at my wits end with 5 month old - resource guarding and other issues

[CircetheWitch]

Namechanged as feeling so shit about all this. Sorry it's so long.

We've got a 5 month old puppy. I'm so concerned that she has the makings of an aggressive adult dog and I'm increasingly struggling to manage my stress and anxiety over her. Part of me is beginning to think we made a big mistake and I've got to confess I'm not enjoying this.

The main worry is her resource guarding. Believe me, I am trying. We've had a behaviourist over who gave advice. I've watched dozens of videos/read a lot. I have done lots of 'leave it' and swapping training, which works sometimes, but by no means always - and I am so worried.

We always, always, try to exchange treats for whatever she's got so she learns it's in her interest to do what we ask her. Like I said, sometimes it works, but over the past month or so she has started really snarling, baring teeth and air snapping if she senses something is about to be taken from her - it's horrible when it happens. I do lots of handfeeding so she associates hands with good things, but this is still an issue. I watch owners who can prise things out of their dogs' mouths easily and I think she'll never get there.

I've got three kids (all over 9) who know not to try to take stuff from her -. but I worry, say, that one could drop something and if she's shown an interest in whatever it is, they might go to take it without thinking and she will snarl and eventually could bite. I worry about them having friends over and what could happen. Most of all I worry about where this is going. She's also growled a few times at being moved or picked up (which we don't do often as she's a large dog and already big).

She's a mix of breeds known to be intelligent and also very sweet natured - I'm concerned she's actually not. Her parents are both lovely as far as I know. She doesn't show any other reactivity towards people or other dogs (aware guarding is rooted in fear) - if anything she's over-friendly, gets very bouncy and jumps up etc. She mouthed an awful lot when she was younger and still does a bit, but this is calming down.

DH thinks that with management and training that this is something that will pass. Is he right? I read an old thread on here about a puppy that showed similar guarding issues and despite masses of training, never quite got over it. Can anyone reassure me or help? I'm really stressed about it. Thanks in advance

[quote CircetheWitch]@polnm - thanks so much. That's really reassuring. I do feel better about it all today. I don't feel she's yet taking things to get treats but I feel that she's sometimes doing it for attention...it often escalates when the kids get home from school, for example. She'll be perfectly calm all day and once the house gets busier/nosier, she'll start grabbing cushions off the sofa Definitely attention seeking, and whenever possible we're trying to ignore/stay as calm as possible when it happens.

@lurchermom - I have thought about that but finding it difficult to find classes available given the current situation. Also wondering if she might be too young at 5 months to get into this yet? x[/quote]
It does sound much more like attention seeking than true resource guarding what she grabs is only important because of the attention it gets her. So you need to think more holistically..

Plenty of exercise, games and mentally engaging puzzles/nose work. She's a collie so super smart.

Reward and reinforce calm quiet behaviour - teach a settle and reward her for it. Use the kids coming home as a cue for a settle. Not a chance for them to get her amped up.

She's peri-pubertal and likely full of hormones - give her a few months and plenty of focussed training and you'll likely have a different dog

Mine did exactly this too at a similar age and is now fine - I can put my hand in his mouth and remove things he’s picked up in the park. BlueSlice has given great advice on distracting whenever possible! I’d also add to up the treats game - kibble does not cut it for mine when he really wants to keep something but he’ll give anything up for chicken. If chicken doesn’t work try pork, steak fat, or kidneys. Create a habit that whenever you say drop they do because the treat is amazing. Also, rotate treats so they don’t get bored. The habit is important as it can cause them to drop before they see what you have.

You don’t want to make a fight over it - I’m very dubious of the ‘mine’ idea but haven’t read the book so shouldn’t comment. If she picks up rubbish like face masks outside, would she swallow pieces? Mine used to get nappy wipes as we have a nursery next door and when I learned he wasn’t going to swallow them and just let him carry them about he got bored and dropped them again - now he doesn’t bother to pick non-food things up outside as there’s no longer a game. If I show any interest in whatever he has picked up it’s still instantly a game and he’ll run in circles and play-growl.

Otherwise, our trainer said to never snatch, tug or aggressively try to remove the item - if you tug the dog thinks it’s a game and if you get aggressive so could the dog. If your dog is okay with hand feeding try holding one end of a bone and letting them chew the other. Don’t let them take it away - they get to enjoy it while you hold it. Then put it away. Repeat. When they’re happy to chew a delicious thing while you hold it, let them have it. Sit down slowly beside them and pat the dog - don’t touch the bone. If they try to warn you off the bone don’t escalate by trying to do anything else - do the calling away playing thing. When you can pat them without them worrying, gently take hold of one end of the bone and then take your hand away. Practise giving her the bone and gently taking it away and then giving it back. When you finally take it away, give a treat to begin with. Mine quickly went from snarling and snapping over his bone to actively bringing it to me to get me to hold it for him so he could reach a tasty bit! And I can put it away whenever I want. This teaches them that you can be trusted.

They do also grow out of some of it! Eventually. I’m holding out hope mine will stop wanting to steal underwear - I can get it back now but if he gets it when I haven’t realised it will be shredded.

@MaryLennoxsScowl and @Veterinari - thanks so much! Really great advice from you both that I'll definitely do my best to implement. Fingers crossed!

Interestingly I was in the woods just now and she picked up a Ribena carton. Rather than make it a battle I just let her have it for a minute and she eventually dropped it (and I put it in a bin). Then a while later there was a plastic bag (litter in open spaces so much worse since we've been in lockdown ) and I did the 'drop it' in exchange for a treat, which she did right away.

Also really reassuring @MaryLennoxsScowl that your boy did guarded and now you can remove things from him without an issue. Thanks again everyone.

I thought of another thing - you can also teach the dog that you handling her mouth is fine. Have treats in one hand, touch her mouth with the other hand, giving her treats. Progress to lifting up her lips to look at her teeth. When she knows what to expect start adding in a word (we say ‘teeth’ as the idea is to teach her to let the vet look at her teeth should it ever be necessary). You will get to a point when you say the word and the dog knows what’s coming, which means you don’t take them off guard if you want to look in their mouth, which if they have a sore mouth might lead to them snapping. I don’t think saying ‘teeth’ to mine while he had a bit of rubbish would make him give it up, but it does mean he’s quite used to me being allowed to touch his mouth without him being scared or freaked out by it - which I think helps on the odd occasion when he finds something he really wants to eat and I have to put my hand in his mouth to remove it.

Hi sorry, I know it’s been years since you posted this but I would love to know where you are now and what the outcome was as I’m going through something similar with my puppy right now and like you am extremely worried I’m raising a aggressive dog 😭 would love to hear
from you x