Thank you for your replies regarding Rolo's space guarding and he has just shown me he is resource guarding. I have given him a juicy rib bone with a bit of meat on it left him to it. My hubby went in to the room and he really started growling and barking. I have read Pippas article on food guarding which I am going to go through step by step but I can't do these steps with his bone can I? I have asked for the dog trainer to come round but she can't come till the new year. I am more than happy to leave him alone whilst he has his bone even give him it in his crate so he knows we wont take it but I can't let this continue can I? I do worry that when people read my posts they will think what a bad dog or what a poorly dog but he's not naughty, he is a darling but I don't want him to get so worked up over stuff.
Re: Guarding. The best thing is not to give him any bones that will last longer than about 15-20 minutes. So, ditch the rib bones and go for things like chicken thighs with the bone in, lamb ribs (not beef), turkey wings, rabbit pieces.... Anything that he can eat in its entirety, not as a lasting chew. The bones you give him should be mostly meat, not mostly bone - not 'a bone with a bit of meat on it' but 'meat with a bit of bone in it' And leave him totally alone while he has it. Give it to him (in his crate, outdoors or whereever) and just leave him to it. He is definitely not bad - he just values his bones like gold and he thinks he might lose them. This is a reasonable fear and it is normal to react in the way he is. So make his resource fully edible and temporary so there is nothing left to guard. And give him no reason to think it might be taken away in the short time that it takes to eat it. Leave him 100% alone. Not even a glance or a walk past
Re: Guarding. Yes you can. Tripe sticks - the really smelly ones - are even more prized than a fresh raw bone. I use these to swap for Tatze when I feel she's been gnawing long enough. Worth a try?
Re: Guarding. I would not try swapping Rolo's food, even for something very nice. At this stage if you need to go near him while he is eating it should only be to add more food, not to take food away (even to swap). He needs to feel that there is no reason to worry about losing what he has. If you want to follow Pippa's good advice on food guarding then the initial steps would be to throw kibble or pieces of meat to him from a distance, so he learns that when people appear during a meal he only gains, not loses. Don't try to make a point like "I can take your bone if I want to" or "I can stand in your bed and have it for myself if I want to". The point you want to make to him in "when you see me, only good things happen, so you can just relax".
Re: Guarding. [quote author=Rolokris link=topic=9072.msg129873#msg129873 date=1418386425] I do worry that when people read my posts they will think what a bad dog or what a poorly dog but he's not naughty, he is a darling but I don't want him to get so worked up over stuff. [/quote] He's not a bad dog! He's just a puppy guarding his stuff. You'll soon sort it out. No-one thinks "bad dog" - the people posting with problems (like you) are overwhelmingly the ones who care enough to know what's going on with their dogs and to be seeking to make life better for them.
Re: Guarding. It never occurred to me to think 'bad dog', he is just a dog doing things dogs do. I gave my Lab a bone when he was in his crate after an op and he became a snarling beast :-[ I phoned my friend who is a dog trainer and she said, just swap if for another one and he has been fine ever since. I have always added more food to their bowls so they see a hand as giving something, not taking it away. Try to relax, it isn't an insurmountable problem
Re: Guarding. He is fine with the food in his bowl I can put my hand in there no problem, (a bit fractious when he knows I'm making his meals). The bone was a rib bone with a small amount of meat on it now that the meat has gone I can do whatever I want with it. It has no value to him, he will return for a chew but that's it. [quote author=Oberon link=topic=9072.msg129906#msg129906 date=1418391712] Don't try to make a point like "I can take your bone if I want to" or "I can stand in your bed and have it for myself if I want to". The point you want to make to him in "when you see me, only good things happen, so you can just relax". [/quote] That is exactly what we did we felt we needed to show him we can take it and we will give it back which in hind sight didn't help! [quote author=Boogie link=topic=9072.msg129892#msg129892 date=1418388711] Yes you can. Tripe sticks - the really smelly ones - are even more prized than a fresh raw bone. I use these to swap for Tatze when I feel she's been gnawing long enough. Worth a try? [/quote] Definitely. Thank you.
