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? 

[Adina P]

I'm really glad you posted a video, Jess.  I actually read through the comments BEFORE watching your video.  And when I read that you gave a command more than once, I assumed, maybe twice, three times.  But the number of times you repeated it rendered it completely useless.  You might as well have said "How's it going?"  Part of it was the way you said it.  It was very passive and kind of like a question.  I think giving commands softly works if the dog has had A LOT of practice doing it right and has been corrected when he's not done it correctly.  Just like a dog who loves fetch can respond QUICKLY to even a whispered "fetch" or "let's go for a walk" -- a dog can respond to a softly said command if there is a lot of practice/work behind that command said softly.  There are 'off' commands that are trained like 'heel' with a lot of repetition and there are 'off' commands that are trained like "KNOCK IT OFF!" where your dog just knows you mean business and will quit doing what it's doing. 

The number of times you said "Off" without him doing anything that resembled getting off your bed makes me think that he's had very little GOOD practice with the OFF command where you have shown him exactly what "Off" means and practiced it enough so it's like riding a bike and almost automatic.  AND it also suggests it's never been given like you mean business.  Their failure to respond is rarely because they look at me like I'm joking and usually because they are wayyyy to hyped up to respond to a poorly trained command.  But Stewart looks like he thinks you're joking.

There are commands I give my dogs that I've never trained like "scoot" to get out of my way or "out" to leave the room.  I haven't really 'trained' them with practice other than I mean business when I say it.  They respond imperfectly, but they respond. I might snap my fingers and say it like I'm a dictator and point to where they should go.  But I am not mincing words.  They need to GO! 

Not that your dog is a bad dog, but you need to talk to him like "get off the darn bed, scumbag! I rule this house, I make the rules, so get off!"  With confidence not out-of-control anger.  I don't know if that makes sense.

[Adina P]

If you can get another video of him doing that charging at you and air snapping stuff...that would be great!

[Jess & Stewart]

I actually practiced yelling it in a loud low voice last night. He got right off my blow up mattress & my bed 3 times each. I grabbed my phone to take a video of try #4 & he didn't jump off even with treats practically in his face. He didn't move for over an hour.

This morning is exactly the same. Hasn't friggen moved. Tried to move him, he growled & snapped my hand. If I don't get him off my damn bed soon, he won't get a walk.

[Jess & Stewart]

I screamed bloody murder practically, then moved his crate into the position in front of the door & he jumped right off & walked out of my bedroom. Not sure if it was because I screamed or moving the crate since he hates his, but it worked. Harness on & we're off to play fetch. I'll take a video of that since it'll show that Stew isn't a pain in the butt all the time, lol.

[Jess & Stewart]

Here's a video of our morning fetch.

[Jess & Stewart]

Here's the video. 

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Nice fetch little Stew! 

[Jess & Stewart]

He's just the cutest when he wants to be, Linda. HAHA! 

[Adina P]

I didn't mean scream -- just use a loud, firm, I mean business voice.  It shouldn't sound like you're out of control yourself. 

[Adina P]

Probably should have called it good after 3 times, praising him for his quick response.  But of course you didn't know that the fourth time he would be done with the whole thing.  Since you can get in his face with treats, it would have been a good idea to put a leash on him from the start so you had a way to ENFORCE the command and help him off the bed.  It's one thing to reward with treats.  But if you give a command and you get no response then bringing out treats after the fact is more like bribery.  Dogs don't work well for bribery...well they don't learn to respond to commands better anyway.

[Jess & Stewart]

I'm sure when I see the trainer tomorrow, he'll be perfect jumping off with his leash attached, lol. 

My yell was my business voice, lol,

He wasn't responding to any other inflection I did. Low voice, sort of growling, happy "come on, get off voice" or a stern get off. I figured I needed to be loud. It worked that time but I'd bet it won't the next time. Maybe I need one of those megaphones that change your voice, since I stink at voices according to Stew haha. 

[Adina P]

There just needs to be follow-through.  That's the main thing.  A stern you mean business voice can work but if a dog knows you are timid and can take control then he'll try and get away with everything.  So no matter what voice you use it has to be followed through.  A trained command needs praise when done correctly too.  A 'knock it off' kind of command may not, but still needs follow-through.  You said above:

"he'll be perfect jumping off with his leash attached..."  Of COURSE if his leash is attached in training and not in testing...he won't behave the same.  You can train a dog till you both turn blue with a leash but if there never has been training to wean off the leash, then there is a huge hole in the training.  That's why I RARELY give serious commands (like recall) when I can't enforce it.  I use whatever other words, kissy sounds, treats, whatever, but avoid saying "Rosco COME!"  -- The advice below to just move him by lifting the comforter would work without any command.  If his leash is always on when you are home, you can give ONE command and then make him do it and then praise him.