Snapping When Trying To Take Away Pig Ear

[msn]

Hi there!

My 5 month old Lhasa Apso, Benny, who is overall a sweetheart - a very calm and gentle dog, the other day did something that I wasn't happy about. After we returned from his morning walk I gave him a pig ear as a reward for doing his business outside. Then I realised that I had left his harness on so I went to take it off him and he growled and tried to bite me.

It's VERY UNUSUAL of Benny to behave like that. I want to nip this problem in the budd so it doesn't get worse. What can I do to show him that I own the pig ear and can take it away from him whenever I please?

Any inputs appreciated! Thanks guys!

MN

[poodlefan]

This is resource guarding. If you do a search here you'll find lots of information about it.

You can train him to give and take items and reward him for giving. But there's plenty of information in the threads. Take particular note of the advice from the dog training professionals.

[Tassie]

What poodlefan said . Good to get on to it very quickly - and it's not at all unusual.

Teaching him to swap stuff is IMHO a nice way of doing it - offer him something even more yummy in exchange for his pig's ear - or another pig's ear. Play the trade game often, and he'll come to see that you near his precious resource is not a threat - may in fact mean a chance to get something better. After quite a bit of the swap game, you can take something off him, inspect it, and give it straight back.

Eventually you will be able to just take things away from him - but in my book, that should only be done when it's necessary (i.e. take away and not give anything in return.

[Dogsfevr]

Yep dog doesnt understand what you wanted except he had something enjoyable & you headed his way.

Most people make the mistake of simply not acknowledging there intentions to the dog & when the react its an issue.

Remember the issue is both sides.

[Rusky]

you can start by exchanging less valuable items and build up

[all that glitters]

My GSD did this as a young pup also - she snapped at my mum when she stopped in one afternoon to give her a toilet break and pigs ear, mum was shocked! She also growled at me when she had a bone at about 11 weeks of age. Now she is 6 months old and is MUCH more settled with us around her food.. doesn't even look at us when she eats, lets us put our hands in her bowl without her scoffing down her food so fast she chokes (she used to as a pup) and is happy to chew a roo tail next to me. It seems over time as she grew with us she got used to us being no threat to her food maybe?

Not sure if they outgrow resource guarding. If she has a bone and I go near her she will sometimes face it away from me and move away, but its a lot different to being growled at. I just don't bother her when she is eating a bone or roo tail now, I let her relax and let her enjoy it - but I only give it to her after she does something for me (Look at the Nothing In Life is Free thread)

[sas]

I think many pups go through this stage, they get to the point where they need to test boundaries and who wants to give up something as high vallue as a pigs ear!

With pups you can have a much more interesting treat and exchange the pigs ear for that treat or you can 'claim' the pigs ear as yours but I reccomend you get the assistance of a trainer for that one so you don't get bitten.