Toy Aggression?

melanieian

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Brodie turned 1 yr old on 11/27 overall he is a very good dog. He plays well with my boyfriends Boston Terrier, although she terrorizes him because she is so hyper he does not get mad. But if he has a toy he will growl, at her and all of us. Some toys he does fine with but others he gets super mad and growls like he means it. He will grab the pillows off the couch and guard them also. If you try to take something from him he growls louder and bites up on whatever it is so he gets a better grip on it. Now he does not bite us, he did go through a phase where he would jump at my 4 year old daughter but wasn't biting her, he was more like hitting her in the face with his face?? That is now under control. I have tried and tried and tried to get him to understand we are not going to steal his toys from him, he basically only does it when the toy is new and with things he is not supposed to have like the couch pillows, which I now keep out of his reach except if i'm laying on the couch with one, socks he steals from my sons room, a pair of shoes, my daughters toys. We are pretty good about keeping things out of his reach but sometimes he sneaks and finds something and starts growling like crazy when we walk towards him and we CAN NOT get it from him. I have to get him a treat and throw it and he stares at the treat for a few minutes then runs as fast as he can to the treat and grabs it and runs back to whatever it was he had, we have to be superfast to grab it before he gets back to it. he also has started a new thing of chewing on the corners of my couch!!!! i have tried the water bottle thing and at first it worked but now it makes him ANGRY and he snaps at it and tried to "kill" it. If I can just get this agression under control he will be the perfect dog! I read through the post that Cali Jenn had and I am going to try some of those tactics.
 

cali~jenn

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Oh wow, good luck!!! I really feel like I learned so much in that thread so hopefully it helps you. You have to be on top of them at all times and make sure that you reinforce the rules. Growling at you over a toy or pillow or any possession is NOT acceptable. If he were Miila doing that I would instantly pin and submit her. She is so used to it now there is no struggle she just lays there BUT I keep my fingers kinda digging in if that makes sense, as if teeth. I mean I dont have long nails or anything but I curl my fingers into the side of her neck rather than just hold it. I would do that the second he growls and hold him there as long as it takes him to settle and take that breath then let up a couple minutes later. Just let go and walk away, dont even acknowledge him. Miila will sometimes lay there another minute. lol I would also highly recommend feeding the way I do. Start by making him sit and wait for the food. Then grab a handful of food and make him do something to get it. (sit, down, paw etc) This is good practice anyhow. It seems like too much work but really they only eat so many handfuls at a time so not that big a deal, slobbery yes! lol Then I also will let her eat out of the bowl sometimes but then make her take a break after a few seconds, where she backs up and sits and waits. Then before each time I let her eat she also must do something, then reward. There are many other things I am sure but this I think will help. One thing I have to say is do NOT let them take anything away from you, that gives them a higher up in the pack than you. Everything is yours. Period. Is he neutered can I ask?
 
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melanieian

melanieian

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Yes he is neutered, he was neutered about 10 months old. I did his feeding like that today when I got home from work. He did fine with that. He is just so stubborn when he has something he shouldn't have!!
 

JAKEISGREAT

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Be consistent and firm..Do Not let him growl when you take anything away from him. If he does..take him ..say NO and put him in a time out place..crate..pen. I, purposely take things away all the time. Just because I can and he never growls. He will catch on that you are the leader. Maybe [MENTION=2071]Davidh[/MENTION] has some more tips for you! Jake and Tank are two days apart in age! :clap:
 

2BullyMama

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If I understand your 'treat throw' correctly --- you may be causing him to be more protective of the item. You throw the treat and when he returns the item is gone, right?

If yes, that is not good, you are teaching him that if he let's it go -- it is gone. You have to give him what you want him to know is his -- say he has a sock, get a treat or bone or toy he enjoys and trade him for the sock. It is best to use treats till he gets it, and then treat with toy. Right now you are proving to him that 'if I let this go, I will not see/have it again'/ The trick is to teach them to want only what is their's.
 
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melanieian

melanieian

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That makes sense! I'll try that instead of throwing. He had a metal candle holder and was refusing to let go so I laid him on his side and kept telling him to let go, he was growling but I didn't give up.he finally let go and I held him down a lil longer them let him up when I got the candle holder I had to hold him back because he was trying to snatch out of my hand. I made him sit then lay down then stay and he did. He just started chewing on my pillow and I told him to stop and he did then he came to me to get some good boy loving.
 
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melanieian

melanieian

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This is him wanting some lovin. Lol IMAG0550.jpg
 

2BullyMama

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That makes sense! I'll try that instead of throwing. He had a metal candle holder and was refusing to let go so I laid him on his side and kept telling him to let go, he was growling but I didn't give up.he finally let go and I held him down a lil longer them let him up when I got the candle holder I had to hold him back because he was trying to snatch out of my hand. I made him sit then lay down then stay and he did. He just started chewing on my pillow and I told him to stop and he did then he came to me to get some good boy loving.

Great work!! try using the words 'leave it' before he gets something you do not want him to have... and 'drop' when he has something you want him to let go of.
 

Davidh

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Sounds like you are on the road to teaching him who's boss, keep up the good work. As far as giving him some love after he is bad, I would wait a little while, and give him affection on your terms. If at any time when you pin him, if he gets angry, just hold him longer until he is submissive before letting him up, then walk away. Just be consistent and have patience, you will get there.
 

kazzy220

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I have tried and tried and tried to get him to understand we are not going to steal his toys from him, .


And right there in that very sentence is the problem! NO ... you ARE going to steal his toys .. and you want to know why??? Because you are the pack leader ... the house -yours, his food - yours, furniture - yours, other people and animals living in your house - all yours, and his toys ..... 100% YOURS!! You are the pack leader ...everything in his life, including him, is under your command and under your control.

He is NOT allowed to own anything. So give him a toy, and let him play for a while. Then take it away. Give it back to him when he is calm and good. A few minutes later you take it away. You keep doing it and keep doing it .. for the rest of his life. He can NOT claim something to be his own. He has to realise that you are the leader and he is playing with something ONLY because you allow him to. Keep doing that and there should be no toy aggression towards you.
 

Vicaroo1000

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Search "Nothing In Life is Free" on here...there are a number of posts that detail this.

In a perfect world, your pup should DROP whatever is in his mouth by you indicating - with energy / body language (no sound) that you want the object. He'll understand this more readily if he knows everything is really yours and you just allow him to have it for a time. (Back to Nothing In Life is Free again) This is what I am shooting for here and I've certainly a long way to go! When these two are arguing over a toy and have taken it what I feel is too far, I say "MINE" and they give up the toy. Practice makes perfect, of course and I probably don't practice this as much as I should. This will also come in handy in case your dog gets something in their mouth that you want them to drop right away. Like a dead animal or ? "Mine" is just another version of "drop it" but I think I use the right energy when I say "Mine" - more than "drop it". If that makes sense.....?

In the online video "How to Raise the Perfect Puppy" (Cesar Millan) there's a great segment where Mr. President (the EB) has a squirrel stuffy and he demonstrates "taking over the toy" without sound. It's awesome.
 
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melanieian

melanieian

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I really need to check out the nothing in life is free. I have got to stick to this and get him to understand he has to let go. He got ahold of my son's xbox power cord and would NOT let go for nothing. I laid him on his side and and him down and told him to drop it over and over in a stern voice and he just kept on growling, he did not care how long he had to be pinned down he was not giving it up. I had to entice him with a treat and he laid on top of the cord for 20 mins before he got up to come and get the treat. I held the treat up and made him sit while I picked the cord up and put it away then gave him the treat. I hated to do it but I had to get the cord from him before he destroyed it. UGH!!
 

cali baker

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I have similar problems w/Finn. The other day he growled and snapped at me when I tried to take away the kleenex he was eating! that did it! no way is he going to growl or snap at me. So i lay on top of him, pinned him down til he calmed down. I didn't care how long it took. Tate was just watching us quietly as all this was happening. I've been doing the hand feeding that [MENTION=390]cali~jenn[/MENTION] mentioned above and that i believe, is helping w/Finn's "bossy" attitude, as is feeding Tate first while Finn watches. I recommend that Nothing in Life is Free website too...that was recommended to me last week and is extremely helpful and makes sense. Good luck w/Brodie (he's such a cutie pie)!
 
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melanieian

melanieian

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I have similar problems w/Finn. The other day he growled and snapped at me when I tried to take away the kleenex he was eating! that did it! no way is he going to growl or snap at me. So i lay on top of him, pinned him down til he calmed down. I didn't care how long it took. Tate was just watching us quietly as all this was happening. I've been doing the hand feeding that @cali~jenn mentioned above and that i believe, is helping w/Finn's "bossy" attitude, as is feeding Tate first while Finn watches. I recommend that Nothing in Life is Free website too...that was recommended to me last week and is extremely helpful and makes sense. Good luck w/Brodie (he's such a cutie pie)!

OMG Brodie loves to eat Kleenex and papertowels!! He gets mad when I take them away from him. I am going to get this handled, I am not going to let him get away with anything anymore. If I have to lay on his butt all night I will, lol. He is going to learn I am the boss and he is not! Thanks, your babies are adorable!
 

cali~jenn

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Cutty, Miila and Mugsy the pug :)
OMG Brodie loves to eat Kleenex and papertowels!! He gets mad when I take them away from him. I am going to get this handled, I am not going to let him get away with anything anymore. If I have to lay on his butt all night I will, lol. He is going to learn I am the boss and he is not! Thanks, your babies are adorable!

What is it with tissue? All 3 of mine will grab up a tissue before than you even know it is there. Good luck! I certainly dont know it all, I got lucky and so far what I have been doing has changed Miila back into her lovy self. THANKFULLY! I am sue tho each dog is diff and responds to diff things better so maybe finding what works for you may take some time. Dont give up tho and whatever you do do NOT let him win. Every time he wins it puts him that much ahead of you and makes the next challenge harder. Funny now Miila is my good girl. Well she is still a puppy but she actually listens to me like I am god mostly. Cutty and Mugsy look at me like I am dumb. lol.
 

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