affect on this type of behaviour, If the young pup, especially between the age of seven and sixteen weeks, is not carefully socialised with both adult and pups alike, then they do not learn to “meet and greet”. The complex body language dogs learn at this age is crucial to their later behaviour when approaching unknown dogs. If they are unable to either perform or understand the greeting rituals, then they are immediately viewed with suspicion by the approaching dog, and conflict may arise

How can you tell if it is fear?

With nervous and fear aggressive dogs, you will find that they will react aggressively to any dog, regardless of whether it is male or female. The behaviour is often worse if the dog is on the lead or is cornered, especially if close to the owner, who backs up the behaviour, (though unwittingly) by becoming nervous and agitated as the other dog approaches.

This manifests itself in a tightening up on the lead and shoulders. Nervous owners also kick out a cloud of adrenaline that the dog instantly detects, this causes it to look for what is causing the concern. It sees the dog approaching and reacts accordingly. This type of dog is also normally a barker, it will lunge and bark at the approaching dog but generally will not snap unless all its options have run out. ie flight or freeze and after all its threat posturing the other dog has still got too close.

This problem can often be diagnosed if someone who is confident around dogs (that the dog does not know well) takes it out on the lead. It will not get the same fearful vibes from the owner, therefore the reaction to another dogs approaching will be less intense. It is a good way of finding out if your dog suffers fear aggression, as the behaviour will either not be exhibited or will be less pronounced. The owner can then use a desensitisation program for both the dog and themselves.

2. Fear / Nervous Aggression (Inter-human)
Once again, this can be caused through lack of early socialisation, bad breeding and sometimes lack of handling at an early age, starting as young as two weeks old. Pups that are not handled gently and often by the breeder do not get a strong olfactory and tactile bond with humans. This is often the case with puppy farmed dogs and dogs born to large breeders. This handling at such an early age causes a mild stress response in the tiny pup, which benefits its ability to cope with many situations including people and dogs in later life

Nervous and fear aggressing is always defensive in nature, sometimes it is related to the sex of the person. If the breeder was female, and very few males visited or handled the puppies, then the timidity and fear may be worse with men. This particular problem like interdog hostility, will manifest itself mainly with individuals rather than crowds. You will find that the dog will bark a lot but will be under a table or behind a settee. The tail will be down and although it may seem overtly aggressive, the dogs balance and weight will be on the back foot not over the front feet. This demonstrates that the dog wants you to go away and is not initially trying to bite or attack you. A gradual and careful introduction to the stimulus that is causing the fear with positive reinforcement for calm behaviour is the way to overcome this type of problem though the dog will rarely make a total and full recovery and will never be life and soul of the park and greeting parties.

3. Frustration Aggression

Research has shown that dogs who are not allowed to interact “normally” with people and dogs who were prone to displays of bad temper and behaviour that was overtly aggressive are dogs that are generally restrained or restricted from normal interactions (interactions with people, other dogs, and the outside world). The dog develops an intense desire to gain access to all of those things he desires.

This desire can escalate into escape and roaming behaviour, agitation, biting and unprovoked attacks. It is often observed in dogs that are left tied up in flats, left in gardens, or near a window where they can see the things they want to interact with, but cannot get to them therefore display unprovoked aggression. To some extent, the aggression shown to the postman is based on frustration. I have seen dogs attack their owner or a second dog in the home because it cannot get to the deliveryman.

As with most aggressive behaviours early socialisations and an understanding of how dogs learn and communicate are essential.

4. Sexual aggression

This type of aggression is usually limited to male dogs. They will mount both people and other dogs. Mounting activity directed towards humans may reflect a lack of opportunity for the dog to play with other dogs, or an over-attachment to people in early life, mounting on other dogs especially if they initially try to put their heads over the other dog’s necks can be related to rank and control complex behaviour. Castration and behaviour modification can help with this problem. Allowing the dog to mate may often be recommended by the amateur dog expert, this normally makes the problem far worse.

5. Territorial Aggression

This may be towards other dogs, people or both. By definition, territorial aggression should be directed toward members of the same species ie other dogs. Domestic dogs, however, seem to regard humans in this regard as conspecific, and consequently may direct territorial aggression toward us When dogs display aggression to strangers only on the home property garden, house, or yard, yet do not respond aggressively to strangers on neutral territory, then territorial aggression is the likely diagnosis. There are two primary motivations for territorial behaviour, control complex behaviour ie dominance or fear/anxiety. It may be worse in a small space such as a car than in an open area. Some dogs like this can be fine in the home, but not so good in the garden.

The only answer to this problem is to work on the dominant/territorial problem in a way in which a dog understands its position through a behaviour modification programme using position reinforcement techniques. Remember not to praise for the cessation of bad behaviour rather praise for that bad behaviour not happening in the first place. In other words, say the dog jumps up on someone and you say “OFF” if the dogs get off then do not praise as you will be praising for the inappropriate behaviour, which was the jumping.

6. Control Complex / Dominant Aggression

The word dominant is a dirty word in dog behavioural circles at present however if we understand the word means position and is much more complex that just aggression, then to ignore this area of conflict would be remiss. The initial approach to other dogs is often cautionary and contains many status signals, like tail carriage held high and quickly moving from side to side, standing on tiptoe etc. If the other dog submits, then all is usually fine, if not the fighting can be extremely noisy and in some cases quite severe. In both the last two examples, dominant and territorial aggression, I usually find the dog will pull quite badly on the lead. These dogs can also display aggressive tendency towards members of the family this could lead to an attack if not controlled in their early stages. By working on a programme that will give the dog a purpose and a position in life, almost a job and teaching the dog to walk on a loose leash can sometimes overcome the problem. The type of program I would use is the NILIF program, which stands for “Nothing in Life is Free”, See my website under dominance

7. Chase or Predatory aggression

This can be directed at many things including dogs, cats, or anything that stimulates a chase response. Squirrels are a favourite, as their quick jerky movements seem to stimulate even the most placid of dogs. I see a lot of predatory chase aggression in for instance Border Collies, in particular stimulants like bikes, skateboards joggers and cars.

One of the key factors that distinguish predatory aggression from other forms of aggression is that movement often is the trigger . In the wild, this movement is in the form of running and escape attempts of a small animals. Predatory behaviour can be seen in dogs of any sex and age.

Dogs that show intense interest and become aroused or anxious by the movement or noise of children or other pets should be closely monitored at all times. Prognosis is not good for this type of aggression. Reward based obedience training can help, however this is only any use if the owner/trainer is able to constantly monitor the dog at all times.

It is easier to control the chase stimulus when it is directed at cars, joggers, or bikes. Two types of common treatment’s include counter-conditioning used to change the dogs’ perception of the falsely identified prey. Many also believe punishment works ie noise aversion when the behaviour is first stimulated. Throwing water from a car window or sounding a rape alarm or air horn at the exact time the dog takes off, throwing down a plastic bottle of stones from a passing bike or car can sometimes alter this behaviour.

However. To be effective, punishment must be seen as aversive and the timing of the punishment must be exact so that the dog associates the punishment with the behaviour. Electric shock collars have also been suggested but are not part of treatment programs I would ever recommend.

As mentioned aggression often has its origins in bad breeding, lack of socialisation, high prey drive, and poor basic training can also exacerbate the situation. However, as stated before it can be related to medical conditions and before embarking on a course of behavioural therapy have your dog checked over to see if there are any underlying medical conditions.

Learned aggression can normally be cured however, hereditary aggression cannot, it can only be controlled and hopefully contained. Castration sometimes helps, and should be considered in an overall aggression reduction program. With all aggression cases, you should consider a behaviourist or a dog trainer experienced in these problems, before the problems becomes life threatening either to the dog or the person they are aggressing against.

Stan Rawlinson
2004

Bone or Toy Guarding

Dog Service Network — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 01:59:54 +0000

I find this problem mainly in the gundog breeds dogs such as Labradors, Springers, and Golden Retrievers but have also come across it in Shar Pei’s Staffs and English Bull Terriers, and most of the guarding breeds.

I think genetics, and early learned responses whilst still with the mother and siblings can have an affect on this behaviour. If we really think about it object, toy, or bone guarding is a natural action and reaction to a situation where possession may mean survival. The problem we have is we perceive it as unacceptable or dangerous behaviour.

The way the situation is handled at the outset will have an enormous effect on the overall outcome, and in some cases determines the dog’s fate. Head on aggression and punishment in this scenario is both dangerous and pointless.

Try this:

Remove the cause of the dog’s guarding behaviour. If it’s a specific type of bone or treat, the simply make sure that you do not stimulate this behaviour by never giving those objects again.
Basic obedience training can help by teaching either: “Leave it” “Drop” or “Dead” and use various objects such as shoes, socks, tissue this is always best started when the dog is a puppy. I also never play tug with my dogs accept in very special circumstances ie a timid or shy dog, As I believe this can also stimulate a guarding reaction.
Give you dog something you can carefully remove from a distance, for instance you could tie some string round an object or bone then when the time is right use the trigger words “Leave it” “Drop” or “Dead” At the same time as removing the object with the string, immediately treat the dog puffed jerky, cheese or dried liver is ideal. Then give the object /bone back and repeat the exercise
Trade with him, a barter system of swapping objects can help in this case. He picks something up you offer him a tasty favourite treat in return, then give the item back to him. Do not treat or praise him whilst he is growling or threatening, as this can be seen as praising the
To punish object guarding either verbally or physically will probably only serve to remind him that he was right not to give up the object and will probably lead to you being bitten and he/she being rehomed or worse still put down. Remember growling is a warning, a threat that he is not happy with a situation, if overtly challenged then he may feel it necessary to back it up with an attack.

This can only be taken as general advice and cannot replace a behaviourist who is experienced in aggression, and these types of behaviour, Object guarding in isolation may in some cases be easily cured, but coupled with other aggressive or dominant tendencies may point to a much more serious problem The tips above will at least get you started in the right direction, but further coaching from a professional may be necessary and judicial.

Food Guarding

Dog Service Network — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 01:41:03 +0000

We work very hard training our dogs to fit into our lifestyle and our family unit, we think we have done great, then just as we are congratulating ourselves on a job well done the growl starts, it may be as we pass the bed, food bowl, or pigs ear, or even as we remove a toy or tissue.

This is a common problem, often called food guarding, or resource guarding. In reality it is a natural innate tendency for dogs to protect what they perceive as theirs. Possession to a dog is 9/10ths of the law, some dogs will resource guard anything, and that includes us.

This happened to me recently. Kai my white German Shepherd, they are also known as the Swiss Shepherds, he is about 13 months old, lovely temperament nice nature, growled as I walked past his food bowl. To say I was shocked would be putting it mildly. I have never owned a resource guarder or possessive aggressive. I have treated dozens, but never owned one.

Kai is a rescue who had five homes in the first 8 months of his life before my daughter who was dog walking him thought that he should join our extended family. 5 homes!, not exactly the best of starts, he had a bit of baggage but nothing that a bit of TLC and positive reinforcement could not put right.

Unfortunately, I had no impact or influence on his previous owners, or what they did or believed with regard to feeding, possessions and training. The myths and beliefs that surround this common problem are many fold. There is the “let him know who is boss brigade” and the “if he had done that to me I would have belted him” Others that will tell you he is dominant. Dominance and dominant behaviour is a somewhat outdated term in modern canine behaviour therapy. It is too easy and simplistic to label everything as a bid for power and control. The term suggests that the dog is personally threatening you in a bid for top dog slot. Which I assure you is not the case with possession aggression.

Jean Donaldson a US based behaviourist has written a book called * “Mine” a guide to resource guarding in dogs. A practical how-to guide on resource guarding/aggression – food bowl, object, bed, crate, owner, guarding. Though written primarily for trainers with the owner seen as the third party, it is still an excellent book; in it she lists a number of myths and untruths.

Resource guarding is the result of giving a dog too many privileges
Resource guarding behaviour is abnormal
Resource guarding is driven largely by genetics therefore cannot be altered
Resource guarding is a symptom of dominant and naturally aggressive behaviour

These beliefs/myths probably get more people bitten every year than probably any other single behavioural problem I encounter. The belief that the dog is being disloyal and biting the hand that feeds it is unfortunately commonplace, once again *2 anthropomorphism raises its ugly head. This problem is also one of the key reasons why some dogs are euthanised.

Back to young Kai. When he growled, (just a low almost subliminal rumble, but a subtle threat no less). I did not react or even look at him nor chastise him in any way. To challenge him at that time would have suggested that the growl wasn’t sufficient to warn me off, so lets up the anti and perhaps a snarl or a snap would be in order. I am of the belief that violence begets violence, therefore why challenge if there is no need to.

I waited until his next feed time; I feed my dogs twice a day therefore it was that evening. Instead of using one bowl, this time I used two. I prepared his food as normal in one bowl, and then got him to sit and wait. I then put the empty bowl down.

The look of confusion on his face was classic, he looked round the bowl nudged it to see if his food was underneath then sort of semi collapsed and just looked at me totally bemused. It was at that time; taking a long handled wooden spoon, I tossed a small portion of his food into the bowl. The reason for the spoon was if he were to grab at anything, he would grab the spoon and not my fingers.

I proceeded to feed the whole meal in spoonfuls, what I was telling him was that by me getting access to his bowl was a condition of him being fed., I continued with this method for three days. Sometimes this may take much longer depending on the severity of the guarding.

After the three days, I could tell by his posture and body language that he was relaxed and comfortable with me near his bowl. I gradually decreased the distance between myself and the bowl on every spoonful until I was standing next to it. I then started to put a small amount of his food in the bowl before putting it down rather than spooning it in, then gradually increased the amount over a few days until I was putting all the food in at one go.

Once I had reached this stage, I started adding a very tasty titbit whilst he was eating, I usually use a chunk of cheese or frankfurter, I started this from a little distance away and gradually decreased the distance. What he learns during this exercise is your approach to the bowl is no threat, in fact quite the opposite it is positive as it means he is going to get something really special and tasty.

This is a positive reinforcement technique that requires no aggression, threats, or force; these rarely if ever work in the case of possession aggression. You must make sure your dog is relaxed at all times, if you hit a problem then you have gone to far to fast, go back a couple of stages and work back up to the area where the problem or behaviour was being displayed, take your time there is no need to rush, its not a race.

If I wanted to analyse why Kai growled in the first place I would only be guessing at the trigger. Without talking to all the previous owners to see what they had done then its pure conjecture, though I can imagine a number of possible scenarios. As an educated guess someone probably thought it was the right to take his bowl away whilst he was eating, just to show the dog that he could, this can often create a seed of doubt in the young dog’s mind that his food could be stolen, and he may therefore start to feel threatened or uncomfortable when you are in close proximity.

This seed of doubt could germinate with the onset of maturity and could blossom into full-blown food guarding. If I had lashed out or acted differently to the first threatening growl then things may have turned out very differently. As it happens Kai has never growled or showed any inclination to guard since.

If you are training a puppy not to guard then start training him not to touch the food until you give permission, to achieve this start with the pup on the lead. Put the food down as normal, then as the head goes to the bowl give a slight check on the lead and say “Leave It” this may take a few checks. Make sure this check is really light and gentle, then as the dog looks to you for permission, immediately praise by using a trigger word such as “Good” or a Clicker and treat with a tasty titbit then say “Take It” or “OK” this is the release command.

Continue with this training until you can do this whilst off lead. The object of this exercise is to train him not to touch on command, once you have done this you can then stop him eating on command by using the “Leave it” . Once you have reached this stage then occasionally approach his bowl and put in a tasty treat, he should never have, doubts that your proximity to his bowl is positive never negative.

Please do not distribute this article in any media without prior permission.

Stan Rawlinson.
Dog Behaviourist & Trainer
www.doglistener.co.uk
enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
H 0208 979 2019
M 07976 153161

Object Guarding

Dog Service Network — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:53:55 +0000

While out walking Bosco the beagle, you scan the sidewalks and streets with skills honed from years of living with an expert garbage monger. As you pass the local butcher shop, the man at the counter offers you some beef marrow bones, but you decline. You’re almost home free when a tennis ball bounces across your path. In one fell swoop, Bosco seizes it in his mighty jaws and growls, “Mine!”

Food guarding, a form of canine possession aggression (CPA), was covered in the previous column “Mine!” In this one we discuss object guarding, the act of aggressively protecting toys, chewies (especially rawhide and beef marrow bones), and stolen objects such as shoes, underwear, and human garbage.

Why does a dog feel the need to protect an item from his 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 everything he could with his mouth. If they caught him in the act, they bellowed “No!” and removed the prize from Bosco’s clutches. Every time he found a treasure, it was snatched away. Before long Bosco upped the ante with a growl, then a snarl, and soon progressed to a full-fledged bite.

Down in the Mouth

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. Start from puppyhood on—brush his teeth, play with his flews, open his mouth, and inquire, “Anybody in there?” Reward the acceptance of mouth handling with a tasty treat or some play.

For dogs who have specific problems with items such as rawhide, purchase a foot-long retriever stick. Hold on to one end while the dog chews the other. Bosco may not enjoy this as much as hiding under a table with it, but in time he will get used to your presence and relax.

The Big Switcheroo

It is important for the dog to view his handler as the provider of all good things. You can accomplish this by tightly controlling his environment. Keep all but a few chew toys off the floor and take others out only when you wish to play. Make sure you offer the playtime-only item with a command such as “take it.” When you tire of the game (you, that is, not the dog), tell him to “drop it.” Give him another item in exchange, then pick up the first object and put it away.

To make a sweeter deal for Bosco, give him a “better” item in exchange for dropping the first. Find out what those better items are by composing a hierarchy of things your dog enjoys; include food, toys, treats, and activities. If tennis-ball retrieving, for instance, is third on your dog’s list, reward him with liver (number two) for dropping the tennis ball. If he indulges in a bit of garbage from the street, command him to drop it and trade up to his tennis ball.

In theory, human pack leaders should be able to take whatever they want from their dogs. But not all dogs play by these rules. In some households, dogs believe they rule the roost. In others, the dogs’ motives are unclear. Their actions may be based on fear or prompted by earlier experience. Try to determine the triggers and avoid those situations so the dog doesn’t gain confidence by successfully practicing the unwelcome behavior. Get professional help before Bosco sends a loved one to the hospital. A certified dog trainer or applied animal behaviorist can carefully assess the situation and design a protocol tailor-made for you and your dog.

By Jacque Lynn Schultz, CPDT
Companion Animal Programs Advisor
ASPCA National Shelter Outreach

Food Guarding

Dog Service Network — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:46:05 +0000

Resolving Food Aggression

Does your sudden appearance in the kitchen at your dog’s mealtime elicit a glare and a growl? Does a gift of rawhide or marrow bone send your usually mild-mannered canine diving under the nearest coffee table while snarling, “Grrr, mine!”? If these scenarios sound familiar to you, your dog is suffering from canine possession aggression (CPA), also known as food or object guarding.

The Trouble with Kibbles
In most cases of CPA, the dog no longer views you as the provider of good things, but rather as the scoundrel who might relieve him or her of hard-earned treasures such as meals, treats, chew toys, or, in some instances, forbidden objects such as shoes and gloves. If you remove these items as a punishment when he growls, it will only serve to further convince your dog that his suspicions about you were right all along.

Make a Date with Your Dog—for Dinner
How often have you heard people say, “Leave the dog alone while he eats”? Although it probably makes sense to keep toddlers away from Shep at mealtime, a dog can get an inflated sense of himself if left alone while he eats from puppyhood on. After all, in a dog or wolf pack, the alpha or top dog gets to eat his fill first, uninterrupted. Instead, family members should be present while the dog eats—starting when he or she is a puppy. From time to time, it is a wise idea to approach the bowl and add a little something extra—some scrambled egg, a broken-up biscuit, a bite of turkey hotdog, or some string cheese.

Bowling Him Over
If you have an older dog who has already perfected his “Cujo Eats” imitation and it isn’t safe to approach his bowl, a different strategy is needed.

Step One is to do away with his food bowl entirely for a week or two. Shep will be dining out of your hand, just a few kibbles at a time.

Step Two marks the return of the food bowl, but it should remain empty until the handler passes by and drops a few kibbles in it. After those are eaten up, drop small handfuls into your dog’s bowl at intervals of one to three minutes until the whole meal has been consumed.

By now your dog should be practically begging you to approach his bowl. In Step Three, put a semi-filled bowl on the floor and, as you pass by, drop in a few better-than-kibbles tidbits. On your next pass by the bowl, add the remaining kibbles.

Step Four is to put a full food bowl on the floor as your dog holds a sit and stay. Release him with a cheery “okay.” Then, once or twice a week, call your dog away from his bowl during mealtime and reward him with a tasty tidbit for coming to you. Using your sit-and-stay, wait, and take-it commands with the dog will make it absolutely clear to Shep who owns the kitchen and the tasty morsels in it.

Each of these steps should be undertaken for 10 to 14 days at each meal before going to the next step. While you are grappling with a food guarding problem, your dog should wear a leash at mealtimes as a safety measure, but don’t use it to control your dog unless you are in jeopardy of being hurt. Since guarding behaviors seldom happen in a vacuum and can often signal other problems in the dog-and-handler relationship, a basic obedience course is highly recommended to underscore handler leadership to the dog. Finally, if you experience any backsliding, return to Step One. If you do not succeed or your dog is severely aggressive around all food products and paraphernalia, hire a certified dog trainer or applied animal behaviorist to help bring this conflict to resolution.

By Jacque Lynn Schultz, CPDT
Companion Animal Programs Advisor
ASPCA National Shelter Outreach

Dog Service Network, LLC » Guarding / Territorial

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