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Pupforum presents your training questions answered by professional dog trainers.
Lynne has been training dogs since 1985. She has worked as head trainer for two facilities, a studio trainer (print ads, commercials and television) and as a continuing ed and certification rep for what was then the largest dog training company in the US. Lynne is a member of the IACP and keeps her training techniques current by attending various seminars and reading books. She currently competes in the sport of schutzhund, has a registered therapy dog, and has started her young Papillion in agility. Lynne owns and runs Blazing Trails K9 Academy in Santa Clarita/Antelope valley California.
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10/31/2005
I have a 1.5 year old female spayed yellow lab. She seems to be asserting aggressive behavior. She growls violently if touched while she's eating, or if you try to take something away from her. She has bit a couple of people, but the bites were on the hand and were not serious. However, 2 days ago she bit my husband when he tried to take a candy wrapper away from her. I realize this behaviour is dangerous, but I'd like to know if there is any way to correct this situation. 90% of the time she is the sweetest dog you could ever imagine, but she has this mean streak and I don't know how to make it stop. I must add, that as a very small puppy, my husband liked to play very rough with her and allowed her to snarl and growl at him. Please help. Thank you very much. (JLMic1, Illinois)
As usual, questions about aggression are hard to answer because I can't see the dog and know what's really going on but there are a few points I can make about some points in your email. First, it's important to find a good trainer or veterinary behaviorist with
experience in dealing with food and object guarding. Aggression is no simple matter that can be solved over an email. I'll give some basic points however.
First off, ALL bites are serious. You mentioned that the dog had bitten a couple of people BUT were on the hand and were not serious. These were very serious because the dog was learning how to use her teeth to get what she wanted. Bites USUALLY progress in their intensity. So even an air snap can be a serious bite because of what it can lead to later. With air snaps, the problem is
they don't stay at that point unless you do something to help the situation. Therefore, ALL bites are serious. It's hard to say HOW serious without knowing the situation, the depth and location of the bite, and how much of a warning she gave though.
Second, the dog is not "nice with a mean streak", she is simply a normal dog with normal behavior that has gone awry. It is normal for dogs to guard their possessions especially if they think a lower pack member is trying to take them. It's also normal for the guarding to get more intense if the dog has been punished for the guarding behavior before, or if she thinks that just a growl hasn't worked to back someone off before and that she'll lose her possession. You're lucky in a way, this aggressive behavior has a trigger (object or food guarding) and therefore can be worked with a little bit easier then a case where there's no trigger and no warning.
Thirdly, although rough play should not be encouraged, it may or may not have contributed to the problem. SHE may not have been playing much at that point if she
was snarling and growling. Also, rough play teaches a puppy that they can be rough. Slap games and games that teach a dog to snarl and bite at human hands is really not that good of an idea but it's a little late with this dog now. I would make sure that there are no
more rough games like this though. Instead play fetch, hide and seek (you run and hide then call her and then reinforce the come when she gets to you), teach tricks, take long walks, and play games that require her to think while still helping to reinforce your
leadership.
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