# Food/bone resource guarding?!



## Monty2304 (Jun 5, 2012)

Hi there

First post here but been reading since we got Monty 5 1/2 months ago. 

He is an awesome puppy and has been a joy to train; very loving and obsessed with food which made it VERY easy to get him doing all the basic commands with no issues at all, plus he'll sit on his back legs and beg, catch stuff, lay down, spin round etc etc and walks to heel with no lead with no probs. we are very proud of him! 

Reason for posting here today is that recently he had started growling when we try to take his food off him (got told this was important to do mid meal to show him who the alphas are, we also pretend to 'eat' some of his food first while he sits and watches before he is allowed to eat). Today he went to bite my partner when she went to stroke his head while he was eating a hide bone I got him when I went out. (note, she wasn't trying to take it off him, just was going to stroke his head). 

This is a totally new behaviour and a very worrying one as I have a number of young nephews and nieces and wouldn't ever want him scaring them, let alone growl or bite ANYONE. usual correction for growing or aggressive behaviour is a very stern NO followed by a period of crate time, and sometimes (like today) he will get a smack on the nose too. (yes, I KNOW that we're not supposed to smack, but aggression towards humans can't be tolerated, although We hate ever doing it.)

He is still young and our first Vizsla so wondered if anyone could give us advice please? I know people will say don't hit him so that's fine and taken as read, and I'm more than happy to try alternate methods, but I feel that aggression needs to be met with a strong reaponse of some kind. His crate time is usually a matter of about 5 mins immediately as he growls or now tries to bite. 

Any advice greatfully received, many thanks 

J


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

Smacking him on the nose will only make him more aggressive. Have you trained him with the "drop it" and "leave it" commands?


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Where to begin... I am going to make a few assumptions, hopefully right ones...

The crate is a reward. Crate is a safe place, the equivalent of a dog den... the best place to be.

The dog must know that when he is around you it is loved and it's a safe place to be. It is the place to be. This must be accomplished without food rewards (gently stroking their head, gently stoking his side is enough of a reward).

Gather all toys off the ground (I imagine the dog has toys laying around and he owns them). 
All toys, including the chew toys, rubber bones, etc. The dog only gets one toy at a time and never gets to keep it. 
All toys are interactive and belong to you. Practice taking away higher and higher value items from him. If he growls or snaps at you, reprimand verbally and issue a leave it, sit or stay command... "Hey knock it off" and carry on. 
Do not use food rewards of any kind. This is basic behavior and must be accomplished.

The leave it, drop it, come here, sit, down and stay must be worked on and taken more seriously now. Ideally, under increasing distractions (rabbits, squirrels, other dogs, barking dogs, children..) By the time the dog is nine, ten months old it should be should show improvement but not yet perfect under distractions.

Leadership must not be violent in nature because the dog will eventually figure out that it is faster and stronger than you... and he has a full set of teeth at his disposal.


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