# 6 month old female growling at kids.



## Lisa Welford (Jul 25, 2014)

Hi everyone, I have a 6 month old very well bred show type female Vizsla who since being around 4 months old has been growling at my 2 little boys, but only whilst in her bed or crate, my boys know not to invade her personal space as if she retreats to her den then she needs to be left to rest but even if they walk past her she will growl and jump up and sprawl out on her bed as if she's saying no chance of even trying to get on my bed! I've taught her off command so she'll cone to me and stop the grumpiness but she's getting a whole lot worse. She'll do anything for me and has never growled but I've even got the kids to give her a treat every time they walk past her in her crate but she wags her tail, eats it and growls, my boys have never been allowed into her cage so they've never hurt her as a baby so I'm unsure why she's doing this to them as once she's up and about she adores the kids begging them to run and play toys with her and I've made a point of the kids feeding her but I'm stuck with how to correct this behaviour before she's a big girl with a bigger growl! Thank you for reading, Lisa. :-*


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

With 2 little boys in the house, you need to look at getting help from a behaviorist. She is resource guarding her bed, and does not appear to know her place in the pack. I would also contact your breeder, and let them know the problem your having.


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## Lisa Welford (Jul 25, 2014)

Yes I thought so as the growling is getting worse, thanks for your reply I'll be straight on it tomorrow and get a behaviourist in.


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## mlg1900 (Jun 12, 2013)

Hi Lisa,
Does sound like a situation that could end up being very serious! 
Please keep us updated on how things are going with the behaviorist. 

Good Luck!


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## Lisa Welford (Jul 25, 2014)

Hi everyone, just a quick update on Elsa resource guarding problem, been to the vets etc and behaviourist and it's down to hormone as a week later she had her first season and since then she's settled down a lot, I've removed her bed from our living room and she has her den in the kitchen to call her own and my eldest son will make her bed for her morning and night whilst giving her a stuffed kong as a reward and it's worked wonders, the behaviourist described her behaviour as a hormonal teenager testing the athority, and he's also starting clicker training her again after school and she's come on in leaps and bounds, she'll now sit at her bed nudging the kids legs to come to her for a stroke and no more growling! We now think she's taken the top dog roll over the kids as my eldest had just started school full time so she's only had me all day to herself and decided it's her position under me, but with gentle training she's back to herself and adores the kids once again, just need to work on her removing socks very gently off my youngest toes whilst my backs turned and she'll be a star, but it's one of her very cheeky loveable tricks!


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## Bob Engelhardt (Feb 14, 2012)

That's a very impressive improvement! You should be very pleased and proud of the turnaround. Your boy, too. Keep up the good work.


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Well done for jumping on this problem so quickly and getting it sorted. Sounds like she is going to be a great companion for your kids.


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