[pupmama]

Kona pulled that same stunt on me this morning. She is a 12 week old Rott/shepherd mix. She got something out of our closet and was chewing on it. I assumed she found some kind of candy that had fallen from a jacket pocket or the like, but wanted to make sure it was not medication or something else that would harm her. I said Kona, what do you have and she immediately took off under the bed and played keep away from me and would not let me near her. When I was finally able to firmly grasp her by the collar and lead her out from under the bed (all the while telling her to come out) she began growling at me and when I had her out and tried to see what was in her mouth, she growled and snapped at me. I could not find what was in her mouth, assumed she swallowed it and spent several minutes working with her and checking her mouth. She was well-behaved and calm and did not fight me. I then spent a few minutes with her with her toy, handing it to her and then grasping it and telling her to "give", and praising her when she released it. It seems that she only acts like this when she has something she is not supposed to have.

Anyhow, right after that, she ran under the bed and retrieved what she had earlier and this time she did not run from me. She still was reluctant to give me what was in her mouth and was bordering on the same behavior she had exhibited before, but dropped (accidently, I think) what she had in her mouth, which turned out to be a gel toe pad, which I threw away.

She has done this once before with some other item she has "found" and not wanted to relinquish to me.

My question is what is the best way to work on this kind of behavior. I do not want her to be agressive. Frankly I was a little frightened by her agression and snapping. I remained calm, but I want to curtail this kind of stuff NOW. Help......