|
|
Object Guarding/Possessiveness for
Puppies
In the wild, there is a generally accepted rule
that possession is 9/10ths of the law. A dog, if left on their
own will guard objects. As humans, we often breed this into
certain dogs - creating "guard dogs." As a companion,
object guarding is not only a nuisance, it is dangerous. The
three main objects valued by dogs are food dishes, bones and
toys. Other object may include people and places. The best prevention
for guarding is to teach your dog that it is a good thing for
people to approach its things.
These exercises are meant as a
prevention strategy. Some puppies will guard things ferociously
from a young age. If your dog is tensing, lip curling, growling
or biting - get professional help. It is also important to remember
that guarding is only one area of a comprehensive bite prevention
program. All dogs have the ability and potential to bite. Even
with extensive prevention, medical conditions can come into play.
Always act responsibly. This is especially true when dealing with
dogs and children. These exercises do not guarantee that your
dog will never bite. But they have been proven over time to reduce
the severity and frequency of a common type of aggression.
|
|
|
Exercise 1: The Food
Dish Exercise
Measure out 1/3 of your dog's dinner. Hold his bowl - empty. Expect
a look of surprise. Drop a handful of food in. Keep your hand on
the bowl. While he is eating, interrupt and drop some more in. Interrupt
again and drop in the remainder. Before he is finished, interrupt
another time, pick up the bowl and drop in something really terrific,
like a small piece of chicken. Your goal is to teach your dog that
people approaching while he is eating is a really, really good thing.
After one week, begin placing his bowl down, but
continue to interrupt by stopping to touch his bowl and dropping
in a treat.
|
|
|
Exercise 2: People
and places
This is especially important for single people.
If you plan on allowing your dog on the couch, repeatedly ask your
dog to go on the couch and off the couch. Give a piece of kibble
or treat, each time your dog gets off the couch/bed on request.
Invite a close friend or relative over and have them move your puppy
off the furniture. Remember to feed. Second step, have your close
friend hug you and sit next to you. Your dog should learn that people
do get close to one another. Throw a treat to the puppy each time
you get close to one another. For couples, do the same exercise.
|
|
| Safety Note:
If there are children in the family, they can also learn to throw
your puppy a treat while he is eating - however, an adult must maintain
extreme vigilance and supervision to ensure the safety of children.
If you are at all in doubt or uncomfortable - do not include children.
Call a behaviour consultant to help you. |
|
|
Exercise 3: Toys and bones
Start with a toy or bone of low value to your
puppy. This is a good time to being foundation work for "leave
it" and "take it." Offer the toy/bone to your puppy
and say "take it." Let him chew for a few minutes. Say
"leave it," while taking the bone and offering a really
good food treat. Hold the toy/bone while your dog enjoys the treat.
Give the item back. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Again, the goal is to
teach your dog that humans do not take away your possessions, they
merely hold them for you while giving you a treat.
Tip: When out for a walk, make sure
you carry a treat in your pocket. If your puppy picks up a piece
of garbage or a chicken bone, you will have a better shot at getting
him to trade.
Tip #2: If you have small children in
the house, or may at some time in the future, try using a word that
a toddler might use, like "mine," instead of "leave
it." You dog will understand what the child means. Make sure
you also include different variations in your voice. Children are
known for being abrupt.
|
|
|
Why is this important? Because one
day your puppy will be a dog, and some dogs left alone to eat and
chew bones will try to keep it that way, even if it is from a child
saying hello. As a responsible owner, it is your responsibility
to actively supervise your dog. Doing prevention exercises is a
way of minimizing risk.
Awesome
Dogs and Meeting Milo
are working to "Stop the Bite." Each year, we tackle one
prevention strategy in an effort to reduce dog bites to zero. Industry
professionals, community groups, rescue organizations and government
agencies are invited to help us by getting the word out. Please
feel free to link to this page. Feel free to copy this page intact
for distribution. If you would like your logo added to this resource,
please feel free to send us your logo and we can arrange this. Lack
of education has been proven by researchers as being a main factor
in dog bites, surrenders to shelters and euthanasia. Let's pull
together and make a difference."
|
© Awesome Dogs 2005
|
|
