8 mth Lab growling

[Jakezilla]

Rick,

We are talking about an 8 month old pup and trying to nip this in the bud. The advice I posted is what I do with my dogs and why I don't have pups growling at me. If we were talking about rescued Rotties the approach would be totally different and not something for internet discussion.

If anyone else thinks I am wrong don't listen but it works. Is it the only way, no, but it is a way.

[yellow dog]

The huge difference that you will come to see when you gain some experience is that field trainers develop these skills not only earlier but to a higher standard than regular pet owners and to a higher degree of dependability..


Well...that would depend on what you know about other forms of professional dog training to be fair. If you are comparing to professional guard dog training such as Schutzhund then field trainers dogs would be less dependable or fall short. I personally know a family that is fourth generation Schutzhund trainers and authors of a few books. I have seen the amount of training that goes into one of these animals and i am blown away at the end result. These dogs are completely in tune with their trainer and making a mistake is not acceptable. All forms of dog training need to develop a higher standard of dependability but some such as Shutzhund in my view be the highest.

[last5oh_302]

Rick,

We are talking about an 8 month old pup and trying to nip this in the bud. The advice I posted is what I do with my dogs and why I don't have pups growling at me. If we were talking about rescued Rotties the approach would be totally different and not something for internet discussion.

If anyone else thinks I am wrong don't listen but it works. Is it the only way, no, but it is a way.

It works the same way with a pup Jake, although much faster since it's a much milder case. You'll be able to walk up to the bowl and pick it up, put it down, whatever you want and it's so easy on both the trainer and dog, and I believe creates a stronger bond..

[welsh]

By coincidence, I found a page on food aggression a couple of days ago via Twitter. I alluded to it in an earlier post. This is from a Boston rescue group that has worked on retraining food-aggressive dogs, because these dogs are often put down in shelters. I haven't had to deal with the problem myself, so I claim no expertise here. But the people who put this together have lots of experience with this problem.

Their program doesn't have a timetable. There are essentially four points when dealing with mild food aggression (dog shows teeth or growls when eating, but does not try to bite):

1. Avoidance: no one approaches the dog when it is eating or in other situations that may provoke the behaviour.
2. Say Please: at all times, the dog is made to sit before being petted, leashed, walked, let out of kennel, etc.
3. Dog is always fed when people are present, but not close enough to provoke it.
4. Retrieve training: playing fetch. The dog is not expected to retrieve to hand and the dummy is never taken from the dog. They wait for him to drop it. (Obvious problem for trained retrievers.)

The full page is here:
http://centerforshelterdogs.org/Home...ggression.aspx

Note that nobody goes up to the dog for any reason while it is eating. Nothing to provoke a reaction that could escalate and make things worse; nothing that could inadvertently reward inappropriate behaviour. The idea is to get the dog to understand that he can give things up (retrieve training) and that he doesn't have to protect his food (point 3).

I'd expect that trained retrievers, who are continually giving up highly desirable birds to their handlers, never have this problem. For obvious reasons it would be a serious problem in a bird dog or retriever.

[Jakezilla]

It works the same way with a pup Jake, although much faster since it's a much milder case. You'll be able to walk up to the bowl and pick it up, put it down, whatever you want and it's so easy on both the trainer and dog, and I believe creates a stronger bond..

Whatever you want. Like Kraka pointed to, this stuff is pretty basic for field guys competing at high levels. If YD wants to talk about how awesome the shutzhund guys are that's fine too. I pay attention to my dogs and their performance tells me whether I am doing it right or not. If they aren't right at home they won't be right in the field.

[krakadawn]

YD...don't sell field trainers too short, remember you've yet to join the ranks of FT trainers. As I always point out, dogs competing at the all age level are truly gifted animals and yes competition at this level demands a close rapport and working relationship along with a thorough understanding in communication.

However, your example is valid and I consider those dogs as ';field dogs' just because of the training as opposed to the pet genre. By the way we could discuss bomb dogs that the US forces are training. Where do they get most of them....field trial washouts. Where have a number of their trainers come from......field trial trainers. I know several personally.

[yellow dog]

YD...don't sell field trainers too short, remember you've yet to join the ranks of FT trainers. As I always point out, dogs competing at the all age level are truly gifted animals and yes competition at this level demands a close rapport and working relationship along with a thorough understanding in communication.

However, your example is valid and I consider those dogs as ';field dogs' just because of the training as opposed to the pet genre. By the way we could discuss bomb dogs that the US forces are training. Where do they get most of them....field trial washouts. Where have a number of their trainers come from......field trial trainers. I know several personally.

Yes that is correct I know of a few of Springville Springers that have also gone onto being sniffer dogs etc. I also know of a couple of dog mushers in the states that retired and went onto field trialing.

[yellow dog]

Whatever you want. Like Kraka pointed to, this stuff is pretty basic for field guys competing at high levels. If YD wants to talk about how awesome the shutzhund guys are that's fine too. I pay attention to my dogs and their performance tells me whether I am doing it right or not. If they aren't right at home they won't be right in the field.

Yup that would be the same for other forms of dog training.

[Sharon]

By coincidence, I found a page on food aggression a couple of days ago via Twitter. I alluded to it in an earlier post. This is from a Boston rescue group that has worked on retraining food-aggressive dogs, because these dogs are often put down in shelters. I haven't had to deal with the problem myself, so I claim no expertise here. But the people who put this together have lots of experience with this problem.

Their program doesn't have a timetable. There are essentially four points when dealing with mild food aggression (dog shows teeth or growls when eating, but does not try to bite):

1. Avoidance: no one approaches the dog when it is eating or in other situations that may provoke the behaviour.
2. Say Please: at all times, the dog is made to sit before being petted, leashed, walked, let out of kennel, etc.
3. Dog is always fed when people are present, but not close enough to provoke it.
4. Retrieve training: playing fetch. The dog is not expected to retrieve to hand and the dummy is never taken from the dog. They wait for him to drop it. (Obvious problem for trained retrievers.)

The full page is here:
http://centerforshelterdogs.org/Home...ggression.aspx

Note that nobody goes up to the dog for any reason while it is eating. Nothing to provoke a reaction that could escalate and make things worse; nothing that could inadvertently reward inappropriate behaviour. The idea is to get the dog to understand that he can give things up (retrieve training) and that he doesn't have to protect his food (point 3).

I'd expect that trained retrievers, who are continually giving up highly desirable birds to their handlers, never have this problem. For obvious reasons it would be a serious problem in a bird dog or retriever.

.................

That's very nicely put together.

You know I like JRTs , but they are exceptionally orientated to " What is mine is mine; what is yours is mine."

We have an understanding so he doesn't push me around , but he will be very aggressive with the other dogs. If they wander near HIS STUFF , all hell can break out. I don't like this as one setter is 13 years old.

1/ There is a time for this, but I rarely take that approach. I do supervise feeding times . If he tries to take over the other dogs' bowls, he is out of there. No more problems with this now.

2/ This I do with him at all times.

5/ Sometimes I hold him and let the other dogs play with his stuff - saying silently that "I will decide what you get you little buggar." - words not needed, dogs pick up cues quicker than words.

6/ Sometimes I take the fought - over- item and give it to the loser, saying ................

This approach is doing the job. Just saying I guess there are no " only this way" methods.

* Did I say he weighed 15 pounds.

[last5oh_302]

Whatever you want. Like Kraka pointed to, this stuff is pretty basic for field guys competing at high levels. If YD wants to talk about how awesome the shutzhund guys are that's fine too. I pay attention to my dogs and their performance tells me whether I am doing it right or not. If they aren't right at home they won't be right in the field.

I agree, it is basic, and just because you're set in your old ways, and Caesar Milan is your hero, and field trial trainers like you are training GODS, it still doesn't mean you're doing it the best way. Things change but it's always tough to change the old school mentality.