# Snapping/attacking when moving off sofa/bed etc..



## NettyH (Oct 28, 2013)

Hiya All

I am new to the forum although I have read many, many posts and threads prior to getting our gorgeous 13 week old V pup.

Overall everything is fantastic, we are a large family and she has settled in great with us all.

Just today she has started calling to go out to toilet and is loving her walks in the woods near where we live.

Our only, and I mean only issue is that, say she has jumped on our bed, if we try and move her she snaps and can come across really vicious to whom ever it is that is attempting to move her. My Husband is having none of it and is very sternly saying NO to her but still she will not move !! The same applies if she has got on our sofa say..

Should I be worried with this aggressive streak in her?

I've read up on a certain guarding traits in certain V's which some may inherit from their Mum/Dad?

Or, the fact she is only 13 weeks should I even really be that worried, and as long as we are continuing to show her who is _really_ in charge will this behavior eventually die away.

We start obedience training next week too which i guess will help?

Thank you for any advise you may be able to offer me.

Annette


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## Vizsla Baby (Nov 4, 2011)

We have 2 vizsla's - one we raised from a pup and another we rescued. Both are sweet as sugar but the rescued V gets very vicious when the doorbell rings or someone knocks on the door. And he can be a bit aggressive when someone first comes in our home too. Once they have been in the house for a minute he's OK, it's just that initial entrance.

I keep a spray bottle of water handy. I've only had to spray him a few times, now I just have to point it at him and he stops in his tracks. It's the kindest deterrent I could think of to help in this scenario. 

These dogs do aim to please so they are easily trainable. I'm just having to re-train, which is harder. Definitely don't accept the behavior and nip it in the bud now.


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

I only have time for a quick respones. I would make the bed and sofa off limits to her. I'd keep her on a leash. When she goes to jump on the sofa or bed, give the leash a pull, make the 'no' noise and then redirect her to her doggy bed, crate or a place she is allowed to lay. Once she lies there praise her and give her kisses, treat, attention, etc. If you notice she goes to the appropriate place on her own, occasionally give treats as you walk by. 

There are other similar threads, hopefully you can extract some tips from there as well.


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## NettyH (Oct 28, 2013)

Thank you to those who have responded so far.

Its reassuring to hear its basic puppy behaviour


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## Nelly (Feb 7, 2013)

Hi NettyH and welcome. 

Where does your pup sleep at night and where is her main place during the day? She is too young to have free roam of the house and needs to be taught boundaries to give her a head start on this thing. If possible, close all doors to bedrooms and living rooms and only give her one room where she can be supervised. 

We had a couple chair grumbles at this age and all privileges were immediately revoked for a good while. At almost a year Nelly does not have free roam of the house or furniture.


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## Suki1956 (Jan 17, 2013)

Hi. we have a wire haired Vizslas and had her at eight weeks,initially we had no problems but at ten weeks she growled at me when I tried to move her off the sofa and when eating her food.The food issue was soon solved but the growling escalated to everyone who tried to move her off furniture,we tried being stern, banned her from the furniture but this became a battle and I began to dread her climbing up.So I changed tactics and tried the positive reward training,I would hold the treat in front of her nose when she climbed on furniture and give it to her when she got down.She soon got the hang of it and although it escalated to fifty treats a day as she learnt this new trick I persevered, soon if she climbed up I could hold a treat in the air if I was across the room and tell her get down and she would climb down.Sacha is a year old now and it is a continual learning curve with her but we have no issues with the furniture anymore.I wish you all the best as it can become stressful when they get bigger and continue to growl especially if there are children in the house but if Sacha can do so can your pup.


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## Benita (Oct 30, 2012)

I had the chance to visit our pup at the breeder and she already had food aggression problems at 6 weeks. When Sophie was eating, no other pup was allowed to touch the bowl. When she was done all other pups were "allowed" to eat. I know the breeder didn't do anything about that and guess what happened the first day Sophie moved in with us? I tolerate a lot but that's my house and my rules. I correct my dogs... once, but the right way. I'm not saying your "treat game" is wrong. What works for one dog might now work for others but after training dogs for a while and after working with the most stubborn foster dog the world has ever seen I tried pretty much every training method in the book there is. Not every dog understands the "oh look my doggie I have treats for you if you do what I want". I don't spank, beat or hurt my dogs but I correct them in a way the understand. I grabbed her neck (where she has excess skin) and can not even tell you how many feet she flew through the kitchen. Not through the air lol but along the floor but yes she flew  I took her food away and we tried it again 5 minutes later with me having my hand in the bowl and mixing around in it. The next day I went from touching her hind legs and took her food away as soon as she got tense. I did this for about two weeks moved further to her head every day and I'm sure she remembered what happened to her the first day and she knew I wasn't kidding. My dogs are allowed on the furniture when I allow and under my terms. I know Vizslas are sensitive dogs and can break down and it comes to being too rough but to me it seems like you have to show your dog who the boss is and to show her it's not her. I wouldn't "move" her off the couch. I would pull her by her Neck (just grab her by the Neck) but do it fast. You don't want your dog to fear you, just to respect you. Or when you are sitting next to it just push it off. If you are scared to use your hands use your feet but don't kick it!!!! Push it. I'm sure there are a hundred things you could do but that's where I would start.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

> We start obedience training next week too which i guess will help?


Make sure you bring up this issue with the instructor. Many of them are very good with training the trainer. Obedience training is more for the owner than the dog. Make the most of it. If you have children bring one a lesson and have them take the dog through the paces.

Team effort to make sure the dog knows he or she is at the bottom of the pack ALWAYS and this rule is never in question.

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2009/12/history-and-misconceptions-of-dominance.html

RBD


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## Suki1956 (Jan 17, 2013)

Hi,I tried the skin at the neck shaking on Sacha when she growled at me,sometimes I was so fast she didnt know what had happened,but you are right when you say different training is needed for different dogs as this shaking didnt work on her neither did a soaking with a water bottle.I did the same as you on the food issue and it worked,Sacha has had issues since she was young and I have had to work through them methodically I have never had a pup with a temperament like hers,she is interesting to say the least lol.I have also trained many dogs over the years and they had to obey my rules in the house but none had ever growled at me from such a young age.


Benita said:


> I had the chance to visit our pup at the breeder and she already had food aggression problems at 6 weeks. When Sophie was eating, no other pup was allowed to touch the bowl. When she was done all other pups were "allowed" to eat. I know the breeder didn't do anything about that and guess what happened the first day Sophie moved in with us? I tolerate a lot but that's my house and my rules. I correct my dogs... once, but the right way. I'm not saying your "treat game" is wrong. What works for one dog might now work for others but after training dogs for a while and after working with the most stubborn foster dog the world has ever seen I tried pretty much every training method in the book there is. Not every dog understands the "oh look my doggie I have treats for you if you do what I want". I don't spank, beat or hurt my dogs but I correct them in a way the understand. I grabbed her neck (where she has excess skin) and can not even tell you how many feet she flew through the kitchen. Not through the air lol but along the floor but yes she flew  I took her food away and we tried it again 5 minutes later with me having my hand in the bowl and mixing around in it. The next day I went from touching her hind legs and took her food away as soon as she got tense. I did this for about two weeks moved further to her head every day and I'm sure she remembered what happened to her the first day and she knew I wasn't kidding. My dogs are allowed on the furniture when I allow and under my terms. I know Vizslas are sensitive dogs and can break down and it comes to being too rough but to me it seems like you have to show your dog who the boss is and to show her it's not her. I wouldn't "move" her off the couch. I would pull her by her Neck (just grab her by the Neck) but do it fast. You don't want your dog to fear you, just to respect you. Or when you are sitting next to it just push it off. If you are scared to use your hands use your feet but don't kick it!!!! Push it. I'm sure there are a hundred things you could do but that's where I would start.


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## Benita (Oct 30, 2012)

I don't know you or your dog but it might be time to contact a professional trainer. Problems only get worse when dogs get older. The other thing is, you could videotape it and post it. It would be easier to help if people could visualize the situation.


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