Opinion on this guarding VIDEO!

[Jess & Stewart]

Stew has been really great. No major issues or guarding issues. He basically just snoozes on my bed all day. Doesn't try to get into any closets or my bathroom. Hasn't barked or scratched at the front door in about 2 weeks. 

But he's starting to guard again. This has happened almost every night for the past week & the past 3 mornings, he'll jump on the bed after I've gotten out and won't follow me out to the living room.When I come home. Stew greets me at the door. I used to just walk in no problem. Now I walk in and he bolts back to my bedroom, growling, jumps on my bed and lays down. My covers are usually pulled down and the pillows are scattered on the bed. It takes me at least 20 minutes and copious amounts of treats before he jumps down, then more to get him to walk out of the room enough that I can close the door. 

We're still working with the trainer, that's going good. Stew's earned some Nylabone time each night with me and lets me take it away. 

Any quick & dirty advice in the meantime before the next training session on Monday? 

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Jess ~ I just watched your video and it makes me uncomfortable.  The first time I hear you say "off" Stew raises his head and wags his tail.  He is playing and you are teaching him to do this.  I am not trying to hurt your feelings in any way, shape or form - but I think if you were doing this in front of a trainer - they would train you first, so you can train Stew.  You should not give a command more than once, if you say off (and mean it) and he does not respond, you go over to him and gently take him off the bed and put him on the floor.  Or, go get a lead and put it on him and guide him off the bed.  Saying a command over, and over, and over - is not going to make him do.  You are setting him up for failure. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree, Linda. He isn't guarding, he's playing a game, and he's winning. He's also being taught that it's okay to ignore a command, and you might even get a cookie for not obeying. He' completely in charge here, and it's all a big game to him.

Commands are given once, and they're not given with a tentative tone of voice like questions, with a rising inflection at the end. And you never give a command that you can't enforce. 

When Stew runs back to your bedroom after greeting you, why not just ignore him? Don't participate in the game. So what if he goes back into the bedroom? If you just ignore him and go about your business elsewhere, I guaranteed that he'll soon come looking for you. Then he can have a cookie. That way, he learns that he gets the treat for staying near you.

[Jess & Stewart]

I tried ignoring him last week. He eventually came out of my bedroom but when I grabbed his leash and started walking towards my hallway, past the bedroom to the door, he ran full speed at me, growling because I got too close to my bedroom.

[Judy, Meg & Polly Wolly Doodle]

I didn't hear growling until he did a bit of it with the bark at the end.  We used to have a Great Dane that we referred to as "vocal", he sassed with every order he was given, Stew seems to be sassing.  The difference between that dog and yours is that while the Dane sassed, he was on his way to following what ever the command was without hesitation.  What makes me sad about your video is that you seem to be all right with saying 'off' over and over with no compliance from Stew.  He clearly knows you are not going to do anything and he is ready to start playing if you move toward the bed.  I am not sure he is really growling at the end with the bark, I think he is clearly daring you to try to catch him...does he dart away when you move toward him or does he come at you?  I have to agree with Linda, I think a trainer would have you doing something completely different.

[Jess & Stewart]

Stew comes forward if I approach. I tried grabbing a pillow 2 days ago & he lunged, snapping at the air. I didn't want to just ignore him because I thought that was letting him win. I know previously I was told to stand my ground, but also to ignore & not inadvertently reward behaviors, then to engage & move him, etc. it's confusing. Obviously, I'm a big part of Stew's problems.

I agree that it wasn't as bad as other times, but I still don't feel comfortable just engaging.

Honestly, maybe I'm the idiot & I just haven't been understanding any of you all these months, when you say you approach or stop it right away or that you don't tolerate x, y, z behavior. Not sure exactly where the how you don't tolerate it comes in. If that makes any sense?

[Jess & Stewart]

If I tried to get near him, he'd start growling & snapping. I think that's what I need to work on, approaching him? I don't feel comfortable to just walk in, grab at him trying to find his collar then take him off the bed. In the time it took me to find his collar & try getting him to stand up to lead him off the bed, he'd have bitten me I'm sure.

Unless I just need to do it & not think that he'd attack. I'm not sure. The trainer doesn't want me to "escalate" Stew but I really want to get him back in this situation so the trainer could show me HOW to get him off the bed. Because frankly, it feels like the trainer isn't training me like I think I should be, if you get what j mean. The trading/training games etc don't do squat once I'm in this situation.

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

Honestly if I were you I would walk straight towards him confidently and a) take him off the bed and b) be very confident and firm. Hes being sassy and ignoring you and by just saying it over and over he either thinks it's a game or shows him he doesn't have to listen. And if you don't feel comfortable approaching him that's another problem in its self because a dog should not be able to have control over you like that. Either way you need to show/tell him you are in charge. I would show this video to your trainer and if he/she doesn't see an issue with it then get a new one asap.

[Stella]

I can't see the video (my rural internet is too slow), but there are some commands that are cardinal and must be obeyed - immediately. "Off" is one of those commands! Our trainer said the collar grab should always be associated with good things, and not used to remove them / put them in their crate etc. If you don't feel you can get near him, why don't you keep a leash / toggle strap attached to his collar at all times. Then all you have to do is reach for the end of the leash / strap and use that to remove him. He is learning to ignore you, and has probably learned that you are afraid of him, he is using this to his full advantage. If you are having issues with him getting off things, and obeying you in general, I would not be allowing him onto the furniture. He has to earn the right to be up there, it is a privilege that comes with good behaviour. If he doesn't get off when you ask him to, he shouldn't be up there in the first place. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't think your trainer is the right one for you guys. He certainly doesn't appear to be helping you effectively. I would seriously consider looking for someone new to help you. I know others have mentioned Nothing in Life is Free to you before, this might be a good strategy to take with Stew and you could ask around for a trainer that follows this philosophy.

[Jess & Stewart]

This is right when j initially come home from work, I can't leave a leash on him during the day, he'd chew it. He has access to my bedroom mainly because otherwise he'd scratch my doors to get in there so bad, i'd need to replace them.

I had a baby gate up to confine him to the living room but he started jumping that. He also knows how to get out of his crate, or at least he got out of it the last I put him in it. This all happened in my old apartment, now I have been living in my new apt for a little over a month now.

Today, I put his crate in front of the bedroom doors & he didn't try to get in them all day, just laid on the floor. He's exhausting lol.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Jess ~ you should not leave a leash on your dog when you are not home mainly because it is a danger to him.  You could come home to a dead dog, if he happened to get a leash caught on something!  So please do not put a leash on him when he is left alone. Is he home alone all day? Does someone come to walk him or take him out?  Just trying to get a grip on his normal day.  When you come home, does he come running out to you - do you usually go for a quick walk or ???   I do not get why you need to work on approaching him.  When you come in the door make sure you have a treat in your pocket, if he does not come to see who is coming in the house, sit down in the living room and just wait for him to come see who walked in.   When you see him, call him to you and when he comes give him a treat!  You do not have to approach him - he needs to approach you. 

[Jess & Stewart]

Of course not, regarding a leash on him. I was responding to Stella's comment about using a leash. I can certainly do that when I'm home but wasn't sure if she knew I was talking about this happening once I get home from work.

Stew gets a walk & fetch/training time each morning with me on a long line, 60ft. I've actually gotten to the point where I can drop the line, throw a ball beyond it & he will come right back and drop it. I never let him run far beyond it so I can always step on or pick up the line in case he runs to something. He gets an hour walk each day usually with one or two other dogs & they usually fit some play in there.

When I come home, Stew greets me at the door, all happy, excited, then as I walk into my apt, he runs right back into my bedroom & parks himself on my bed. My apt opens to a hallway, the French doors into the bedroom are just beyond the door if you get a picture. Doesn't move. I could ignore him for hours & once he finally walked out of my bedroom, if I walked toward it, he'd run right back in. Yesterday, I kept the door shut & put his crate in front of it so he couldn't scratch the doors trying to get in. Last night I shut him out of the bedroom but in the middle of the night he was screaming to get in. I opened the door, he laid down on the floor. This morning I wake up & he's on the bed. Tried to guide him off but he snapped at me. It's been an hour & he hasn't moved.

At this point if I can't get him off, he won't even get a walk to go pee/poop because I'm almost out of time before j have to go to work.

[Marianne Kay]

I have not watched the video, but I have read what others have said. Dogs are really smart, just like children and they can learn how to manipulate you, if you let them. Dogs have pack behavior. It sounds like he is the leader of this pack, not you, in my humble opinion. It was not an easy thing for me to learn either. You need to deepen your voice, say a command once, and look at the dog and be quiet. No matter how cute they are, they need a serious leader.

Dogs think, so you being quiet allows the dog to think about the command. If my dog does not listen the first time, I put my hands on my hips and give him the mean eye, with a serious look on my face. He may wait a few seconds, but he knows he is not going to win. He complies with my wishes. He knows I am not going to back down.

I do not know if this will help your relationship, but you might want to start going through commands with him on a daily basis, with special treats, to distract him from the game he is playing on the bed. I start out in the kitchen with a series of commands. Sit, turn around, other way, right paw, left paw, left paw ( I mix it up), both paws up on my arm, down, roll over, bang bang, stay, speak, stay, find me, then we do "heel" around the house in a variety of patterns. He knows I always go through a door first, not him. And that goes for any dog. I am the leader and I go first.

I learned what I know from taking Pierre to puppy school and listening to the instructor and reading the book. Also watching videos on youtube on how to teach your dog a new trick helps, when you think your dog needs a new challenge. Its a challenge for you, too.

 It takes time, but it is time well spent to develop the type of relationship you want with your dog.