My five month old Lab generally falls asleep on the sofa every evening around nine. I let him sleep there till I go to bed. When I wake him to go out to pee before putting him in his crate, he will growl and snarl. I’ve learned to lure him off the sofa with a treat, and then he’s okay, but last night he growled then snapped at my husband and bit him hard! How can this behavior be stopped?
Hello Sandy, does he growl at any other times as well, like if you go near his food bowl when he eats or is chewing a bone or favourite toy? Can you call him to go out from the door without having to physically wake him?
At my house he would lose his sofa privileges. I'd put boxes on it if I had to, to keep him off it. That might help.
My Zeke has done this from little on. He is 15 months now and when he is really tired he acts like a crabby toddler. He sleeps a lot heavier than our other dogs. What worked for us was to gently wake him. First calling his name and talking to him about 'potty time'. A gentle pet or two. Then went to kitchen and opened the fridge door to get him a carrot. A quick potty and back to bed. Zeke also has a large comfy bed in the corner and if we touch him too much he goes there to sleep. Maybe a change in the routine would help? Going potty a little earlier and putting him in crate a little earlier would prevent him from sleeping too deeply on the couch. When he is older and can hold his bladder better extend the couch privileges. Zeke slept in his crate until about 10 months, it was quieter down there. Good luck!
Stop man handling him and the behaviour will stop! As you have found luring him off prevents the growl, snarl, snap and now bite. Think about it, there is your pup all comfy and asleep only to be rudely awakened by humans and he has been trying to communicate that he doesn't like it by growling and snarling etc. He has escalated his behaviour and bitten because the man handling has continued. How happy would you be if someone called your name and then dragged you out of bed where you were warm, comfy and in a sound sleep? I would guess you wouldn't be at all happy either. Options are not to allow him on the couch but on a bed on the floor from which you can call him to go out for a last toilet trip. Other option is you call him to wake him and then ask him to come off the couch by training and rewarding for jumping off.
Whilst I understand the very valid point you are making, I don't see any reference to "manhandling" or being "rudely awakened" in the OP post. Yup ^ totally agree. I use a chirpy "off" cue followed by a treat, or redirect with a "go to bed" cue, when I would like a little more sofa for myself!
You are quite right the OP doesn't mention manhandling etc. Sometimes the clues are in what someone doesn't say The question is how the OP has been waking the pup which has caused him to growl, snarl and snap which is prevented by luring with a treat. I've yet to meet a dog that reacts in this way to his name even when asleep
I know lm on “ ressource guarding” kick lately cause I read a book but this sounds like what is happening to me. Thinking back 20 years, we had a husky/foxhound mix who would do this on a daily basis. If you tried to remove him from the couch using your feet he would attack them, if you tried to man handle him off he would snarl and growl. He never bit but he wasn’t far from it. We never knew about guarding back then and would just accept the behaviour. On the plus side he was very easy to coax of the couch, just not physically.
Zeke was never 'manhandled' yet still growled lightly at any little touch when he was deep sleeping. I am not a professional but have learned that some dogs, like some people, are sensitive to certain things.
Thank you for your advice! I did switch up his routine and he went directly into his crate without growling or showing any aggression. As far as “manhandling”, I don’t know what is meant by that. I allow him on the couch, but now have been sending him to his crate before he falls into deep sleep.
