Last night at puppy school Rolo lost his first tooth. Tonight my husband has gone to stroke him in his bed (crouched down) and Rolo growled, my husband told him no and stroked him a few times and then he full on snapped at him! Obviously my hubby is ok but this could have been one of the kids. Should I be worried I have heard during teething their demeanor changes totally.
Re: worried I think its understandable that you are worried. I can't remember Lilly doing that when she was teething, but can relate all the same. Lilly can be quite grumpy if her hips are a bit sore and will growl if we are towel drying her. I think it is important you continue to handle the dog but with firm gentleness (maybe not something kids are renowned for). If it was me I would do just as your husband did. Maybe give plenty of chews/ frozen kongs, teatowels etc to chew on for relief. And a quiet word with he children. I do hope he settles down.
Re: worried Well, maybe his mouth is just a bit sore and he got a bit grumpy...although I can't remember teething bothering Charlie at all really. Although, didn't you post something similar about you being worried about him snapping at your child when Rolo's tummy was upset? Does the puppy school that you go to do home visits? My puppy school did this, and I had a trainer come round for a morning and give us tips about handling Charlie in the house. Would something like that be an option? So you could talk things through with someone who knows your pup and your family? Perhaps it's something to do with how the pup and kids are interacting or something like that....
Re: worried Thanks for your responses. Yes he did get grouchy a few weeks back and was snappy with the kids and come to think about it it was when he was in his bed. He can be very sensitive guarding his food and kongs maybe it's the bed. Although after this happened and Rolo got out of his bed my husband stood in it and Rolo just joined him. My puppy school do 1 to 1 home visits, maybe an option. It's all finished now for xmas and she goes away so can't do anything till the new year.
Re: worried Good news the puppy school does home visits, maybe you can have a look at it in the new year then. [quote author=Rolokris link=topic=9069.msg129816#msg129816 date=1418338442] He can be very sensitive guarding his food and kongs maybe it's the bed. [/quote] Well, it could be something like that - seems possible. Sometimes just talking things through with someone "on the ground" can help make small but impactful changes. I never regret having someone give me feedback about how I handle my dog - a second pair of eyes can be just the thing, sometimes.
Re: worried [quote author=Rolokris link=topic=9069.msg129816#msg129816 date=1418338442] He can be very sensitive guarding his food and kongs maybe it's the bed. [/quote] I'm afraid I cannot identify with teething induced snapping. If it's bed related it sounds more like space guarding. You are right to be worried as this and food guarding could escalate into adolescence and adulthood if not handled correctly. I've not had a food guarding problem with my own pup thankfully, but from the very early days I implemented a preemptive strike. Occasionally I would approach the food bowl during meal time and add more to it with little more than a funny stare. I could then progress to lifting it off the floor, adding something wonderful like chicken and putting it back again. Never had the slightest grumble! This creates a positive association with having their food interfered with. If the problem is too severe for that there is a more detailed plan from Pippa here: http://www.thelabradorsite.com/how-to-stop-your-dog-growling-over-food/ A similar approach might work with space guarding of the bed, making sure whenever the people who get growled approach that something good happens like a treat or toy delivery. I can't find any pippa articles on space guarding. It would be worthwhile doing some googling on space and resourcing guarding in general, and give serious thought to hiring a qualified professional.
Re: worried One of my previous labs was sensitive about her bed. In every other respect she was a real softie, but her bed was her space. If we intruded we got warning growls and snaps. JohnG's idea of trespassing with treats sounds like a good idea to try.
