Attacks when he doesn't get what he wants

[agilebasenji]

I also clicker trained Zest to fetch. for a long time "blue bird" was on a leash (piece of string) which prevented Z from running off with blue bird. Z, being very food motivated, quickly learned that if she brought the toy to me, she got a treat and we could continue to play (and continue to get treats). She learned this lesson so well that she has been in clined to bring me all sorts of "treasures" like several 1/2 dead rabbits and one sort of plastic meat wrapper that blew into the yard.

[eeeefarm]

@tanza:

It is NOT just taking their food away, it should be a Trade situation. You trade for the food, you don't just take it away and then put it back. You trade with something that is of higher value.

Sure, but I am not getting the sense that this is what the OP is doing. (as I said in my edit, I do practice this with things I have given the dog if I decide I need to reclaim them). And I think unless you have an express purpose in mind, it is best to just let the dog eat his dinner in peace. I would get pretty grouchy if my server in a restaurant took away my salad and replaced it with a chocolate sundae, even if the latter might be "more salient".

[eeeefarm]

@agilebasenji:

I also clicker trained Zest to fetch. for a long time "blue bird" was on a leash (piece of string) which prevented Z from running off with blue bird. Z, being very food motivated, quickly learned that if she brought the toy to me, she got a treat and we could continue to play (and continue to get treats). She learned this lesson so well that she has been in clined to bring me all sorts of "treasures" like several 1/2 dead rabbits and one sort of plastic meat wrapper that blew into the yard.

I love clicker training for this purpose, but I like to start at the end and backward chain it to the retrieve. That way, the dog knows the purpose of the exercise is to give you the object. Also, it helps to begin with something they don't actually want to run away with. (I teach "pick it up" as an action I can then apply to any named object. Works like a charm, and also is a great way to broaden your dog's vocabulary)

[deschroedter]

My boy Cory was a very food aggressive boy as a young pup. There were days on end that I sat on the floor in front of him, let him have a very nice treat bone, then would tell him to give, he would growl and tug at first. This could go on for an hour or more until he finally let it go without a reaction. We repeated daily, this took awhile, not just a few days, but reached the point I could take anyting from him without a response, including inappropriate items that he had put in his mouth. Time, repetition, soothing voice, and persistence worked for us. Please do get someone that has B experience to watch you interact with him and hopfully will have some good advice for you.

[basilboy7]

Thank you for all your help. His aggression has now turned towards my sister's dog when he playfully took away the toy he had… he tried to attack her. Luckily she's a golden retriever and just knocked him down. I have contacted a behaviorist and I'm waiting for a call back. In the mean time, he doesn't receive a meal that my hand isn't attached to and I make time to sit with him, holding his bone as he chews it. I will gradually work my way up to asking for it. He has gotten into a few things where I've had to take them away, I've noticed that I've become calmer which has helped his reaction. I just say calmly "Basil, no" and slowly try to take it out of his mouth without opening his mouth to get it... when he does let go he gets a big "good boy!" and then I replace it with a bone or treat. I'm hoping we'll slowly get there

[Quercus]

@eeeefarm:

In my household, a dog who latches on to something that is off limits gets an immediate verbal response, "Is that yours??", followed by a removal of said object from his mouth. Period. I don't have time to p***yfoot around in the event the dog gets hold of something dangerous to himself, and if it costs me a nip in the process, so be it. (so far no dog of mine has had the temerity to attempt biting me in circumstances where he knows he is in the wrong, but I am not timid, or intimidated, and they have all clearly understood it is something I am not prepared to tolerate.)

I realize I am tempting the flame throwers here, but sometimes you just have to say "no", and that is that.

edited to add: I will use the "trade" concept to retrieve something that I have given the dog. In that case, it is "his", (as opposed to something he has stolen) and if I want it back it is only fair to replace it with something…..hopefully in his eyes of equal value. (I would do this with a bone that was getting dangerously small, for example)

That is all well, and good….and for the most part this is what I do as well, after I have worked with a dog to ensure that they aren't going to guard....but with a dog that is a true resource guarder, walking up and snatching something away, just isn't going to cut it. It will escalate the dog's desire to guard...particularly against other people and dogs.

I don't expect that most pet people will have this level of comfort walking up and taking something from a guarding dog, and I don't want to even think about my kids trying it. I want a dog that thinks, here comes a person (ANY person) if they take my treasure, something good is going to happen.

[DebraDownSouth]

@eeeefarm:

I personally have a HUGE problem with the idea of removing a dog's meal after you have given it to him. This amounts to teasing, IMHO. I realize some people like to "train" the dog to give things up this way…

In my household, a dog who latches on to something that is off limits gets an immediate verbal response, "Is that yours??", followed by a removal of said object from his mouth. Period. I don't have time to p***yfoot around in the event the dog gets hold of something dangerous to himself, and if it costs me a nip in the process, so be it. (so far no dog of mine has had the temerity to attempt biting me in circumstances where he knows he is in the wrong, but I am not timid, or intimidated, and they have all clearly understood it is something I am not prepared to tolerate.)

edited to add: I will use the "trade" concept to retrieve something that I have given the dog. In that case, it is "his", (as opposed to something he has stolen) and if I want it back it is only fair to replace it with something…..hopefully in his eyes of equal value. (I would do this with a bone that was getting dangerously small, for example)

I agree. I don't take a dog's food. I teach them early by picking it up, putting something REALLY yummy in it. They learn early and fast that my taking the food is GOOD.

Will man the fire hoses for you. There are times when getting something from a dog FAST is the only option if it is an item the dog can be hurt with, or every very expensive. Which is why teaching a dog very young to drop it is so critical. That this incident was over a tea bag concerns me. It may be that an experienced owner could fix this, but I have to agree with everyone, this pup needs a professional veterinary behaviorist for evaluation if you can afford it.

[Patty]

Mine are trained from puppyhood to let me take anything from their mouths. I had an experience when one picked up a cooked chicken bone that some idiot had thrown on the ground - if I hadn't been able to just take it out of her mouth she might have choked. Having said this nothing works if you aren't quick enough. A neighbour put out a juicy piece of raw meat filled with strychnine - one of my Basenjis grabbed it and before I could get to her swallowed it!!! I now also teach 'drop it'.

[Quercus]

@Patty:

Mine are trained from puppyhood to let me take anything from their mouths. I had an experience when one picked up a cooked chicken bone that some idiot had thrown on the ground - if I hadn't been able to just take it out of her mouth she might have choked. Having said this nothing works if you aren't quick enough. A neighbour put out a juicy piece of raw meat filled with strychnine - one of my Basenjis grabbed it and before I could get to her swallowed it!!! I now also teach 'drop it'.

Did it kill her?

[sharronhurlbut]

Trade is something everyone with a dog should teach.

[Patty]

Yes, Andrea, she died in a very painful way over three days.

[Quercus]

@Patty:

Yes, Andrea, she died in a very painful way over three days.

That is so sad…why did your neighbor do that? Intentionally to hurt your dogs?

[tanza]

@Patty:

Yes, Andrea, she died in a very painful way over three days.

That is so very sad… and honestly... regardless how much we try and teach the "exchange", something like raw meat... it 10% of the time might work, the rest... it is pure luck.

And same as Andrea, why did your neighbor do that? And more important if there was a good reason, did they tell you before hand?

[Patty]

There was no good reason and although we reported her to the police they couldn't take any action. Even writing about it now I can remember every detail. It's very hard to forgive somebody like that but she was mentally ill. Thank goodness she moved away some years ago..

[thunderbird8588]

@Patty:

There was no good reason and although we reported her to the police they couldn't take any action. Even writing about it now I can remember every detail. It's very hard to forgive somebody like that but she was mentally ill. Thank goodness she moved away some years ago..

my goodness Helena i feel so shocked by this. I'm a person who doesn't like conflict but would not like to be responsible for my actions if someone harmed one of my pets. i'm so sorry this happened.

[KMac]

Patty this is heartbreaking and disgusting. How can there be so many sick people out there?