Please help, puppy growling and snapping.

[DishwasherDogs]

Puppy is 6 month old sprocker. Last week he had an operation as he managed to pick up and swallow a fruit shoot lid and it got lodged in his intestines.
He's bounced back but has had to only have short walks and enforced rest.

He's always resource guarded which we have been working on, successfully we thought, but this last week has really set him back. He has become a bit institutionalised and wants to be in his cage, and gives menacing looks if anyone approaches, which means getting him out for a last wee is getting difficult, as he won't come out for treats when he's settled.

Resource guarding has stepped up. We have been training him to drop (he picks anything and everything up), and will give him a treat and one of his toys, but once he has a toy, he gets growly and snappy. We've been working on going to him, giving him a treat but not touching the toy, just getting him ok with us being close, but knowing that we're not taking anything away.

Just now he was on the floor with a toy, I went with a treat and he snapped at me. He didn't bite, but mouthed my hand.
I'm putting it down to recent operation and feeling out of sorts, but obviously I need to nip this in the bud don't i?

I am going to the vet again tomorrow and will ask to see the nurse who specialises in training, but in the meantime what do I do?
I have 4 dc, how do I make sure they are safe?

[Buttholelane]

You need a behaviourist, a proper APBC or it might be APBT now, registered one.

Keeping your children safe, well, I actually don't think a resource guarder is ever going to be safe around children to be honest.
It's a problem that in my opinion is managed not cured.

The nature of kids, the way they like to just race past without a care in the world, the way they won't think to stay away from the dog when eating even when told, the way they will try and hug the dog who is chewing a toy or take their stuffed toy back when the dog steals it makes the resource guarder with children a risky combination.
it's hard enough keeping an eye on one child, let alone four.

In the short term, you could try muzzling him only taking it off for mealtimes and water breaks in a separate room?
Or removing absolutely anything is he likely to guard?
Then see what the behaviourist says.

Bear in mind also, at six months he is a teenager and will test boundaries which could explain the worsening of behaviour somewhat.

[DishwasherDogs]

Thank you.
The children all know not to take anything away from him at all and we limit his toys to times when we can fully supervise, but obviously it is still a worry.

I'll ask tomorrow about seeing a behaviourist, I think the vet nurse is a registered APBC but I'll double check in that.

I'm hoping this is a blip due to the operation and confinement, but I'm not going to assume it's all fine, I will speak to someone ASAP.