Harvey and Bracken love nothing more than cuddling on the sofa with us. But Harvey has growled at Bracken when he has lept onto the sofa (none too gently). I have take this as a "im asleep puppy boy, leave me be. So I wasnt too worried but tried to get Bracken to get up on the otherside away from Harvey.
Generally unless Bracken is bounding around, or trying to push Harvey out to get to me, they are happy to both curl up and sleep.

A few weeks ago Harvey growled at me when I went to move him, which I though ok my fault, although previously he would have let me do this no probs. He was curled up with OH the other week, when OH cheered at a goal, Harvey growled an air snapped. Again took it to be he was startled, and OH agreed to be more aware.

A few times Harvey has been laid between me and the arm of the sofa, or close to my side, and I have leaned over to the table or similar, (a few times he was not asleep either) and he has grumbled at me. Last night we were getting ready to go up to bed, so I woke harvey gently, went to move him so I could get up, he growled and then bit me. It was a soft bite thankfully and he was scooted off the sofa sharpish.

It is only if he is on the sofa, or if he is laid on the floor and 21kg of pup steps on him.

I don't want to ban the sofa, as it is lovely to curl up with them both. But I do need to stop this behaviour. The jealously and the growling and bite because I need to move him.

Ideas welcome

ETA We are at the vets later anyway so will get a good check over and vets opinion if this stems from him health problem.

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Probably not of any help.
But instead of physically moving him, try luring him off the sofa with a treat or something... so there is no conforntation.
That way he wont get the chance to practice growling behaviour - until you find a way to work on that and improve it.

Think that is the best plan, as you say until I can get advice on b-mod. Just so unlike him.

I will ask the vet to give him a good check over too.

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This is a long while ago...but I will share.
As you know, Bella was starving when we found her, and had never had a steady source of food.
Not unexpectedly, she was a little possessive of things such as bones. She had zero issues with food, or chews, but real ones made her a little weary of people getting too near.
Initially, I was a little concerned. But then i put things into perspective. it is ONLY real bones she gets mildly possessive over. So I just continued teaching her to trade chews, and treats (which we'd never had any problems with). Then I just started sitting right next to her when she ate her real bones, until I saw this didn't stress her. Then I started gently stroking her until she didn't react. I never ever did anything that made her growl in this process - I was not pushing past this point. But for example, I would sit nexct to her until I saw she no longer stopped chewing to look at me etc.

Anyway, cut a long story short. Bella no longer has ANY issues with any bones. She often brings them to me when she doesn't know when to bury them. With winter she has been eating them inside on a mat, as opposed to outside. if they roll off the mat there is no issue with me moving the bone back on the mat etc.

Perhaps a similar approach with Harvey? No pushing him past where he feels uncomforable. Sit close to him on the couch until there is no reaction. Place a hand on his body. Stroke him... move him just a tiny bit without moving him off...etc, until eventually moving him on off/ or making sudden movements is the next logical step which wont phase him at all.

I hope someone else can come along and help

Maybe down to him not been himself with cough not feeling good in himself

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life is not measured by the breaths wee take in a moment but by the moments that take our breath away...........

He has most likely been hurt when being on the sofa - as you said youself (because of your pup or otherwise)
I would definatley teach him an on/off command, and only let pup on the sofa when he's being nice and calm!

To me it doesn't sound like Harvey is jealous of Bracken. It sounds more likely that the sofa is a very high value resource/space that he is worried about loosing or being kicked off of. Therefore you need to teach him (that):
- People and dogs approaching him whilst he is on the sofa is a VERY GOOD thing! Fab things happen when people/ Bracken come near.
- Limit potential for the resource guarding behaviour to be rehearsed or reinforced. I.E. don't allow him constant access to the sofa if at all possible, where Bracken will want to follow and Harvey will consequently become stressed and potentially guardy.
- Placement cues (for Harvey and possibly Bracken too). You could clicker train this if you clicker train? A placement cue is literally just teaching the dog to jump or move onto or into a space on command and similarly off or out of the space. You will use these placement cues for the sofa as a management technique and you may also be able to integrate them into counterconditioning Harvey's ER to people/Bracken's approach to the sofa. Whilst you are teaching each dog this over several sessions I would have the other in another room occupied with a stuffed kong or something yummy.

To save me a load of typing have a read of the following article:

Resource Guarding- origins, explanations, prevention and solutions

Hope that helps

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Thanks for all the suggestions. Lemmsy thanks for all the info I will have a good read. Just really unlike Harvey. I used to be able to move him no problems before we came back, then we had a few weeks with no sofa. It wasn't an issue to begin with but Bracken wasn't allowed up then. Looking back this is when it first started, but only toward Bracken.

It is only recently he has begun doing this toward us. It isn't every time either.

I will get chicken chopping

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