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Originally Posted by warviper  Thanks for the advice. Please understand that the only reason why I do those things is in hope of putting him in situations that I imagin he might see in public. |
I do understand that. We all want our dogs to be well behaved.
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Originally Posted by warviper When I take item away I always give it back to him after he calms down and returns to a normal state of mind. |
He should not be upset to begin with, and that is the problem with the way you're going about it. You have skipped a whole bunch of NEEDED baby steps (aka the trade game) in order to communicate to him that his "stuff" is safe with you and that he'll get it back. He's a DOG and can only understand you from his doggie perspective. Unless you TEACH him that his stuff is safe with you in a way he can connect with, he has no way of knowing you're going to give it back.......that's why he gets upset. In his mind, you're stealing his "stuff".
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Originally Posted by warviper Is it being to unreasonable of me to think that I will be able to get to the point where if for some reason I deem that an item is not best for him at that time that I can not remove item. Basicaly I do not want this to escalate into him growling = he gets his way. Thanks again and look forward to your response. |
The way you're going about it, using "power" against him, you will NEVER get to that point.....which IS my point! A relationship with a dog needs to be built on cooperation, not on oneupsmanship. If you are going to do something you absolutely need to follow through so he doesn't get the idea that he can run the show, but you have to be VERY MINDFUL of the battles you choose. It's just that you are going about it all wrong. You can't expect him to understand something he has not been taught (that you are not a threat to his food/bones). Sticking your hands in his dish for no other reason than to "see if he'll be aggressive" has absolutely no purpose in HIS mind (or mine, for that matter) except that you want his food. So he protects it. Again I'll say, Stop It!
Let him eat his meal without being bothered, give him bones in a crate, and begin working on the "trade it" game by exchanging a small treat for a toy he has. He will start to realize that by giving something up to you, that something delicious is forthcoming. That in itself will change his entire attitude. Build the trust FIRST, and the rest will fall into place.
If you do not have him in obedience classes, that is something you should absolutely get him signed up for and continue with until he is well into maturity.