Another resource guarding thread!

[Darcy & Millie]

Millie is 11 weeks old, and has been doing great with her food..unless it's a higher value item.  I make her sit for her food, and put my hand in her dish with about every feeding.  She's fine with it.  However, she's barked/snapped/growled at the kids when they take something away she shouldn't have.  She's done it a few times.  Last night was a paper plate with pizza sauce on it.  This morning, I put in a frozen chunk of wet food for her, and attempted to pet her while she was eating.  She growled at me. Normally, it doesn't phase her when it's just her kibble.

So, I guess my question is, what else do I need to do?  Do I have to offer her something better every time we take something away?  Do you do this indefinitely?  Sometimes this will be hard to do.  One time she did it was in the vehicle.  We had nothing to trade her for.

Also, How should I have handled it this morning while she was eating?  I ended up pushing her away, and making her sit, and then I held onto the dish while she ate. 

Not sure where to turn, or what to do next.  I want to nip this in the bud now before it gets worse.  We have four young kids so it's especially important.

Thank you in advance!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

If this is just puppy development  - like trying to test you - as opposed to a dog with a difficult temperament, you just need to be in charge and firm.  If she growls, say NO, take it (whatever it is) away and ignore her for a while. Be firm. Use a firm voice. Be in charge.  I know many people do trade, it just happens not to be my way because, to me, it is rewarding the dog for bad behavior.  I understand the trade idea as you don't want to chase and make it a game. I guess I was able to nip it in the bud when each of my dogs was little so that I didn't have the chase situations.

My dogs are just normal ordinary guys without true guarding issues, but they do argue over certain bones as adults. We quickly swoop down, grab the bone and put the bone in question away for a while.  If it was food, I would do the same thing.

[Darcy & Millie]

Thank you Nancy!  This is the first that I've read that someone would not change it up.  I tend to think like you do as well, and wish there was another way to stop the behavior.

How exactly do I now if it's puppy development or difficult temperament though?  She really is a happy dog 95% of the time.  She growls when you attempt to move her or pick her up sometimes (however, she hasn't done it to me in awhile if I go slow, apply pressure at first, and then pick her up the second time - I have to do this to get her in our vehicle, for instance).  And then with food aggression here and there.  Last night she growled at my son when he was trying to help her with her IQ ball.  GRRRRRR.... 

Thank you again!