Adopted Dog Biting

[Erny]

well, there's been no more face-dive/ nipping incidents! So far so good! The odd bit of mouthing that's corrected straight away (when he wants to play). There have been some dominance spats between Buddy and Lola... I'm letting them sort that out unless Buddy is being just too cranky (pretty sure he used to be an only dog. He's crazy resource-protective).

I got a snap at the face for trying to pick Buddy up when he didn't want to move but that's my own fault, plus no teeth connected. I know he's actually too heavy for me to lift easily, and he doesn't like being carried, and at the time he didn't want to move, and I can move him easily by guiding him with his collar, but no... I still tried to pick him up anyway. Just different to little miss Lol, who gets scooped up and deposited in the garden if she's being recalcitrant.

That's all sounding good and headed in the right direction, but the part I've highlighted bothers me a bit.

In the absence of Buddy feeling pain when you go to pick him up (it's not your fault, per se) then he should be allowing you to pick him up (whether he likes it or not) without moving to snap at you. Glad he didn't connect and that is indicative that he doesn't want to, because if he did want to, I expect you would have known about it.

Beaut that there has been improvement and continue exhibiting leadership skills. Don't do anything you think might get you bitten, but do call someone in to help you in the event that Buddy does have goes at you when you're doing things he doesn't want to. Unless you're very certain that you can handle it all yourself without making things worse.

[lupinbunny]

Just thought I'd bump this up. Thanks for everyone's advice and help. We're still working on hand-touch (our other pup, Lola is great at it), but sadly Buddy ain't the brightest spark Poor boy. You can see the cogs turning... it's taken me three months of (on-off) training to teach him to give paw. Poor dear learned that "yes!" = food, but just did not connect what it was that made me say yes. And even now his paw is so slow and deliberate. "She's holding her hand out... hmm... no food in it... what ever might she want? Wait... there's something I do here... ah. yes. I remember now." *lifts paw*

Anyway, I'd love love love some practical tips on how to deal with resource guarding. That is, how to make him feel safe and secure when he has food. Twice in a fortnight I've been bitten on the hand when I got too close to his bone. Last night was a nasty shock, as I was just flicking away some dirt near him, and he's done a good job of ripping up my thumbnail *pity party*

We've started giving him an additional treat when we go near him when he has a bone. I was thinking of crating him when he has a bone. We haven't used the crate very much, as we're not too used to it (Lola haaaaaates it), but he seems comfortable enough there, and seems to like enclosed spaces. Good idea? Or no?

[aussielover]

Stop bones for the moment if he is biting you!

Crating him won't necessarily help, he may feel more secure and want to defend his area even more if you attempt to take away the bone.

I would definitely consult with a professional if i were you, he sounds like he has a number of issues.

These exercises help PREVENT resource guarding but i don't know if i'd be tryin it with a dog who has already bitten.

Start with lower vaule treats eg. dry food or a rawhide chew or something not particularly yummy.

Let them have a bit of a chew/eat then give the command "drop/give/leave" or whatever you use, and show them a yummier treat eg. dried liver, sausage, cheese etc and when they go for the better food say "yes" and take away the old food.

With really high value items such as a bone, I would use another bone and say "give" and then just swap bones.

They have to learn they will get something of equal or greater value when they give up a treasured treat

In general I don't agree with interfering with a dog eating but it is good to practice these exercises in case of an emergency such as if the dog has picked up a cooked bone or something.

I'm not sure i'd be doing any of this with your dog though as he has already learnt that biting= you moving away.

I would be having very strict house rules with this dog, never giving him an opportunity to misbehave. I would not let him up on any furntiture at all and perhaps even keep him leashed in the house so you can correct behaviour or move him without getting too close.

I wouldn't give any bones at all, and don't interfere with his meal times at all untill you can get help from a professional.

[Erny]

Just thought I'd bump this up. Thanks for everyone's advice and help. We're still working on hand-touch (our other pup, Lola is great at it), but sadly Buddy ain't the brightest spark Poor boy. You can see the cogs turning... it's taken me three months of (on-off) training to teach him to give paw. Poor dear learned that "yes!" = food, but just did not connect what it was that made me say yes. And even now his paw is so slow and deliberate. "She's holding her hand out... hmm... no food in it... what ever might she want? Wait... there's something I do here... ah. yes. I remember now." *lifts paw*

Hhhhmmmm. You don't think Buddy isn't actually the smarter cookie in the cookie jar and just has you struggling/working harder to work out a solution?

[sas]

I vote see a Bahviourist.

And bloody disgusting a shelter let this dog leave there with these problems, should have been corrected or put to sleep.

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

I vote see a Bahviourist.

And bloody disgusting a shelter let this dog leave there with these problems, should have been corrected or put to sleep.

x2

[TsarsMum]

I vote see a Bahviourist.

And bloody disgusting a shelter let this dog leave there with these problems, should have been corrected or put to sleep.

x 3

[persephone]

We do know an excellent trainer

Have you asked them to help you? Esp. with the resource guarding?

I would strongly recommend you contact a professional and get this sorted. It has been some months, and biting just should not be happening

THIS Lady has been recommended on here before .

[Nekhbet]

contact a behaviourist ASAP and no more bones. This dog has a serious problem that needs addressing as soon as possible In the mean time harm minimisation strategies should be put in place to not allow other people to get bitten.

I agree why a dog that gave a child a bite hard enough to need stitches was rehomed is beyond me. And to just hand him over to owners inexperienced with these problems (nothing against you but this is a rather experienced area) is negligent. I would be calling them to pay for your first behaviourist consult at least.

[lupinbunny]

Mm. Yeah, I am pretty (extremely!) unhappy at his previous owners for sending him to a shelter rather than putting in the work with him or making the difficult decision to pts. Palmed off their responsibility to us. Grrrr.... anyway. We have him now, it's not like noone warned us (sort of), and we are willing to work with him. He does have many redeeming features. He is beautifully obedient in non-food situations, very sooky and affectionate... Ugh. Tough situation.

Persephone, thanks for the recommendation. I like our trainer, but might contact Kathy, as I only know our trainer as a trainer, rather than a problem-behaviour-corrector.

Erny: Oh no, I don't want to think of it that way! Damn sneaky dog!

Nekhbet: No offence taken! We got such an easy run with the puppy that we didn't really consider how difficult a difficult adult dog might be. Eesh.

[Erny]

Erny: Oh no, I don't want to think of it that way! Damn sneaky dog!

LOL - and you're not supposed to think of it that way!! The dog's not sneaky. Think of it more along the lines of someone not being smart enough to work the dog out . That's what I do when I have a dog in for B&T that doesn't seem to be 'getting it'.