Our little millie is 18 months old, we rescued her OCT 2010.She is lovely, a little angel really. Buster loves her very much and she has taken the alpha dog position...poor Buster is her bitch lol

She came from a home where an E-shock collar was used for recall, training and boundary purposes. She is a nervous girl but can hold her own...in fact Buster is a wimp around dogs when they are together she will get grumbly (we presume to protect buster) alone she is gentle and friendly with all dogs so no real issues there.

Our only problem is food possessiveness (aggression) she has gone for hubby and I on numerous occassions around treats (only food treats) she is very possessive with food and toys with Buster but has recently started with us too.

She's never had a toy before so has never had to share..that socialisation was missed and whereas Buster will give up a toy or allow us to go near his food bowl - Millie will not. We started feeding in seperate rooms but mealtimes and food tends to be Ok now its mainly with treats and toys. It's got to the point we will give them each a chewy and millie eats hers but buster tries frantically to hide his...millie takes it...buster whines. the other day Millie had a stuffed kong. I then announced walkies. Buster came got his lead on...as soon as I went near Millie she bit me.

We now pop Millie in her crate with treats but she tends to not eat them and 'protect' them meaning we can't get her or the treat out without being bitten or growled at, sometimes this appears quite aggressive. To us we can see its more frustration and lack of socialisation in the past HOWEVER to others (e.g. my mum and dad who has her twice a week while buster goes training and lunchtimes when my sister has them it will come across as aggression and my mum was getting over a lifelong fear of dogs!)

The easy solution is to not give either of them treats but its not fair on Buster who has learnt lovely food manners. Millie snatches, grabs and steals food from cupboards, humans and Buster and we need to get her out of it fast.

Any advice greatfully recieved!

Apart from the food possessiveness she is perfect! we have taught her to sit/down stay, wait and recall is getting better! shes lovely

It sounds like she had a terrible home before she came to you. The only thing I can think of to try to make her realise she doesnt have to guard and protect food and chews from you is to try the trading with things of higher value. High value treats to dogs are usually things like hotdogs cheese chicken and they seem to love the cheese spread in a tube, primula do ones with tiny pieces of ham in it. Maybe if you give her something she likes but of lower value ie a plain boring hide chew and them in exchange offer it for higher value things she really likes. Like a piece of chicken,cheese or hotdog.
That way she may learn by her giving things up gets her something better. We had to do this with my malamute when he was a pup because he was a nervous stressed out wreck. He did cotton on though to the point he used to go up to the other dogs drop his chew and bark for them to exchange it so he did get the concept. However dont put yourself at risk, maybe initially try walking up and just dropping a few tasty tit bits near her at first so she starts to get the idea that you coming close when she has things just means more yummy stuff. If that starts to go well and she accepts that then maybe you can build up from there. You will have to make sure busters out the way though just in case he trys to dive in and grab something in case it causes a scuffle.

Aww thats super thankyou...it sounds quite reasonable to do with her as well. She really is a beautiful girl, such a lovely cuddley personality...loves nothing more than snuggling up which is why her biting, snarling and growling can come across as quite a shock. We will certainly try that at Xmas time especially with the stuffed bone we have bought them each!!

With I could rep that answer but it says it needs to be spread around lol

Just a thought, but could you give her a treat that she cannot save and guard? Maybe a treat could be to lick a small dollop of peanut butter from a spoon that you're holding?

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It's not easy for a monkey to think like a dog

My cat Tijgje shows off his tricks

When you get a rescue you never know the full story,but from your description she sure sounds like she had an awful previous life so we can forgive a few quirks here and there with them. I love your picture of the two of them. Hope it helps.

Bella can be possessive of something she's stolen (and seems a trait most beagles have on the beagle rehoming lists) I can take a bone/toy etc from her no problem but if she steals something-ie a tissue or something she knows she shouldn't have she will growl and her hackles go up offering her a higher treats works but it's becoming a case of who has the most willpower to exchange the object for the treat. She is SO stubborn and the fact I want it makes her want it more iyswim. But she will give it to me. I would do as you are doing and she will learn that you don't want everything off her just things she can't have.... Well this is what I'm hoping too with my beagle

A little update... Millie has improved dramatically that today I managed to walk near her while she was eating a hyde chew I thought...umm lets try touching her and I managed to touch her head...she clenched down on teh treat and you could see that determination to not snap....she stopped chewing and you could hear her breath really heavy but decided to take the treat and she just looked up and sat beautifully as if to say "If I sit nicely I may get it back" so I passed it back absolutely CHUFFED that she let me take it. I have tried twice since and she's been fine. She gets a reward for giving it back and has learned the word drop - Thankyou soooooooooo much SDH

Im really chuffed too that its working and shes so much better. All credit to you to take the time patience and love to turn her into the happy trusting little girl she should be after her previous rotten start in life.

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She's an angel

my beagle lexie was terrible for biting when she was younger, couldnt stroke her without her trying to take my hand off, so i put peanut butter or creamcheese/cheese from a tube on my hand and she licks it off, even did it playing fetch as it got her to be gentler with my hands and help build the bond between us.
well done you, hope the swim went well.