You dont say what your other behaviourial issues are so impossible to comment really. But from what you DO say you have a lovely, well brought up and sociable dog who just happened to forget himself and act as though you are a dog and not a person just the once. I would probably have gone at him verbally and made him back off but I am strong minded and good at reading dogs so would have known if it was the right thing to do. I certainly wouldnt be worried by it though, there is every chance he was off in a dream enjoying his bone and never even noticed you coming so it was just a natural warning snap. Personally, judging by the leave training you have already done, I would totally ignore that it has happened as far as the relationship with the dog goes and just worry if it happens again. It might be an idea to warn him you are taking something if you think he hasnt noticed you though.

And I wouldnt castrate him at such a young age and neither would I expect it to make any difference whatsoever to guarding possessions. Why should it, it is not a sexual thing.

We didn't get Oscar castrated. I don't think it is necessarily going to help resolve it.

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"I am not perfect and i don't have to be, before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean" - Bob Marley

https://sites.google.com/site/blisschalet/

He's already castrated. Other problems are clingyness, for instance if we're both at home together (me and my partner) he harrasses us for attention by nibbling fingers and barking if we're on the sofa to get us to play with him, this is really annoying. If I'm alone with him or my partner is alone with him he's fine just pleases himself.

Before someone queries it he gets 3-4 walks per day often combined with at least 1 sometimes 2 45minute off-lead runs in the park with balls and sticks and usually other dogs and children.

The age he is at is pretty hard work. Oscar is really pushing my limits at the moment and is back on a long line again because his recall has gone to pot again. mad:

Honestly there are days when i could scream so i understand where you are at.

Hopefully the behaviourist can help coach you through this phase and you will all come out the other side with your sanity intact

__________________


"I am not perfect and i don't have to be, before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean" - Bob Marley

https://sites.google.com/site/blisschalet/

No it doesn't. Not if you deal with it correctly.
Your dog did this because he felt threatened and you proved his feelings when you took his prize away.

My pup (9months) has only ever snapped around food once. Because he felt threatened by a dog we were looking after. I dealt with the situation, out him in his bed and made sure the situation didn't arise again- ie making sure the other dog wasn't between Dave and his dish while being prepared. That was a month ago, he has not showed one sign of snapping since.


People have given you good advice about it, so you need to work on your confidence around the dog.


With regards to your dog biting fingers to get attention when you and your parter are there together, ignore him. If he persists, remove him from the room. Never give him attention when he is demanding it like that, only when he has calmed down. He will soon learn that forcing himself gets him ignored, and being good gets him attention.

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I would agree over ignoring him. Dont even look at him or speak to him, just completely blank him out. I wouldnt put him out of the room because that is giving him attention. He wants to learn that pushy behaviour gains absolutely nothing, no eye contact, not a word in his direction.

my golden is 8 months and only once has he been even slightly possessive over any possession.

a fat juicy meaty bone, the first one he ever had.

i gave it to him and a few minutes went to take it back, he grabbed it rapidly and eyed me up and growled.

i was having none of it, he aint my boss lol.

i told him sit, which he did, then give, which he did.

then he had to wait for the bone again, i left it in plain view but made sure he knew not to get it until i said it was ok.

never since has he had any food aggression again.

HI

I really feel for you and the advice you have had is great, Don't panic, or make any rash decision on your future with your dog, one growl doesn't make a bad dog, just a dog that is testing the ground a bit!! If it was a tiny dog, you would just make excuses and think nothing more about it!

You need to remember that your dog has reached adolescent now and as with all adolescents, they push the boundaries a bit. Usually in a pack a dog at this stage would get constantly pushed around by the rest of the pack and 'put down' by his elders and therefore in his place, if he even dare to behave like this!!!!

John Fisher once described it to me thus.... If every adolscent child got a clip around the ear everytime they put a foot out of line or answered back, we wouldn't have half the problems that we have today.... (that was probably 15 years ago!), not totally accurate, but you get the gist.

You dog has got to an age where he is going to assert himself within your pack. It sounds too like he is quite controlling anyway - wanting the attention on his terms, barking at you etc. etc. So perhaps you need to look at who calls the shots generally in the family.

Firstly make sure you control him a bit more, lots of sits and training, only reward treats for behaviours you have commanded. Only fuss when you want to fuss him, not when he demands if he demands attention, turn away, all the usual stuff you can read in any dog training book.

In the meantime, don't give him any high value chews/bones that put either of you in a 'difficult' position. Certainly don't practice giving him something great and then taking it away, you will make his possessiveness worse. As the others say, do lots of playing with him giving up the object to you, swapping it for a treat if you can and you retaining the object. If he has lots of toys around, take most up and leave just one or two that you instigate playing with, not him when he wants. A little bit more ignoring him will also help. If he does get something high value and you are anxious, then get something as good if you can, and swap, so you are rewarding him leaving it - let him see what you have, command him to leave and do the exchange.

The chances are you will never see him do it again, it could be just the circumstances at the time, the bone, where he was laid, what was going on around him etc. were all contributory factors to getting the shock that you did. It is never easy seeing the little puppy you brought up do something like this, but it just reminds us that dogs are dogs at the end of the day and we need to respect that and treat them like the pack animals that they are.

You have only a few weeks until your trainer comes, who will go into more details, so in the meantime put what you can in place. Your confidence will come back. It isn't a disaster at all, so don't think that way!

Hang in there, and forgive your dog for being a dog.

Kate

i wouldnt overly worry,hes defo just trying it on,testing his boundaries,hes still a baby,dont make any rash decisions
when i took on hugo he bit me 5 times in the first 7 months,it took time to set the ground rules,hes fantastic now but i dont trust him with kids or strangers,watch him like a hawk
you say in the future you intend to have kids,well this is your taste of a stroppy teenager giving it WHATEVER,ooooo i hate that

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MY NAME IS SARAH AND IM A DOGAHOLIC

All my dogs at some time when they were younger acted the same, its a matter of training it out, non of my dogs would even think of hurting anyone now, you just cant dismiss the dog over one incident, it can be worked through,

Mo