# Guarding toys slippers etc..



## Darcy1311 (May 27, 2012)

Darcy is developing a problem with regards to guarding toys...even when she is asleep and my wife makes a move, the first thing Darcy will do is wake suddenly look around the room for a toy and quickly will dive on the toy or slipper.. last night Darcy was asleep next to my wife who was on the laptop, my wife just moved her hand and Darcy woke suddenly showed all her teeth and started growling at her.I was at work at the time so when I got home Darcy was sulking in the corner and my wife was not best pleased.Darcy is such a loving dog but this certainly has scared us...I think we are to blame, as Darcy has access to these toys 24/7 any suggestions please...but I think the best thing to do at this time would be to remove all the toys and start wearing the slippers...


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## vizslaLUvr16 (Dec 29, 2014)

I have had luck in the past exerting boundaries and designating special "toy time". For example, when I leave for work I leave a special toy (switching things up of course to keep her engaged), and then when I return home I take the toy and give her special "us time". We will even give her toys while cooking, cleaning, entertaining company, etc., any time we need her to be self-entertained. 

This way she knows that there are certain times for toys, and certain times to play. Using words such as "mine" and "yours" have also become helpful, making them like a sort of command. Giving a KONG and accompanying it with the command "Here is your KONG, go play" has been great for asserting intention.

Hopefully this helps!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Its easy to slack up on training as our dogs get older, and then they want to make a few rules of their own. If she has had a good temperament for the first 3 years of life, and just started this, go back to the training that worked when she was younger. If she seems to tire faster than she did before, and has been grumpy, get her thyroid levels checked.


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

You also might ask your wife if she has been involved in 'December cleaning'. You know...the instant 'I have 5 minutes to pick up the entire house before so-and-so arrives' or 'I have 5 minutes and I just need to get some of this off the floor before the holidays. If so, she may have been snatching Darcy's toys and relocating them. Darcy may not understand.


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