# vizsla puppy showing possessiveness



## HoBoJoe (Dec 28, 2010)

I have been reading the posts on this forum to help me with some of the behavior problems my 4 month old vizsla has been displaying, but I haven't found much on possessiveness. I have been practicing taking treats away and touching his food while he is eating, and when he shows possessiveness over a small pretzel bully stick I hold onto it while he chews and take it away repeatedly. However, when he is allowed the bully pretzel on his own, he immediately gets possessive. 

My more difficult problem with the possessiveness is mainly when he is outside. It has been getting worse. He finds sticks outside, or trash on our walks, and grabs it in his mouth and starts to try and run from me. If he is in the yard he tries to keep me from coming near him. When I get close he puts his head down, growls and snarls, and uses his paws to block his mouth from me. I quickly stand over him or lay him on his side, and grab the object with one hand. My problem is he won't let go. I literally have to pull it from his mouth. He refuses to let go willingly and it turns into a power struggle. I'm worried he will get worse when he is stronger as he gets older. I don't know how to get the point across that he needs to give up the object when I ask for it. Please help!


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## laurita (Jun 12, 2011)

Hi HoBoJoe,
You're right-- there isn't very good information on what to do about this online. I dealt with the same issue with my vizsla the same week that I got him! It was so discouraging. The good news is that you can totally get past this but there are things that you DON'T want to do. He is doing this because he has (correctly) associated you with taking all of his good stuff away. You need to work to build the association that you coming close means good things! Also, make sure to buy the book Mine! by Jean Donaldson immediately. It was such a lifesaver! Until you get it, put up all bully sticks or items that bring out his possessiveness. You want to make sure to avoid all situations that bring out the dark side. While you get it, work on giving things to him that he either isn't possessive over or could be the slightest bit possessive over and BEFORE he growls at you (stand far enough away and don't look at him), start tossing treats around him so that he can start associate your presence with good things. You'll build from there, but that's where you want to start. If you're in the dark zone already, don't say anything, don't yell, don't get physical, stay quiet and stand there. Don't allow the growling to make you turn away because then that means that his growling worked, but also don't up the confrontation. Just stand there and show that his growling is not working. It takes a lot of self control to stand there and not get smoking furious...even if you do, keep it within, stay calm. Let me know if you need any more help!


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

HoBoJoe,
Now is the time to start taking LONG on-leash walks with your Vizsla at your left side BEHIND your leg. Your dog must submit to you because you are the pack leader. The idea has to be understood by you and the dog that you are the giver of all good things. Nothing in life is free for your pup. Good things come from you. Toys are kept out of reach until YOU give them and then are taken away when YOU take them. Your dog owns NOTHING. Until he/she understands this you will have a dog who does not understand their place in the "pack." AT THE BOTTOM.

Obedience Training is a must for Vizsla owners. Maybe you can boss a toy dog, but not a high powered hunting dog like a Vizsla without firm and consistant rules.

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2011/06/nothing-in-life-is-free-training-method.html

One last thing before I head off to take a shower and go to bed. You should never have to yell at your dog. If you yell, you loose authority and are showing emotion and not reason. The dog does not understand what I would call human
"mis-emotion." He/she just is being a dog and living its life by dog rules and not human rules. The trick is to think less like a human and more like a dog. I posted something about loyality recently on my blog and why should a dog be loyal to a human? Because it believes you are the best dog it has ever known!

To think like a dog is tougher than you think.

Hope this insight will be of some help.

Rod a.k.a. redbirddog

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Agree. You have to nip that in the bud, right away. That behavior is simply unacceptable. It falls right into the same category as touching you with teeth. Not allowed. Period.


p.s. Sorry I wasn't paying close enough attention to the original post, and somehow thought we were dealing with an adult dog. My mistake and I apologize for sounding so stern. This is about a 4-month-old pup -- still a baby!


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Good news, partially at least. 

Your dog is 4 months old not unsocialized adult. No need to worry about getting hurt. If he nips at you just get a pair of soft leather work gloves. At this time he only play bites and that should not scare you.

Positive reinforcement has already been outlined and should work very on a puppy.

----------------------------------------------------
Keep your little V on a leash at all times.

Negative reinforcements tend to be outdated methods and should not be used: 
This is one was taught to me: grab the object and don't let go. Tap once under the jaw with the other hand. He will let go when you tap hard enough. Praise like you never praised before when he lets go. 
I only mention this because it is a valid method and usually no one dares to post similar. I had a German Shepherd before and this method was shown to me by a pro dog trainer - along with other stuff like how to use a prong collar properly. 

Now I have to update my avatar - Sam was 8 weeks old, now 6 months.


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## HoBoJoe (Dec 28, 2010)

Thank you for all of your responses! It was a lot of helpful advice and I'm reading redbirddog's website and working on getting the book Mine! I have been trying to establish myself as pack leader, but I see that there is more I can be doing! Thank you so much for helping me!


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## HoBoJoe (Dec 28, 2010)

Laurita,
I got the book Mine! but I was a little confused about the technique. I understand how to build up being able to approach the dog and touch him, but the book only says, "approach from 6 feet away, remove the object, treat, etc" The book never goes into HOW to take the object away, or maybe I missed that part somehow? I need help on how to get the object away from him in the first place. He has gotten very sneaky and started trying to grab the object back once he has gotten the treat, or he doesn't come near me once he has the object because he knows I'm trying to take it away, even if I've been giving it back. Today he bit my husband when he tried to take the object away before treating him.


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## laurita (Jun 12, 2011)

Hi HoBoJoe,
I pulled out my book and you're right- it is confusing. From reading it several times right now, I think there are 2 important qualifiers: use an object that your dog currently doesn't guard but is slightly interested in (low value). Is there anything that you can think of that he would let you take away? Definitely do not use a bully stick as that is very high value! Also, it's less threatening if you are giving your dog an object of low interest and then approaching him at short distance than approaching him from far away. If there isn't anything, I think the book is saying to put your dog on a leash and you have the object just out of the reach for your dog and you practice walking up, picking it up and getting him to look and be interested in it, and treating your dog. This way when he sees you holding that object and you treat him right away, this gets him to feel good about you holding it. You don't give it to him for him to guard, though.

My dog was guarding several objects, including a frisbee, so at first, I wouldn't try to take it away, I would just approach with treats. Don't put your dog in that situation yet *trying to take an object he guards away), because he WILL fail. I'm so sorry about your husband getting bit. Is he ok?? How hard did the dog bite? It's not a bad idea to look for a behaviorist (where do you live?) in your area to help. This bite also indicates that the object given to him is very high value and he's not at the place to have that object given and taken away from him. You need to rehearse much easier scenarios-- not high value or not in his possession. I think especially the fact that he's getting sneaky means that you need to work on the basics- the objects that he covets are waaay more valuable than the treats you're giving. A suggestion might be to give him a low value object and try to exchange it with an amazingly high value object. Once you do that, don't try taking it away. Through working with my dog, (I think) he sees my approach as a good thing, not as a threat of me taking things away. I also don't push him over the edge by taking things away regularly, only if it needs to be taken away or if it's harmful in some way. This way, he can pretty much predict that he gets to enjoy what he gets. I keep my approaching him as a positive thing by tossing a treat or two every once in a while when I come close and he has an object he really likes. I haven't had him guard an object since I densensitized him to it (about 4 mos ago). He's now 8.5 months old. Please let me know if I can help. I'd be happy to help you look for a behaviorist in your area, too!


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## laurita (Jun 12, 2011)

Also, if you think it'd be helpful, I've had two phone consults with behaviorists in Wisconsin (dog's best friend training) and they've been phenomenal. They charge $90/hr, but it was worth every penny. The woman I worked with has a PhD in animal behavior and is very kind and humane. You may want someone to come to your home or meet you in person, though.


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## HoBoJoe (Dec 28, 2010)

Thank you so much for your reply! You helped me understand the book better. He is currently in puppy obedience class and we asked the trainer to help us. She taught us how to use drop it. He is a pro using drop it with his low value objects, he drops the object immediately. We practice touching him and getting him to drop low value objects, and we have been slowly moving up in the hierarchy of valued objects. I bought special yummy treats just for taking object away exercises. When he bit my husband this morning it was over a low value object, but I think he was overtired and my husband wasn't using a high value treat. Since he is still a puppy he only bled a little, but it was still a first. I think it will just take some time and a lot of work, but if it doesn't improve I will need to look for professional help. I just wanted to make sure I understand the book so I can be doing everything in my power properly. Thanks!


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## sarahaf (Aug 17, 2009)

I agree, consult a behaviorist. I'll give you a couple of referral resources. http://www.dacvb.org/resources/find/

http://www.certifiedanimalbehaviorist.com/page6.html

We haven't done any formal behavior modification for Rosie's guarding (which is only sleeping spots, and she has never escalated beyond a growl which she doesn't enforce), but we've done some informal behavioral interventions (like rubbing her belly while rolling her over, which she likes, so she's come to have some positive expectations about being moved, and now she only gives a mild protest and then gets a silly grin on her face waiting for you to rub her belly).


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

2 words -> Leave It. We teach this every day 3X a day. His favorite treat is held in your open hand 2 feet in front of him. He moves towards the treat the hand closes. He stays put the hand opens back up. Get the idea? He should not move a muscle until the a command is given. We also teach Release daily. Hold the dog by his collar, put a stick in his mouth. Say release. If he doesn't release the stick squeeze his ear and say release. You can also pull up on the skin in front of his rear thigh. Once he releases say good boy, pet him, kiss him, whatever you need to get the point across. Doing both of these 2 or 3 time daily will go very far in helping all of your training. Praise is the key. Never play pull on anything in his mouth, ever. You can also watch some youtube vids on force fetch for a visual.


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

I 2nd Linescreamer's suggestion re: holding a treat in your hand & closing when your V moves in without an "ok." I use a slight variation on this exercise; however, it is an important concept/exercise that was heavily stressed in Pumpkin's agility class via local AKC club.


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## AfroViz (Jun 26, 2011)

With a possessive pup the best approach, IMO, is to practice exchanges. Trade a treat for the toy and then give the toy right back. It's a world of Win for the dog and the message is very clear: give up your toy and good things happen.

With a toy motivated dog it helps to have two identical toys to trade. As long as you continue to convince your dog that you've got the best, most exciting one they'll be excited about swapping which, again, sends a clear message: give up your toy and good things happen.



> 2 words -> Leave It. We teach this every day 3X a day. His favorite treat is held in your open hand 2 feet in front of him. He moves towards the treat the hand closes. He stays put the hand opens back up.


I find this works better with two hands. One is to lure, the other to reward. You start with the lure-hand open and the reward-hand closed. If the dog approaches the lure-hand you close it -- "NO! LEAVE IT."

If they wait and watch you say, "GOOD!" and offer the treat from the reward hand. The dog only gets the lure-hand treat at the end of the exercise.

In my experience it makes the concept a lot clearer to the dog. I think it sends mixed signals when the thing you're telling them to Leave is constantly offered as a reward but your mileage may vary.


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

AfroViz. Good option however, at some point you will need to ween them off of expecting a treat or toy in return. We had no problem with the onehanded leave it. After all Vizslas are very smart. 8)


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