Introducing New Puppy With Protective Dog

[shepherd-licious]

Hi all. My 3 year old shepherd has recently started becoming protective over her ball and bones and food etc to the point of being aggressive - growling and snapping to tell other dogs 'no'. She was never like this until approx 6 months ago when living with a friend who had other dogs coming and going.

At our home she is the most well behaved dog ever, and is getting better and better on the lead. she does pull, launch and bark on the lead also.

my main reason for this post if to ask advice about introducing a new puppy. We are getting a new medium breed dog in about 3 months. Our shepherd is good with puppies and dogs, she plays with them and is fine cuddled up with them - its just when we are throwing the ball or when it comes to food.

we are just curious on people opinions - should we get rid of the ball altogether when they are together, and only throw the ball to her if we take her to the park on her own and then walk them both together OR do we just let them sort it out, let her put the puppy in its place (if it gets to that - we dont know our puppy yet) and let them play together?

she can quiet happily chase after a ball with another dog, its just sometimes she will growl at the other dog if they try to snatch it etc.

so im just wondering what peoples thoughts are?

p.s. i know most people will suggest a behaviourist, instead im after advice and if people have had similar experiences?

[Teebs]

I haave a food aggressive dog and another dog

I make sure there is no food in the yard when they are there, feed them apart and put bowls up when finished. Bones are ok as long as both dogs are locked up. Treats inside are to be given in crates or one inside, one outside.

It is hard work, more so when i have people visiting who think its ok to feed the dogs whatever they like

[megan_]

I would remove all resources that cause an issue - NOW, long before you get the puppy. I would teach her that the balls, toys, her bed etc belong to you. Given that she is a large dog and I assume she is resource gaurding to you also, I'd call in a behaviourist to help me work through this.

[shepherd-licious]

I would remove all resources that cause an issue - NOW, long before you get the puppy. I would teach her that the balls, toys, her bed etc belong to you. Given that she is a large dog and I assume she is resource gaurding to you also, I'd call in a behaviourist to help me work through this.

How do you suggest teaching her that those things belong to me? She is 110% fine with me taking a ball, bone, food anything from her. She even drops the ball at the park so we can throw it again. What do you recomend?

[megan_]

Then I'd take them off her and only bring them out when you want to play with her, with them. Finish the game before she wants it to end and take the ball away. Pick up the ball, put it in your pocket and walk around the house with it. Then put it away without playing with her. She doesn't get to play with them on her own. Go and stand on her bed too. IF she's on her bed will she move for you?

That said, I'd still keep highly valued resources like toys and food away from her once you get the pup.

[shepherd-licious]

Then I'd take them off her and only bring them out when you want to play with her, with them. Finish the game before she wants it to end and take the ball away. Pick up the ball, put it in your pocket and walk around the house with it. Then put it away without playing with her. She doesn't get to play with them on her own. Go and stand on her bed too. IF she's on her bed will she move for you?

That said, I'd still keep highly valued resources like toys and food away from her once you get the pup.

Ok cool, We already take the ball off her and my partner puts it in his pocket when we are done, but i will try and extend what we do with some of your suggestions. thanks :)

[Aidan3]

p.s. i know most people will suggest a behaviourist, instead im after advice and if people have had similar experiences?

This is not really an "instead" scenario. Resource guarding can be a serious problem in a multi-dog home and it's all well and good to avoid it, but management always comes unstuck eventually. It's not a simple problem to resolve on your own either. You might be an exceptionally good pet owner but I'd be more confident in your outcome with some one-on-one help.

Patricia McConnell wrote a good book about resource guarding called "Mine!". Worth a look.

[shepherd-licious]

p.s. i know most people will suggest a behaviourist, instead im after advice and if people have had similar experiences?

This is not really an "instead" scenario. Resource guarding can be a serious problem in a multi-dog home and it's all well and good to avoid it, but management always comes unstuck eventually. It's not a simple problem to resolve on your own either. You might be an exceptionally good pet owner but I'd be more confident in your outcome with some one-on-one help.

Patricia McConnell wrote a good book about resource guarding called "Mine!". Worth a look.

im not disregarding a behvaiourist, and i am actually strongly considering it and have been looking into one. i said 'instead' as i am was after some other advice from people who may have had a similar situation to see what else they have done. i am not avoiding the situation - hence seeking advice.

[Aidan3]

p.s. i know most people will suggest a behaviourist, instead im after advice and if people have had similar experiences?

This is not really an "instead" scenario. Resource guarding can be a serious problem in a multi-dog home and it's all well and good to avoid it, but management always comes unstuck eventually. It's not a simple problem to resolve on your own either. You might be an exceptionally good pet owner but I'd be more confident in your outcome with some one-on-one help.

Patricia McConnell wrote a good book about resource guarding called "Mine!". Worth a look.

im not disregarding a behvaiourist, and i am actually strongly considering it and have been looking into one. i said 'instead' as i am was after some other advice from people who may have had a similar situation to see what else they have done. i am not avoiding the situation - hence seeking advice.

Sorry, I was just driving the point home :laugh: I guess you got my experience even though I wasn't specific. A lot of the dogs I've seen (as a behaviourist) have been resource guarders in one way or another.

One of my previous dogs was a resource guarder. Although she was under control, my other dog was uncomfortable and it was stressful for him even though he was safe. Sometimes you can teach alternatives and stop unwanted behaviour, but it's too late and the relationship between the two dogs is already damaged. Best to get in early.

[shepherd-licious]

p.s. i know most people will suggest a behaviourist, instead im after advice and if people have had similar experiences?

This is not really an "instead" scenario. Resource guarding can be a serious problem in a multi-dog home and it's all well and good to avoid it, but management always comes unstuck eventually. It's not a simple problem to resolve on your own either. You might be an exceptionally good pet owner but I'd be more confident in your outcome with some one-on-one help.

Patricia McConnell wrote a good book about resource guarding called "Mine!". Worth a look.

im not disregarding a behvaiourist, and i am actually strongly considering it and have been looking into one. i said 'instead' as i am was after some other advice from people who may have had a similar situation to see what else they have done. i am not avoiding the situation - hence seeking advice.

Sorry, I was just driving the point home :laugh: I guess you got my experience even though I wasn't specific. A lot of the dogs I've seen (as a behaviourist) have been resource guarders in one way or another.

One of my previous dogs was a resource guarder. Although she was under control, my other dog was uncomfortable and it was stressful for him even though he was safe. Sometimes you can teach alternatives and stop unwanted behaviour, but it's too late and the relationship between the two dogs is already damaged. Best to get in early.

No problem :)

This was never an issue until, like i said, about 6 months ago when we were living with a friend for a short amount of time who had foster dogs coming and going. She has been getting better with 90% of things now we are out of that situation but the over-protective side hasnt really changed when there are other dogs involved, so i definitely want to start working on it before the new pup comes. thanks :)

[Zug Zug]

My advice is take it very seriously, and very very slowly when your new dog arrives.

My old dog at home is a bit dog aggressive and things did not go well for her when I tried to bring a new, larger dog home from the pound just before Xmas. I thought I was careful - obviously not careful enough as her facial injuries and 2 surgeries proved.

That dog had to go back to the pound. He nearly killed her.

I have since brought home a puppy and with the help of a behaviourist we have been able to establish them together safely. I still separate them to chew on bones, eat their meals etc, and probably always will.

It can be very tricky, and things can go badly wrong in the blink of an eye. Get some help if you possibly can.

Is your new dog a puppy? Introducing puppies is usually a little easier.

[MishB]

Our male GSD is 2 & 1/2 yrs old, he is friendly with other dogs but has never really liked them touching his ball/toy if we are at a park etc.

Being a big, young male he can be very boisterous with other dogs which sometimes leads to doggy arguements at the park, some dog owners would say he is being aggressive when in reality this isnt truie, its a case of the other dog gets annoyed & yells at him, he yells back & leaves the dog alone.Other owners if they arent used to big dogs can get worried by this ( cant blame them,it can look scary) but he has never been bossy with older dogs, & has fairly decent doggy manners (touch wood).He is a big dog though & I am always concious & in control of him when we are out.

He is not overly dominant but we have always made sure that we do the simple things like feeding him last, he is not allowed on lounges, he has to 'do' something before any attention ( a sit/drop/stand/whatever) my kids do this as well, they are 9 & 12.I have always been comfortable taking a toy/food/bone away from him, I have made sure I have been able to take stuff off him as soon as we got him, super important in my opinion especially with kids around. occasionally I will do this just so he knows I am able to do whatever I please. I do give him his bone/food back, its more of a 'Im the boss' thing.I have & continue to socialise him with heaps of different people, animals, environments since we got him and maintain a training routine.

We added a male Brittany pup (medium breed)about 3 mths ago.

I set up a puppy pen inside my family room,& we kept the pup in there when it was food time, bed and rest times or whenever I couldnt directly supervise contact between the dogs for the first month.

Our older dog usually sleeps outside but he slept inside when pup arrived, pup in its pen & Neo where ever he wanted (he has a bed inside too).

I got up and toileted pup,& he went back in the pen.In the morning I toileted pup, they had a play together, I was always out with them, breakfast time, & back in puppy pen for naps.

I also stepped up the amount of time I spent with my older dog, I walked him a couple of times a day so he didnt have quite so much energy when he ws playing with the pup.

I made sure that our older dog was always patted first, pup was ignored until Neo was given his attention, this was done by every person who entered our house,not easy when every kid in the school wants to pat the new puppy.

At feed times, I divided my older dogs food up into portions so that he ate when the pup ate, they were both told to sit & wait for food from day 1, Neo's bowl went down first, & then pups, then I would release them to eat. Pup was always fed in his pen. Neo was fed nearby in the family room, he has always been fed there.

After the first week I started letting them have a bit longer play time together, pup was still very small so I did a lot of sitting in the yard watching, as soon as it got too rough pup was put back in his pen.

After the first few weeks I made a pen outside so that the pup could be outside but seperate from Neo when I wasnt outside, he had a kennel in that pen, & he slept outside in there. As he got bigger, we slowly were able to leave them together for longer unsupervised until eventually we are a happy 2 dog home.

I didnt leave any high value toys outside with the dogs, but left lots of chew ropes, empty coke bottles, outside, I had 2 or 3 of each toy so there was plenty for everyone, this worked well for us.

Our older dog does reserve the right to have whatever bones, toys or sticks he feels he wants, the pup just has to let him take them, at first our older dog would just walk up and take every toy off pup because he could, now it only happens occasionally.

They get along extremely well, nowadays pup is 5 mths old, I have 2 kennels, 2 trampoline beds outside, they both sleep outside, usually in the same kennel (its a bit tight :laugh: )I feed them both together, supervised, both dogs sit & wait for food. They eat in the family room after the humans have eaten breakfast & dinner.

The older dog gets attention first, pup just has to wait, if he barges in before Neo has had his pat then Neo will tell him off.Our pup knows from a slight turn of Neos upper lip that he shouldnt do whatever it is he is doing at the time.

They have the occasional spat, more of a case of pup getting told off for whatever reason, I leave them to sort it out themselves as long as I cant see any 'abnormal' aggressive behaviour.

What looks aggressive to us is usually a lot of noise and gnashing teeth with minimal contact. I know that as pup gets older our pack dynamics will change, you just need to educate yourself on what kind of stuff is normal doggy language & observe your animals closely so you get to know their moods, especially when a silly puppy doesnt know when its time to leave the older dog alone.

I dont know if you need a behaviourist, this is what has been my experience so far of adding a new dog. I hope I can give you some ideas

We had tryed a rescue dog as a second previously, but I quickly decided that it was going to take too long to establish a new pack heirarchy between 2 adult dogs when I have children who could accidently get caught in the possible crossfire.So for us a puppy was definately the way to go.

Good luck :)

Edited May 15, 2012 by MishB