# 13 week old Rottweiler puppy - 2 nasty bites.



## sjallen88 (Jun 17, 2012)

Hello,

Just wanted some advice on this issue please to see if anyone can see where we are going wrong. I have contacted the breeder via email as no answer on the phone, and know they will try and help but wanted some extra advice.

Firstly as soon as we got him, Bubba has been really chewing on any loose clothing such as hoodies, sleeves, trousers,dressing gowns socks etc and we have tried saying 'no' since the start but he literally will not let go( we have been stood there for 10 mins at most) with him just holding the material in his mouth whilst laying down, which is very annoying when you are trying to get ready for work. We tried turning our backs/ staying still which didn't work at all, then rocks in a can to shake to get his attention which does work to a point, but he has not improved in the 2 and a half weeks we have been doing this.

The first nasty bite came when he was on the lead in the garden, he picked up some paper off the floor, and started to eat it. I told him 'leave' which he did and dropped it, but as I went to pick it up, he bit me very hard (not just a snap) and shook his head. This resulted in a cut about 1.5cm long running right along my nail on my finger. I had shouted out in pain and took him inside again gave him no fuss for around 25 mins so I could calm down. I did some reading and saw it looked like resource guarding and to try swapping the item for treats to show that leaving things was a good thing. This was going well and I had no growls when taking toys/ other items from him until yesterday/today.

My dad came round yesterday to let him out whilst I was at work and after the short walk, Bubba was playing with a toy and then started to curl his lip and snarl at my dad.He suddenly stopped this and then let my dad take the toy and be stroked.
My dad then came come round to let him out and walk him when he got some paper that had dropped out of his pocket. Bubba picked it up and ran to the table, my dad said leave, which he did, then as my dad went to get it, has bitten him very badly. The wound is about 3 cm long, very deep and is looking like it needs stitches. My dad managed to get him off without hitting him on the nose but said that was the next step as he just wouldn't let go of his finger. He had said 'no' in a loud voice and then left him alone as he had to go get it treated as I had no first aid in the house. I came home and Bubba was very subdued and quiet, so I gave him his dinner and then tried 'leaving' it with a book he likes to try and get. When ever I offer a treat he will take it whilst letting me take the book away but as soon as he has the treat he will snarl and jump for the book.

What else works for people/ advice do people have? He still likes to bite hands/feet etc and have tried the 'oww' and no attention, leaving him in a room but it just doesn't have any effect on him. We come back in and he is just sat playing with a toy or trying to go to sleep.

Sorry for the long post but I wanted people to have all the info. I am just worried that if he did it to my partner/ mum they wouldn't be able to get him off as quickly, and have a 20 month old nephew that comes round fairly often. We have never left Bubba alone with Riley but I cant introduce them properly with Bubba biting/mouthing things. He tends to bite the clothing of my partner more than me but has never shown any aggression/ warnings to anyone when I am around or when playing.

Thanks and if anyone needs any more info please just ask as I want to get on top of it before he is any bigger and can cause any more damage if it occurs again.


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## sjallen88 (Jun 17, 2012)

sorry I forgot to add,he is fine with me taking food away from him during meals and adding/removing things from his bowl during meal times so it is not all the time


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## danielblackmore (May 29, 2012)

The chewing on loose clothing is completely normal for a puppy. When they see things dangling in front of them they see it as a game. They see the object and its a moving toy to them.

Make sure you say 'No' in a firm voice. It will normally distract them from whatever they are doing. He is probably teething so if you see him chewing something he shouldnt, replace it with an allowed chew toy (Although I dont know about this as he has biten before... Although you are not removing it from him you are replacing...)

You need to remember that just because you know what a word means, the dog doesnt. It is just a sound to them.

I seem to remember around 14 weeks old they getting showing dominant and submiossive behaviours? I dont know how true that is. Maybe some of the more experienced owners can assist with that one. But that could explain a few things

I would completely avoid introducing your nephew and Bubba until you are confident. If he decides to turn on the baby... I dont even need to explain

Do you plan on taking him to obedience classes? A good school with good trainers can offer good advice


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## sjallen88 (Jun 17, 2012)

Ye sorry with such a long post I had forgotten some things. We tried the exchanging for a toy but he just didn't seem interested and wouldn't take them. We don't make any noise apart from a firm no so it doesnt turn into a game but he just doesn't care about the chew toys in that situation. Ye so far my nephew has only been round once and I kept hold of Bubba on the floor and my partner kept Riley in her arms, and wont be doing any different until I am confident he wont use teeth at all. We are starting puppy classes a week today, and that school does the puppy, bronze, silver and gold good citizen classes. It was just some help in the mean time or if anyone could see where it was going wrong.


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## hippymama (Jul 26, 2012)

hi , it sounds like normal puppy behaviour to be honest ,obviously it seems more dramatic because he is a large breed .

the sticky at the top of the dog training and behaviour forum has some good advice I think the thread is called 'problem with a nipping puppy'

13 weeks is still very young , I wouldent think you need to worry about it being aggression its just puppy behaviour

this article on bite inhibition is good The Bite Stops Here by Dr Ian Dunbar


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## Owned By A Yellow Lab (May 16, 2012)

You mentioned that you occasionally take food away while he's eating? I would avoid doing this. It may exacerbate any potential guarding problem which would be a shame as he doesn't appear to be guarding food right now?

You are right to keep your nephew well away. I would not allow any physical contact between them personally.

It's very common for a pup to be 'mouthy' and to nip but you seem to be describing bites rather than nips...? Also the lip curling is a clear warning. Does your pup also growl in warning? 

I think some more experienced folk will be along soon to offer more advice.

I adore Rotties - any pics of your pup?


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## tabulahrasa (Nov 4, 2012)

Read the bite inhibition stuff and Resource Guarding « Ahimsa Dog Blog

It's totally normal - Brock's 7 months, it's now down to a gentle playful nibble occasionally and he lets us take anything off him, but for a while it was like living with a little furry shark who stole random bits of rubbish and then would attack you to keep them.


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## sjallen88 (Jun 17, 2012)

When he has a meal we make him sit for it, then let him have the meal until he is finished. We often drop extra bits of chicken etc in so he is used to our hands being near him when he is eating. Also we are teaching him 'drop' and distract him with treats and he is fine with our hands being down next to the food pointing it out. 

The only time we have taken food away from him is a bone that he has for a few mins at a time, and basically swap it for another sort of treat.

I would definately class them as bites and not nips, his mouthiness seemed to calm down when we started taking him on little walks outside but then it is always my partners clothes/ankles that he really goes to town on.

He has only growled 3 times, 2 of these before the bites and they were more like snarls and were for less than a second before he took a bite so there was no real warning. The lip curl with my dad happned at the same time as the snarl but again he bite before my dad could move his hand either forwards or away. 

And yes ill sort some pics out now. Thanks for the help


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

When you're taking things off him I'd wait until he's walked away from it and not looking at it then you can try picking it up. Or another tip to avoid being bitten is to give him a toy or a treat?


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

sjallen88 said:


> sorry I forgot to add,he is fine with me taking food away from him during meals and adding/removing things from his bowl during meal times so it is not all the time


Why on earth would you want to take food away from him during his meals? Would you like someone to come along and steal your dinner when you were enjoying it?

I have never understood why people do this, I really haven't. Please stop it at once, it will encourage resource guarding and make him too protective of his things.


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

Putting things into his bowl is good though, means he is getting positive associations from the hand coming to the bowl


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## sjallen88 (Jun 17, 2012)

Sorry I would like to clear this up as I have not put it correctly in the original post.

*When given a meal he is made to sit, then given his meal when he is calm. We then add extra treats such as chicken, tuna or ham to it so he is used to our hands etc and knows we are not stealing off him. He is fed in a cage with the door open and left to it until he walks out. The food is then left for another 10 mins and then removed after it is clear he is not wanting any more.

The only food we have taken off him is a bone which he had been chewing for 10 mins and we did a swap for some chicken treats as we read that too much marrow and fats could give them the runs when they are not used to to it.*

Sorry for not making that clear and actually writing something different to what we are doing.

Thanks


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## rocco33 (Dec 27, 2009)

At 13 weeks he is still just a puppy. Have you taught him the 'leave' command? and have you proofed it so that he will leave it even when highly aroused (which is likely when he is being left for long periods and someone comes in to him). Puppies don't come ready made and it's a big ask for a 13 week old puppy to understand what you are asking of him. You mention it wasn't a nip but a bite - have you been teaching bite inhibition? My 14 week old puppy is still mouthing me, but so gently I barely feel her teeth. Only when they get to this stage do I stop the mouthing.

Do you go to training classes? He is just a puppy - he's not even three months old. I would recommend training classes where they will teach you to train your puppy and help you understand better what is happening.

PS - Puppies don't understand the word 'NO' or any other English. Imagine you are in China (assuming you don't speak Chinese) and people start talking to you heatedly, or shouting at you and getting frustrated that you don't understand - that is how your puppy is feeling! In addition, puppies do not have human behaviour, they are canines. He needs to be taught each aspect of living with you and this needs to be proofed in different situations. Have a look at the APDT website for training classes near you - their trainers use positive methods.


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## Owned By A Yellow Lab (May 16, 2012)

I know it's very nerve wracking when you have a dog - even if it's a pup - that nips and even bites. I think you would benefit from a really good training class but PLEASE ensure that you ONLY go to one that uses *positive training methods*. *This is vital.*

Walk away from anyone who mentions 'dominance' or 'pack leader' or 'alpha rolls'!

Whereabouts are you based - maybe someone here can personally recommend someone?


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## Riff Raff (Feb 12, 2013)

Whilst some degree of resource guarding is normal for dogs, it is not so normal for such a young puppy to be biting humans (relatively hard by the sounds of it) over resources. It is definitely a behaviour which needs modifying, and fast. I would suggest hiring an in home trainer to assist you specifically with this object guarding.

In the meantime this is a very safe and non confrontational way to teach a dog to 'drop' something in it's mouth:






Edited to add that it sounds like you are on the right track with adding food to the bowl etc, but you may need to address toys / objects as well.


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## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

OP what you are in fact doing I am afraid is TEACHING the dog to resource guard.


Ever had a dog who wont give you his bone or chew toy if you try to take it from him? Or one who gets uncomfortable or growls if you get close to him when hes eating his dog food? Or snaps at you if hes on the sofa and you want him off? Or lifts his lip in a snarl if your friend tries to get close to you?

Answer yes to any of the above, and youve successfully diagnosed your dog as having a guarding issue. The catch-all, technical term is resource-guarding, and can include guarding of dog food bowls (or food), places (dog crate, dog bed, sofa, etc.), items (rawhide, bones, balls, tissues, etc.) and less commonly, people.
Resource-guarding simply means that a dog gets uncomfortable when we (or other humans) are around him when he has his stuff. Hes nervous that were going to take it away, so he tries to warn us off in a variety of ways, ranging from simply consuming his food faster, to an all-out bite.

Although canine resource-guarding appears to be more prevalent in certain breeds or classes of dogs, it can appear in literally any dog, including that sweet Papillion that lives down the street, or the goofy Golden Retriever who greets you happily on your morning walks.

Its important to recognize, identify, modify, or at least manage this behavior because a dog who is repeatedly pushed or punished in these situations is highly likely to eventually bite. Sure, it might be you that he bites, but it could also be your child, your neighbors child, your boss, or your grandmother. Children are most apt to be at risk for a number of reasons. They tend to disregard warnings to leave the dog alone when hes eating or has a toy; they frequently fail to notice the dogs warning signs (stiffening, growling); and they are closer to the ground, so if the dog decides to bite, most likely the childs face will bear the brunt of the attack.

Nature or nurture?

Resource-guarding is a perfectly normal survival skill that allows smaller, weaker, and lower-status dogs to keep possession of a highly valued object even when that object is the target of a larger and stronger dogs desire, says Pat Miller, a trainer, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, and Whole Dog Journal Training Editor. In her book, The Power of Positive Dog Training, Miller notes that, Natural behavior or not, resource-guarding is a serious problem when it results in open aggression, especially toward humans.

In the wild, a group-hunting carnivore would have reproductive advantage over one who gladly relinquishes. Its a good trait, like a well-developed immune system or legs that can run fast, says canine behavior expert Jean Donaldson, in her highly educational book, Mine! (devoted solely to the topic of resource-guarding). Of course, she adds, In a domestic environment, it is undesired.

Sarah Kalnajs, trainer and Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, describes resource-guarding as having both nature (genetic) and nurture (upbringing) components. A dog might be genetically inclined to guard, but depending how much he is allowed to practice the behavior throughout his life also contributes to the severity of the problem.

Resource-guarding from other dogs is a much more acceptable or natural behavior in terms of a dogs ability to cohabitate with humans. It can certainly lead to big problems, and should not be dismissed, but for the time being, our discussion will focus on guarding from humans. Note: A dog who guards from other dogs will not necessarily resource-guard from humans.

Whats your type?

Food-guarding seems to be the most common kind of canine guarding behavior, and is present if the dog threatens or bites when:

¡ö Approached while eating from his bowl
¡ö The owner tries to take back a food item the dog has grabbed
¡ö Approached after he finds some kind of food item in the gutter or on the street

Some dogs may be compulsive, guarding all food items and even an empty dish, says Donaldson, but she also notes, The majority will guard only when actually in possession of sufficiently motivating food. The fact that a dog does not guard a particular food (say, a Milk Bone) does not rule him out as a guarder. It just might not be worthy enough to him as, say, a chicken wing. The only way to determine whether a dog will guard a particular highly motivating food item is to test whether you can readily take that item when the dog has it.

With object-guarding, the extent of guarding is dependent upon the value of the object to the dog. Items can include, but are certainly not limited to, bones, rawhides, pig ears, favorite toys/balls, laundry items, tissues, wrappers and other garbage, sticks, and/or any forbidden objects the dog happens to pick up  which are made more valuable by extreme owner reaction, such as chasing the dog around the room to get the item back, or screeching at the dog to give the item up. While some trainers classify bones, rawhides, pig ears, and edible garbage as objects, Pat Miller classifies them as food as the dogs intent is to eat them; therefore, she classifies the dogs behavior as food-guarding.

As with food-guarding, the dog may show signs of guarding simply when a person is in the vicinity, as the person approaches, and/or if the person tries to take the object from him. It is very common that a dog wont want something unless you want it. Location-guarding is also common in modern, dog-loving households. This would describe the following:

¡ö A dog who does not allow owner or spouse into the bedroom or on the bed once the dog is on the bed
¡ö A dog who is grumpy if jostled while on furniture, or when someone tries to move him
¡ö A dog who threatens passersby while hes in his crate, car, or favorite rest spot

The severity of resource-guarding depends upon the value of the item, and who is approaching. In the case of location-guarding, the dog might allow the wife on the bed, but not her husband. Owner-guarding seems to occur fairly frequently when other dogs are present. Occasionally, however, the dog will guard his person if the dog is on leash with the person, or near her. Some people interpret this as protectiveness.

Pat Miller differentiates these behaviors. A good protection dog recognizes a legitimate threat to his person and acts to deter the threat, or waits for instructions from the human to act. A dog who is guarding his person  in the sense of resource-guarding  covets his owner as a possession that hes not willing to share with other dogs, or sometimes other humans. He sees the approaching dog/person as a threat to his enjoyment of his resource, rather than a physical threat to the person.

Owner-guarding can also become somewhat muddied if the owner has in his possession some resource  food or a bone, for example  that is valuable to the dog. He may react if his human carries treats or a bait bag. In this case, what, really, is the dog guarding: item or owner?

Trainer Virginia Broitman notes that many dogs who guard their owners are actually very insecure, and might feel empowered to act out because their humans are there. Or, the dog is on leash and cannot escape, so he resorts to an impressive display to keep the stranger away. Were he without his handler, or not on leash, we might see a different reaction.

Stay positive

Youve shouted No! Youve stomped your foot. Youve used a physical correction. But your dog still freezes and growls when you get near him when hes eating or when he has his stuff. What can you do?

First, you need to understand that shouting, stomping, and using physical corrections on the dog will only make matters worse.

I recently saw video footage of a trainer working with a large, young dog who had a history of guarding his food bowl. Over time, the owners had tried a variety of approaches: yelling at the dog, leaning over him while he ate and yelling, hand feeding, and petting the dog while he ate. Unfortunately, the owner reported that the dog had become reactive to the owner when the owner was at a greater and greater distance from the guarded food. And when the owner tried dominance  in which he stood over the dog while the dog ate and made him do things for his food, then physically reprimanded the dog for being aggressive  the owner got bitten.

While the footage was stellar  the camera caught all of the dogs warnings superbly  the method that the trainer recommended for dealing with the problem was not. Instead of using behavior modification, which has the potential to make the dog safe around anyone, the trainer elected to use force and physical corrections using a choke chain to show the dog that the people were in charge.

The trainer advised the couple to approach the bowl with the dog on leash and physically correct the dog for lunging toward the bowl or showing any signs of aggression (guarding), then make the dog sit about a foot away from the food. Once the dog was calm, he was allowed to eat, remaining on leash with the owner. If the dog showed any aggression, the handler was to physically correct the dog and yank him away from the food bowl, wait for the dog to calm down, then start again.

There are several problems with this approach. First, the couple hoped to one day have children, and this method taught the dog nothing about interacting with someone who didnt have a leash and the strength to make a physical correction. In addition, the trainer repeatedly triggered a reaction from the dog. Behavior experts agree that, in contrast to the approach used in the video, successful behavior modification works at a sub-threshold level, at a low-enough level of intensity to prevent the dog from reacting. Also, the trainer also did nothing to address the dogs emotional state (nervous, insecure, and stressed) and instead intensified it; what was defined as calm was anything but.

Its possible to suppress guarding behavior using force, says Pat Miller. However, you havent changed the dogs emotional response to a threat to his resource, just his physical response. Its quite possible that the guarding behavior will return if and when he feels too threatened, or is approached by someone that he doesnt perceive as capable of overpowering his desire for his resource.

Any time you use force, you risk escalating the level of violence rather than modifying the behavior. You may not know until youve done significant behavioral damage that your dog is one who escalates, rather than shuts down, in the presence of violence.

Heres another dire scenario: If your dog growls at you over his food bowl and you punish or challenge him in some way, it might very well occur to him that his growl wasnt sufficient to warn you off. He may resort to the next warning level  a snarl, snap, or worse  in an effort to more effectively protect his food.

Behavior modification:

Get to the problems root

Experts agree that the best route to take in dealing with resource-guarding is to use a combination of management and behavior modification.

Essentially, management entails intervening in (or anticipating and preventing) a situation so that the dog cannot repeat inappropriate behavior. For example, we keep food and toys picked up around a resource-guarder so that he cannot engage in guarding. Management does not necessarily or teach the dog anything; he simply has less opportunity to practice an undesirable behavior.

The most important tools in the behavior-modification toolbox, though, are systematic desensitization and counter-conditioning.

Desensitization involves exposing the dog to whatever it is that previously evoked his fear or anxiety, but at a distance and intensity that does not produce a response.
Counter-conditioning is a process in which we replace a dogs involuntary, undesirable reaction (such as fear) with a more desirable response  one that is incompatible with the undesirable old response (such as the eager anticipation of a tasty treat). We create a positive emotional response by associating an event (your approach) with something good (a reward). This methodology has been proven to work, and is relatively easy and pleasant for both human and dog.
With counter-conditioning, you dont exert your control over the dog in any way, but instead, transform your presence around the dogs possessions into a signal that even better things are coming. One event becomes a reliable predictor of another event, and the subject develops an anticipatory response to the first event. By pairing good things (extra scrumptious treats) with the formerly bad thing (your approach or presence near whatever he is guarding), your proximity starts to become a better thing  a predictor of what is to come (treats!).

The goal is to transform a food-guarder who becomes tense or upset when a person approaches him while hes eating into a dog who is happy to be approached while eating, as this reliably predicts the delivery of even more food or treats.

Donaldson stresses the need to work at a low threshold; if at any point the dog shows the original reaction, you have gone super-threshold, and it is necessary to back up and start at a point where the dog does not react. No good comes of rehearsing the dogs old, growly behavior by replicating super-threshold versions of the trigger. In fact, it can make the dog worse.

Donaldson also makes it clear that when working with a guarder, we need to be sure that the first event (the threat to the resource) must come before the delivery of the counter-conditioning treat. For example, in a food bowl exercise, the approach, bowl touch, or bowl removal must precede the addition of bonuses to the dish. This means that we do not, for example, show a dog the bait in hopes of preventing a guarding reaction. Doing so will not condition the appropriate emotional response.

Doing the work

Ideally, you start with a young pup who doesnt guard and teach him early on that your presence predicts good stuff, says Miller. You do this by offering to trade something wonderful for whatever he already has  such as a toy of moderate value, to start with  working your way up to really high-value items. I teach a Give cue by saying Give, then offering a high value treat in exchange for his object. Repeat until he will happily give up any object when you ask him to Give. 

Trainers use different protocols; there is always more than one way to approach an exercise. The protocol you use should be tailored to your dog, depending on the seriousness of his guarding behavior. Progress gradually to the next step, only when your dog is totally relaxed at the current step, says trainer Virginia Broitman. Some dogs will move quickly through the steps, while others may need weeks of work. Dont rush! If at any point you are concerned for your safety or unclear on any step, discontinue the exercises and consult an experienced trainer/behavior counselor for personalized assistance.

One example of a protocol for a dog who already guards objects begins with a good look at all the items in the dogs environment and ranking them according to their value to the dog. For instance, a ball may be a low-value item, while a rawhide may be extremely high-value. A list might look like this:

 Stuffed squeaky toys
 Latex squeaky toys
 Rubbery flying disks
 Pigs ears
 Rawhide chews
 Rope toys
 Balls
 Socks
 Newspapers and magazines

Once the items have been ranked, training begins with the items that the dog doesnt especially care about and does not want. Initially, higher value items must not be available to the dog, because we want to prevent him from practicing his guarding behavior.

A session begins with the trainer presenting a low-value item to the dog and telling him to Take it! Almost immediately, the trainer gives a cue for Drop it! and gives the dog an extremely delicious treat. The idea is that the dog is more than happy to drop the low-value item in favor of the treat. This exercise would be repeated dozens of times over a number of sessions.

Note: If the trainer is concerned that the dog may act aggressively in order to take the higher-value treat, she should have the dog on a tether, position herself just out of reach, and toss the treats in such a way to most safely reach for the low-value item. Again, in the case of a dog whose guarding behavior rates higher than a four on the scale found on page 5, the services of a qualified, positive canine behavior professional are recommended.

Only when the dog is comfortable with the first step would the protocol change, first by giving the dog the item and walking away, giving him a minute to enjoy the low-value item, and then returning to trade. As long as the dog continues to respond well to these exercises, you would work up to the more valuable items higher on your dogs list. Training would occur in a variety of locations, and from then on, throughout the dogs life, spot checks would be instituted to be sure that the dog retained what he learned.

Note: This example is a summary provided only to give the reader an idea as to what is involved in rehabilitating a guarder. If you have a guarder, you will need to follow a more detailed, structured protocol, and may require the assistance of a qualified behavior professional. 

If your household includes children, you will need to take special precautions. Initially, only the adults should work with a dog who guards; kids should be a part of the guarding-rehabilitation program only after the adults have worked extensively with the dog, and only under direct supervision of an adult. Never assume that once your dog stops guarding with you, that hell stop guarding his items from the kids.
Similarly, you should never assume that once your dog no longer guards his cherished items from you or your family, he will no longer guard them from other people. Plan, manage, and supervise your dogs interactions carefully, to prevent any possible harm to other people.

For location-guarding, follow a similar protocol. Start by using a place the dog does not guard and reward him for coming away from/off the place willingly. Donaldson likes to use target training as part of this protocol.

Manage in the mean time

Guarding behavior can be a daunting challenge to overcome, especially if it has progressed significantly. In this case, you must find an experienced trainer/behaviorist with whom to work. Until you are able to get help, management is a valid alternative. This involves avoiding the problem or trigger through environmental control. For example, if your dog guards pig ears, remove them from your home and do not allow him access to them. Keep the bedroom door closed to a bed-guarder.

If there is a management failure, and the dog gets on the bed, you can either ignore the dog and wait for him to come off the bed on his own, or, more proactively, redirect him to an alternative activity, such as calling the dog to the kitchen for a cookie or inviting him out for a brief walk.

If your food-guarder ever manages to pick up something thats dangerous (such as a bar of dark chocolate) or valuable to you (like your prescription glasses), Donaldson advises trying a quick, calm, bait and switch. Bribe or distract the dog with anything you can think of. Although bribery is totally ineffective for fostering actual behavior change, when youre in a jam, anything goes, she says. But remember, repeated management failures teach the dog nothing.

Rehabilitation of a resource-guarder takes time and requires patience. But the payoff in the end  for you, your dog, and your friends and family  is well worth the effort.


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## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

Courses

Date: Friday 16th August Venue: Chobham, Surrey Capacity: 22 
Resource guarding is at the heart of much more aggression than we might imagine. This Masterclass will look at how to spot resource guarding in the park, at home, and in classes and consultations, and will look at ways in which we might act to resolve these situations before they become confrontational.
We will also look at the most effective ways to treat resource guarding in dogs, and discuss the pros and cons of some of the more commonly used behaviour programmes. What really works - and what doesn't.
The day includes refreshments and a delicious light lunch.
Price: £145.00
Seminars and Masterclasses | Think Dog

Tuesday 8th October 2013

A Study Guide to Resource Guarding With Sue Sternberg 
Abbots Ripton Village Hall, The Green, Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, Cambs PE28 2PE

The spectrum of resource guarding spans from a single momentary freeze over a solitary item, to numerous proactive bites over multiple resources. This seminar will provide an in depth examination of this complex and common issue. Identification and understanding of resource guarding allows owners to read the signals and so prevent the behaviour from escalating into aggression. How does what the dog guards, from food, to toys, to people, impact on the issue? Where does the dog guard and how often? How does the dog guard?What happens as a result of the guarding? Understanding resource guarding is an essential skill for all shelter dog workers when assessing, evaluating and rehoming shelter dogs, but is also useful for breeders, trainers and behaviourists. The seminar will not address how to 'cure' the problem.

For costs and further details contact Pam McKinnon:
Sue Sternberg
Weblinks

http://www.apdt.co.uk/content/files/training-tips/Preventresouceguarding.pdf

Resource Guarding « Ahimsa Dog Blog
ClickerSolutions Training Articles -- Help for Object Guarding
http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/treatment_of_food_possessive_dogs_is_about_finesse_not_force

Book

Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs by Jean Donaldson

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mine-Practi...=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355049780&sr=1-4


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## sjallen88 (Jun 17, 2012)

As regards to bite inhabition nothing is working. A firm no and he carries on and on without stopping.

A 'owww' and he doesnt let go, makes him worse. When included with turning our back he just carries on biting ankles/feet (even when still so it doesn't turn into a game).

We were then advised to leave a the room, but after a couple of mins we go in and he is just laid down and hasn't missed us or asleep in his spot. We were told that if there is not a response after a few days to try something else as it was not working. 

We live in Huddersfield so if anyone has any tips for classes there that would be great. We are going to go to 'Gone to the Dogs' at the moment which was done through the KC good citizen course.He is starting puppy classes next week as we didn't get him until 9 weeks so only just cleared his vaccination period which the class insisted.


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## Tamsin W (Sep 18, 2012)

I think smokeybear has literally said it all really - but I thought I'd mention that we have a pup who displayed extremely similar behaviour to yours in the very early days, and with consistency on our part he's become far more relaxed.

In Buttons' case, lack of bite inhibition definitely wasn't the problem - he developed good control in this respect very quickly when mouthing / playing, but when resource guarding he was definitely looking to inflict some damage. 

First of all, we found it useful to determine what his early warning signs were (before they escalated to obvious growling and snarling) - as although his guarding was mostly limited to high value food, he'd occasionally pick something seemingly completely random that he'd decided was precious. The first stage was usually a stiffen / freeze and hard stare (sometimes accompanied by putting paws more firmly on the item in question). At this point, we didn't approach any closer - and tossed treats in his general vicinity for him to pick up at his leisure, gradually getting a bit closer (but always stopping at the point he started to show tension).

From here, we progressed to 'leave it', and offered up an exchange of a higher value treat that could be eaten quickly. As soon as he dropped whatever he was guarding, we traded off, waited for him to finish, and gave him the original item back again. 

Several months on, he's far, far more relaxed around items he'd previously guard, and will give them up on command when necessary (if it's something he really wants to keep, he'll occasionally have a little grumble). We're now practising with no trade off (i.e. ask him to 'leave it', take the item, pop him in a sit and pretend to have a look at it, then give it straight back again) - so he knows that 9 times out of 10, he's not in any danger of having his stuff 'stolen' (and the other 1 time out of 10, I can safely remove anything that he really shouldn't have entirely). He's also now aware that nothing will ever be forcibly taken from him - he's always 'asked'.

We've still got things to work on - for instance, if surprised (for example, if he's chewing outside a room and someone comes through the door behind him), his first reaction will usually be to posture and get ready to defend, but this is short lived, and hasn't escalated to a bite (or even a snarl) in a couple of months.

So, in short, patience and consistency - good luck!


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

While it is normal for a pup to mouth I think a bite that causes broken skin is another matter. None of my Mals have ever broken skin, Flynn used to mouth for quite a while at least until six/seven months old and by which time he was full grown, or at least looked like it. He never ever broke skin and it was not a guarding thing either, it was just getting hold of your hand/arm when doing things like putting his harness on or playing tug.

A good training class will work wonders for you and show you if your boy is being aggressive or just puppyish. I went to group training with Flynn and they have a bowl test at every session because you should be able to take food away and you should be able to take a toy or anything undesirable away if need be. The reason you need to be able to take food away is simple - if your dog picks up something like a chicken bone when out walking you need to be able to get him to drop it and if he won't be able to open his mouth and take it out. You can't wait until that time may come and find you can't get near your dog because he has food! 

I'd take him to training classes and get a professional opinion because already I can see points here that are misleading if my trainers are anything to go by!


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## tabulahrasa (Nov 4, 2012)

sjallen88 said:


> As regards to bite inhabition nothing is working. A firm no and he carries on and on without stopping.
> 
> A 'owww' and he doesnt let go, makes him worse. When included with turning our back he just carries on biting ankles/feet (even when still so it doesn't turn into a game).
> 
> ...


Brock was the same - honestly, it was a complete nightmare...he got it eventually, but it wasn't a few days that you could see results in, but weeks and weeks.

He nipped playfully constantly, he bit and occasionally broke skin if you tried to take things off him, he had little snarly bitey tantrums if you wouldn't let him do something he wanted to or if you had to pick him up and carried him. I spent the first three puppy training classes with him gnawing on my leg because I wouldn't let him go and play with the other puppies.

That's not what he's like now, he very gradually got better and better and by about five months old you could see his more adult behaviours kicking in and now he'll drop anything on command, even stolen food, he's had quite a bit of medical treatment and both his vet and the specialist have commented on how obliging he is when he's being poked and prodded and other than the odd gentle playful nibble when he's really excited - he doesn't mouth at all.

Here's a link to a Rottweiler forum Puppy Development - Rottweiler Discussion Forums have a read through the stickies - you'll notice there is one called taming the monster in your puppy, lol. There's loads of threads and a whole section about puppy aggression and loads of experienced Rottweiler owners (I'm not, he's not my first dog, but he is my first rottie) saying, yep, completely normal - you have a rottie puppy otherwise known as a land shark.


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## Owned By A Yellow Lab (May 16, 2012)

tabulahrasa said:


> Brock was the same - honestly, it was a complete nightmare...he got it eventually, but it wasn't a few days that you could see results in, but weeks and weeks.
> 
> He nipped playfully constantly, he bit and occasionally broke skin if you tried to take things off him, he had little snarly bitey tantrums if you wouldn't let him do something he wanted to or if you had to pick him up and carried him. I spent the first three puppy training classes with him gnawing on my leg because I wouldn't let him go and play with the other puppies.
> 
> ...


'land shark' - love it


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## Phoolf (Jun 13, 2012)

Can I ask how long you have had this pup - if he was taken from his littermates too early then this causes lack of bite inhibition


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## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

I thought the term land sharks was what moronic police dog handlers used on tv programmes whilst demonstrating their poor handling skills?

NEVER heard of a Rottie being called a "land shark" before. GSD yes, Malinois yes but NEVER a Rottie.


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## tabulahrasa (Nov 4, 2012)

t'wasn't me, it's those american rottie forum users, lol...it's in an affectionate, puppy's are bitey wee things way, not look at my big scary dog thing. I must admit it was a pretty good description of the way he'd just sort of appear teeth first up on the couch when you were sat on it, a bit like a killer whale trying to get a seal... It's just the puppies they're calling land sharks, not the breed if you see what I mean.

Phoolf - I'm sure they said their puppy was 9 weeks when they got him, but I can't see it now.


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## Phoolf (Jun 13, 2012)

tabulahrasa said:


> t'wasn't me, it's those american rottie forum users, lol...it's in an affectionate, puppy's are bitey wee things way, not look at my big scary dog thing. I must admit it was a pretty good description of the way he'd just sort of appear teeth first up on the couch when you were sat on it, a bit like a killer whale trying to get a seal... It's just the puppies they're calling land sharks, not the breed if you see what I mean.
> 
> Phoolf - I'm sure they said their puppy was 9 weeks when they got him, but I can't see it now.


Oh okay - couldn't see it myself and wondered if it would go a long way to explaining why its bites rather than nips


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## nickmcmechan (Aug 1, 2009)

Quite often when we are training our dogs what we believe to be happening is different, I.e. it's difficult to stand outside our own perspective and observe ourself at the time.

It sounds like you are working the issue, but an expert park of eyes may help. You could either post a video here (brave....) or call someone in for help. You need the confidence to know you are doing the right thing.

Start with the book 'Mine' suggested by SB


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## sjallen88 (Jun 17, 2012)

Hello,

Thank you for the replies. He has stopped biting the clothes we have on apart from the odd occasion which is resolved with 'no' and he stops straight away. 

We have been practising drop which has been going well, so now if he does have something he shouldn't he will let it go most of the time. He is also letting us take thinks off him from his mouth, he has a nack of finding elastic bands the postmen drop around.

His nipping skin has also got a lot better as well and now just touches his teeth at most so he has come on very well in a short time really. 

Like I said, thanks for the replies.

Sam


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## trawlerskipper (Mar 15, 2013)

Most of his behaviour sounds like a normal puppy, however he is being protective of what he sees as his, our rotti is now just over 2yrs old and from 5 weeks when we got him( yes i know thats too early ) we have held onto his toys/treats as hes chewed on them so he is used to our hands around his mouth and used to us taking things off him.
He does turn his head away sometimes so we cant get at whats in his mouth BUT i put my hand in his mouth and retrieve whatever it is, he does not growl or bite, we are in charge not him.
The training class wouldnt be just for rotti's at Billericay would it?
I also go to a socializing training class whereby he is taught how to behave in a pack environment ( these classes do not sit well with some people ) however they work for him and us and he is brilliant with children and other dogs and to get this out of the way I DO FLOOR MY DOG IF HE MISBEHAVES.
Good luck.


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## Your Halo (Apr 13, 2011)

trawlerskipper said:


> Most of his behaviour sounds like a normal puppy, however he is being protective of what he sees as his, our rotti is now just over 2yrs old and from 5 weeks when we got him( yes i know thats too early ) we have held onto his toys/treats as hes chewed on them so he is used to our hands around his mouth and used to us taking things off him.
> He does turn his head away sometimes so we cant get at whats in his mouth BUT i put my hand in his mouth and retrieve whatever it is, he does not growl or bite, we are in charge not him.
> The training class wouldnt be just for rotti's at Billericay would it?
> I also go to a socializing training class whereby he is taught how to behave in a pack environment ( these classes do not sit well with some people ) however they work for him and us and he is brilliant with children and other dogs and to get this out of the way* I DO FLOOR MY DOG IF HE MISBEHAVES.
> Good luck*.


Wow you must feel like a real Hero when you are flooring your dog :huh:

OP: Glad you are making some progress with your pup, you've had some excellent advice


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## Meezey (Jan 29, 2013)

trawlerskipper said:


> I DO FLOOR MY DOG IF HE MISBEHAVES.
> Good luck.


Ummm well what can I say......................:huh:

I would say to the OP, keep working with your pup, and with having a Rott I'd advise some classes when your baby is a bit older  training and socializing with Rott's is a must, and being heavy handed in any way is not..


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

I have never had to floor my Mals, they're good dogs and trust I wouldn't be abusive to them and I think that goes a long way in having a good relationship with them. They have large teeth and even now if they have a nice juicy bone that I need to take I always offer a swap, it works well and I wouldn't risk an out of character bite with a truly high value treat. Any other food I'll just take but I wouldn't want any hint of aggression from them and respect the value of certain foods. In over eight years not once have they as much as growled so because they are respectful of me I give them the same courtesy. 

If the school is Billericay Dog Training School (haven't read all posts) then they have dogs of all breeds and Lisa the behaviourist is excellent at showing us what our faults are and what makes the dog react. She pointed out things to me that I hadn't even considered, so I'd recommend a trip there.


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

trawlerskipper said:


> Most of his behaviour sounds like a normal puppy, however he is being protective of what he sees as his, our rotti is now just over 2yrs old and from 5 weeks when we got him( yes i know thats too early ) we have held onto his toys/treats as hes chewed on them so he is used to our hands around his mouth and used to us taking things off him.
> He does turn his head away sometimes so we cant get at whats in his mouth BUT i put my hand in his mouth and retrieve whatever it is, he does not growl or bite, we are in charge not him.
> The training class wouldnt be just for rotti's at Billericay would it?
> I also go to a socializing training class whereby he is taught how to behave in a pack environment ( these classes do not sit well with some people ) however they work for him and us and he is brilliant with children and other dogs and to get this out of the way I DO FLOOR MY DOG IF HE MISBEHAVES.
> Good luck.


You mean hit him?:sosp:


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

Wiz201 said:


> You mean hit him?:sosp:


I think he means the world famous and totally aggression stirring alpha roll, actually. Of course I could be wrong.


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## ClaireandDaisy (Jul 4, 2010)

I think you need to train a pup, not turn everything into a fight. If you keep backing him into a `do what I say` situation, you simply teach him that you are an enemy. 
Try swaps when he has something you want back. That way he learns doing what you want is a Good Thing. 
And ask someone to remove your food next time you eat. So you know just how that feels?


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## Meezey (Jan 29, 2013)

tabulahrasa said:


> Brock was the same - honestly, it was a complete nightmare...he got it eventually, but it wasn't a few days that you could see results in, but weeks and weeks.
> 
> He nipped playfully constantly, he bit and occasionally broke skin if you tried to take things off him, he had little snarly bitey tantrums if you wouldn't let him do something he wanted to or if you had to pick him up and carried him. I spent the first three puppy training classes with him gnawing on my leg because I wouldn't let him go and play with the other puppies.
> 
> ...


Hold on this in NOT how a normal well socialised puppy should be, Rottweiler or not, and I for one wouldn't want you giving people the impression thats how Rotts should be!! If brought from a good breeder you pup should already have bite inhibition and should have no problem with being picked up or having things taken off it! Bitey tantrums are NOT normal for Rott pups!! I am not a first time Rott owner and it's not completely normal behaviour!! Seriously!!


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## chichi (Apr 22, 2012)

How much is the pup being left alone when you work?

Just wondering if he is getting all the human socialisation and interaction needed at this young age. 

Hearing of owners flooring dogs is slightly worrying. I hope "flooring" is just a training term I perhaps am not familiar with.


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## Phoolf (Jun 13, 2012)

trawlerskipper said:


> Most of his behaviour sounds like a normal puppy, however he is being protective of what he sees as his, our rotti is now just over 2yrs old and from 5 weeks when we got him( yes i know thats too early ) we have held onto his toys/treats as hes chewed on them so he is used to our hands around his mouth and used to us taking things off him.
> He does turn his head away sometimes so we cant get at whats in his mouth BUT i put my hand in his mouth and retrieve whatever it is, he does not growl or bite, we are in charge not him.
> The training class wouldnt be just for rotti's at Billericay would it?
> I also go to a socializing training class whereby he is taught how to behave in a pack environment ( these classes do not sit well with some people ) however they work for him and us and he is brilliant with children and other dogs and to get this out of the way I DO FLOOR MY DOG IF HE MISBEHAVES.
> Good luck.


:lol: What an idiot. I'd like to see you try and 'floor' my dog - you'd be missing a hand. Don't you comprehend that this is abuse?  So glad people like you are becoming the minority.


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## tabulahrasa (Nov 4, 2012)

Meezey said:


> Hold on this in NOT how a normal well socialised puppy should be, Rottweiler or not, and I for one wouldn't want you giving people the impression thats how Rotts should be!! If brought from a good breeder you pup should already have bite inhibition and should have no problem with being picked up or having things taken off it! Bitey tantrums are NOT normal for Rott pups!! I am not a first time Rott owner and it's not completely normal behaviour!! Seriously!!


Oh I don't think that's how they _should_ be... but it is common enough that lots of other people seem to have similar issues - of course a breed specific forum is going to be skewed because people will post in it precisely because they're having a problem.

I also didn't say it wasn't a problem, just that working with him the right way they were soon sorted.

Brock's from a litter of 9 - he never resource guarded with his food because his breeder made sure it was never a free for all, but yes we had a few issues with it when he'd found something high value that he suspected (usually rightly) that he wasn't going to get to keep. It was worse because they were unexpected items - who knew hair bobbles were high value? lol A few weeks of swapping things for treats and now he'll happily give you anything at all was all I was trying to say.

The bitey tantrums were absolutely the same as when a toddler is kicking and screaming because they're not being allowed to do what they want, picking him up wasn't the issue, it was that he wanted to walk and I wanted to carry him.

The forum I linked to does seem to see it as normal - I was quoting that, what I was trying to get across is that these are fairly common issues, not that it was desirable or acceptable and that there are very successful positive reinforcement ways of dealing with things like resource guarding.


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## trawlerskipper (Mar 15, 2013)

Meezey,Malmum,Wiz201 you seem to have read into my post what you wanted and took no notice of the fact that my dog is not aggressive does not bite or growl at us and is a well behaved and loved member of our family, he is NOT hit, smacked or threatened and as i said the training methods work for us and him.
Im sure 8 stone of rottie would protest if we abused him and what a stupid suggestion i would try and floor someone elses dog!!!!
We all go to training schools that have different methods, everyone will have there own opinions of what they believe to be correct, if that was the case there would only be 1 training school and 1 way of training.
At the end of the day Rotties need training, socializing and company.
If anyone thinks my dogs abused your welcome to come and visit.


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## Meezey (Jan 29, 2013)

trawlerskipper said:


> Meezey,Malmum,Wiz201 you seem to have read into my post what you wanted and took no notice of the fact that my dog is not aggressive does not bite or growl at us and is a well behaved and loved member of our family, he is NOT hit, smacked or threatened and as i said the training methods work for us and him.
> Im sure 8 stone of rottie would protest if we abused him and what a stupid suggestion i would try and floor someone elses dog!!!!
> We all go to training schools that have different methods, everyone will have there own opinions of what they believe to be correct, if that was the case there would only be 1 training school and 1 way of training.
> At the end of the day Rotties need training, socializing and company.
> If anyone thinks my dogs abused your welcome to come and visit.


Rott's do need all of the above your correct BUT force is never a way to train a dog, any breed, "flooring" a dog is not a way I consider training, yep plenty of different training methods out there many of them out dated!!


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

trawlerskipper said:


> Meezey,Malmum,Wiz201 you seem to have read into my post what you wanted and took no notice of the fact that my dog is not aggressive does not bite or growl at us and is a well behaved and loved member of our family, he is NOT hit, smacked or threatened and as i said the training methods work for us and him.
> Im sure 8 stone of rottie would protest if we abused him and what a stupid suggestion i would try and floor someone elses dog!!!!
> We all go to training schools that have different methods, everyone will have there own opinions of what they believe to be correct, if that was the case there would only be 1 training school and 1 way of training.
> At the end of the day Rotties need training, socializing and company.
> If anyone thinks my dogs abused your welcome to come and visit.


But you still haven't explained what you mean by "flooring".


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## Phoolf (Jun 13, 2012)

trawlerskipper said:


> Meezey,Malmum,Wiz201 you seem to have read into my post what you wanted and took no notice of the fact that my dog is not aggressive does not bite or growl at us and is a well behaved and loved member of our family, he is NOT hit, smacked or threatened and as i said the training methods work for us and him.
> Im sure 8 stone of rottie would protest if we abused him and what a stupid suggestion i would try and floor someone elses dog!!!!
> We all go to training schools that have different methods, everyone will have there own opinions of what they believe to be correct, if that was the case there would only be 1 training school and 1 way of training.
> At the end of the day Rotties need training, socializing and company.
> If anyone thinks my dogs abused your welcome to come and visit.


I take it you 'floor' your child [if you have any] for misbehaving then  That's what you do to 'loved family members' after all


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Sorry if I misunderstood and it WASN'T you who said you 'floored your dog'. Only commenting on what was written, can't see what's wrong in that! We're still none the wiser in what that statement actually meant though!

ETA - if your dog is quite the angel now why do you have to 'floor' him at all? Could it be because your methods don't actually work? Just curious. 

BTW 'flooring', if we all assume correctly, is just the same as hitting - it's still physical abuse however you choose to word it'


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## trawlerskipper (Mar 15, 2013)

The point i was making was that if she was going to take her dog to Billericay they use the flooring method as a way of telling the dog off ( for want of a better word ) and she should make sure she is comfortable with this method.
As a new owner i knew no other way but bowed to the greater knowledge of the trainers there and breeders. ( how else are we to choose ).
I HAVE not had to floor my dog for over a year!!!
Now as for force i used, its as much as i use to roll him over to brush him.
You all assumed i hit him??? why? did i say that NO.
I will listen to anyone who is a qualified trainer or behaviourist and can substantiate better training methods or say why we should not copy the dogs parents behaviour.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion and even CESAR MILLAN has his critics ( he uses the submissive method ) so how are us mere mortals meant to know who's right?.


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2013)

trawlerskipper said:


> The point i was making was that if she was going to take her dog to Billericay they use the flooring method as a way of telling the dog off ( for want of a better word ) and she should make sure she is comfortable with this method.
> As a new owner i knew no other way but bowed to the greater knowledge of the trainers there and breeders. ( how else are we to choose ).
> I HAVE not had to floor my dog for over a year!!!
> Now as for force i used, its as much as i use to roll him over to brush him.
> ...


Anyone who is a *qualified* behaviorist will tell you that "flooring," the submissive method, and CM type methods are all unnecessary and detrimental.

Oh, and dogs don't do that to each other either. The dog being reprimanded OFFERS the belly up position, it is never forced by the other dog. If it is, you get a gnarly dog FIGHT on your hands.


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

trawlerskipper said:


> The point i was making was that if she was going to take her dog to Billericay they use the flooring method as a way of telling the dog off ( for want of a better word ) and she should make sure she is comfortable with this method.
> As a new owner i knew no other way but bowed to the greater knowledge of the trainers there and breeders. ( how else are we to choose ).
> *I HAVE not had to floor my dog for over a year!!!*Now as for force i used, its as much as i use to roll him over to brush him.
> You all assumed i hit him??? why? did i say that NO.
> ...


Well, I have never had to floor my dog, nor any other dog I have ever owned for that matter. You still have not explained what you mean by that, so I can only assume you mean the "alpha roll", an expression bandied about rather liberally by the idiotic, bullying Cesar Millan, who knows sweet FA about dogs.

Saying "even" Cesar Millan is rather unfortunate, since most on here are his critics and he is just as much a mere mortal as everybody else, just a richer one.

No human can copy what dogs do to one another, because we have usually observed it all wrong anyway. As said, a dog will offer a submissive posture, it is never forced upon it by another dog. Humans like to think that it is forced because it is what they would do.


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## sjallen88 (Jun 17, 2012)

@ Chichi - he is left for a maximum of 2-3 hours as we are staggering our hours at work so he isnt left to long and when we cant do that, my mum and dad come round to play with him and take him on a walk. When left he has a couple of kongs normally filled with peanut butter/chicken/ham etc. He seems to be fine when we come back and hasnt soiled his crate and normally is just asleep curled up with his teddy.

He is fine eating from our hands and doesn't touch skin with his teeth, and his guarding is getting better, he is still not very happy when we try and take a bone away but we just do a simple swap for it and he is fine. 

As for being from a good breeder and having bite inhibition, we chose the best breeder we had seen in around 6 months and know that they are well known in the Rottweiler scene from showing & breeding so we can did what we could and asked all the questions regarding how they raised the puppies.

Thanks for the continued advice though everyone


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## Rotty Guy (Jan 16, 2017)

Hello all, it's a pleasure to be part of the site. I have been working. Rottweilers and GSD for 3 decades.
As others have mentioned, early boundaries with this Breed is critical.
When the Rott is young it's a must that you socialize them with everything. Kids, other animals, adults etc. The more exposure the better. Rotties when properly socialized at a young age will be the best hound you can ever have. Remember they are not a poodle, they are a high stung dominant dog that needs to be socialized. 
When they are young they need to be taught bite control. They will show affection by puppy biting buy you need to teach them bite control.
Verbal communication is level 1. Because this breed is high strung you may have to esculate the correction with a "pinning technique" after a loud verbal command you gentily roll them on their back and gentiy pin them and let them know who is the boss. This must be done at an early age so they know where they stand in the pack. Bottom line they are the bottom of the pack in your household. You, spouse, children must be above him. They are smart and will figure it out. 
Food aggression is a very simple fix at a young age. While the pup is snacking on a bone or eating, very carefully introduce your hand (with a nice small treat). Do not reach in immediately, simply get your hand close with the treat and watch him strart to nudge your hand wanting the treat inside. Gradually work your way to hand feeding them and after a short time they will no longer be food aggressive and know hands are not a threat. 
Once you build that trust it is very important to pet them head to toe, paws etc while they are eating so they don't become skittish when eating. Again, Rott training must be done as early as possible. If you hit the mark, you will cherish this dog.


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## Guest (Jan 16, 2017)

Rotty Guy said:


> Hello all, it's a pleasure to be part of the site. I have been working. Rottweilers and GSD for 3 decades.
> As others have mentioned, early boundaries with this Breed is critical.
> When the Rott is young it's a must that you socialize them with everything. Kids, other animals, adults etc. The more exposure the better. Rotties when properly socialized at a young age will be the best hound you can ever have. Remember they are not a poodle, they are a high stung dominant dog that needs to be socialized.
> When they are young they need to be taught bite control. They will show affection by puppy biting buy you need to teach them bite control.
> ...


Hi @Rotty Guy welcome to PF 
This thread is from 3 years ago - ancient in forum years. The OP has not been back but hopefully the resource guarding issue has been sorted with the good advice already offered.

Pinning dogs, putting them on their back, showing dominance etc. is also very old - as in old school dog training. The Monks of New Skeete themselves have recanted this technique and no one who is up to date with the most effective techniques does this anymore.

Perhaps have a read around the forum, the dog training and behavior part especially, old school methods are not very popular on here.  Just a heads up...


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

Rotty Guy said:


> Hello all, it's a pleasure to be part of the site. I have been working. Rottweilers and GSD for 3 decades.
> As others have mentioned, early boundaries with this Breed is critical.
> When the Rott is young it's a must that you socialize them with everything. Kids, other animals, adults etc. The more exposure the better. Rotties when properly socialized at a young age will be the best hound you can ever have. Remember they are not a poodle, they are a high stung dominant dog that needs to be socialized.
> When they are young they need to be taught bite control. They will show affection by puppy biting buy you need to teach them bite control.
> ...


You are really not saying anything that doesn't apply to any breed. What we don't do on this forum is encourage pack leader mentality. Humans do not form packs and a dog knows he's not human. Food aggression is a simple fix at any age; my newfie bitch was 3 1/2 when she came to me and was used to sharing the food area with seven other dogs. She was a guarder, but easily fixed with watchfulness and keeping the dogs separate during mealtimes. I've never believed in interfering with a dog's food; that causes food guarding. It makes no difference what breed it is and why you should think a poodle is more accommodating, I don't know. Poodles are originally working dogs, just like rotties.


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## Muttly (Oct 1, 2014)

I find it shocking that 30 year veterans IN the industry still believe this crap


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## Guest (Jan 16, 2017)

Muttly said:


> I find it shocking that 30 year veterans IN the industry still believe this crap


Not shocking unfortunately. 
Just because someone has been in the industry for 30 years, doesn't mean that they have stayed up to date, learned new techniques, or grown at all. 
There are many people in all areas who learn something a certain way and do the same thing for decades.


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## Muttly (Oct 1, 2014)

ouesi said:


> Not shocking unfortunately.
> Just because someone has been in the industry for 30 years, doesn't mean that they have stayed up to date, learned new techniques, or grown at all.
> There are many people in all areas who learn something a certain way and do the same thing for decades.


Yeah, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, look at CM.


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## Guest (Jan 16, 2017)

Muttly said:


> Yeah, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, look at CM.


Shshshshshshs! Don't say that name out loud!!


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## Muttly (Oct 1, 2014)

ouesi said:


> Shshshshshshs! Don't say that name out loud!!


:Muted Is it like Candyman


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## Guest (Jan 16, 2017)

Muttly said:


> :Muted Is it like Candyman


or Voldemort. Don't want any dementors to appear....


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## rottiepointerhouse (Feb 9, 2014)

Rotty Guy said:


> Hello all, it's a pleasure to be part of the site. I have been working. Rottweilers and GSD for 3 decades.
> As others have mentioned, early boundaries with this Breed is critical.
> When the Rott is young it's a must that you socialize them with everything. Kids, other animals, adults etc. The more exposure the better. Rotties when properly socialized at a young age will be the best hound you can ever have. Remember they are not a poodle, they are a high stung dominant dog that needs to be socialized.
> When they are young they need to be taught bite control. They will show affection by puppy biting buy you need to teach them bite control.
> ...


Hello. I too have owned Rottweilers and GSD's for 3 decades - 4 now (although not a GSD since the 80's). I've owned males and females, pups from breeders, adults from rescue and a pup from rescue too. I have NEVER had to roll them on their back and pin them to let them know who is boss, I have NEVER felt it necessary to let them know where they stand in the pack or be above them. I've also NEVER found it necessary or desirable to pet them head to toe while they are eating - WTF is that about? Add food to their bowls so they are not suspicious of hands coming near - if you tried to pet me when I was tucking into my dinner I would probably stick the fork in your hand to teach you a lesson in manners. So as others have said Rotts need basic socialisation and training and manners just like any other breed of dog.


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

rottiepointerhouse said:


> Hello. I too have owned Rottweilers and GSD's for 3 decades - 4 now (although not a GSD since the 80's). I've owned males and females, pups from breeders, adults from rescue and a pup from rescue too. I have NEVER had to roll them on their back and pin them to let them know who is boss, I have NEVER felt it necessary to let them know where they stand in the pack or be above them. I've also NEVER found it necessary or desirable to pet them head to toe while they are eating - WTF is that about? Add food to their bowls so they are not suspicious of hands coming near - if you tried to pet me when I was tucking into my dinner I would probably stick the fork in your hand to teach you a lesson in manners. So as others have said Rotts need basic socialisation and training and manners just like any other breed of dog.


It seems to me that people who want to pin down their dogs, show them who's boss and stick their own grubby mitts into their food, are looking for ways in which to make an enemy of that dog. If anyone did all those things to me, I'm sure I wouldn't look up to them as my leader. I would be looking for any way I could find to challenge them. This is why so many dogs end up in rescue because they have proved untrustworthy to the family, a family who have been listening to this rubbish and watching the one whose name we won't mention.

I've had dogs for 36 years and they've always been my friends and did what I wanted because they wanted to please me, not because they thought I was the boss.


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