Toy agression

[DOGS4LIFE]

Our 4 year old male rott. we aquired has a pretty severe case of toy agression. We were told about this prior to getting him but would like to start working him away from this behavior. It doesn't matter what the toy is (ie: rubber ball, rope, rawhide) once you've given it to him directly it's his. He basically gives you about a 2 foot perimeter around him where he will growl if you enter that space regardless if your paying attention to him or not. If we side track him and get him away from the toy he has no problem with you taking it away and even once it's placed on the counter he will not go after it or show sign's of agression. He does not have any food agression that we've been able to tell, just with his toys. There's no doubt he's trying to be protective of it because the first thing he will do is either place is paws over the toy or place himself nearly on top of the toy.

Whats the best path to take to remove this type of protective behavior of his toys? A little out of my league on this one as i've never encountered it before.

[DNeff]

I would limit the type and number of toys he has access to. Make sure the toys his is given are the lowest on his "favorite" toy list. Work on exchanges. Have an extra yummy treat (steak, ham, roasted chicken) and offer him the treat in exchange for the toy.

The following article goes in to all of this in much greater detail:

http://www.greatpets.com/home/dogs/b...p?articleId=38

I would highly recommend the book "Mine" by Jean Donaldson. It covers all aspects of resource guarding. It is available at www.dogwise.com

Dawn
U-CD Cammcastle's Mystic Riven CDX OAC OGC NA NAJ NJC TT CGC
http://members.aol.com/dplantier
http://members.aol.com/rottweilerworld

[DOGS4LIFE]

Dawn thanks! Lots of good information in there to get me started. I'd like to see if I can get control of this problem without outside help of a trainer.

[DNeff]

Here's another good link that breaks down some "exchanging" techniques:
http://www.clickersolutions.com/arti...ctguarding.htm

http://www.doglane.com/possess.html

Jean Donaldson's other book "Dogs are from Neptune" also has some good resource guarding info.

If you work through this slowly you should be able to see quite a bit of success without having to go to a trainer. I would recommend basic obedience classes though. Make sure you dog is very comfortable at each step before progressing to the next level. If you trigger a reaction you can set back your work quite a bit.

Dawn
U-CD Cammcastle's Mystic Riven CDX OAC OGC NA NAJ NJC TT CGC
http://members.aol.com/dplantier
http://members.aol.com/rottweilerworld

[Judi W]

I would suggest that you put up all toys for the time being and a toy is only down when you are working on the following training. Get out one (yes, likely a less valued one) and hold it in your hand. Scratch him behind the ear or something and let him take it in his mouth, but do not release it. Tell him he is a good boy, give him an out command, a treat and praise. Do this while walking around also. It is when a dog lies down with the toy between his feet that he guards it. You will start habituating him to releasing and receiving praise and treat. It will take a long time (he's had 4 years to practice the guarding remember), but he will get over this. Dog and you have toy, move around the room, then you backpeddle as in a come fore (this has the dog facing you as if he had brought you the toy), give release command, treat and praise. Gradually you will be able to release while you are walking, move backwards calling his name so he is still up on his feet and moving towards you - repeat release command and treat and praise. This will progress to that you can move farther and farther from him while calling him to bring you the toy and do the treat.

Do not allow him to take a toy and go lie down with it or you will be back to square one.

I hope I described this sufficiently. You will be teaching the dog in steps and don't skip too far forward too quickly.