1 year old resource guards unpredictably

[Jessica & Benny]

I posted this on puppy madness, but it was suggested that I try here, so here goes:

I apologize that this is long, but I'm at my wits end.  So I've read through the various posts on how to deal with resource guarding, and I've had some success, but I'm still stuck, so I hope someone can offer some advice.  Lola is 1 year old next week, 19 pounds.  When she gets ahold of something she knows is forbidden, she freezes, shows her teeth, and will snap if anyone tries to get her to drop it. Sometimes. Other times she's ok, which is frustrating because it's unpredictable. She first showed this behavior  a couple months ago when she was given an antler to chew.  I did some reading and followed some advice, which was to give her small bits of treat when she had the antler, just tossing them down near her, and gradually moving my hand closer to the antler after each treat, eventually touching it without taking it (treats each time), then finally being able to take the antler, give her a treat, give the antler back, give her a treat. She is now no longer possessive of the antler.  This approach has not been successful when she has something that she considers way better than any treat. A pencil, a kid's toy, or once a pork chop bone. This behavior is only ever when she has something she knows she shouldn't have.  Frankly there isn't anything we can give her that in her little brain is better than what she has.  It seems that when she takes the item back to her bed (not the one in the crate, but one that's out in the kitchen) she is more likely to growl about it than when she has it elsewhere in the house. I really hope someone can help, because other than this problem she's really great. I should add that she is not at all possessive of her own toys or her food/treats.  And since several people have suggested that I try to work up to trading things, let me also add that if I give her things I can take them back, it's just if she GETS them herself that it's a problem. I guess I could try to plant some tempting items??

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Well I've got to start out by saying that I'm not a huge fan of "trading" in this type of situation....only because you won't always be in a position to have something more valuable than what the dog has at the time.  I need to start by asking you what training you've done so far?  Do you think that Lola recognizes that you're the "leader" and does she show you respect?  It all starts with the relationship IMO.  I also need to ask you if you're in any way afraid of her.  I ask that because I can't imagine my mini (21 lb Doodle) ever "possessing" anything that I didn't want him to have.  It's going to take some practice.  You'll need to work on this A LOT.  Start with something of lower value and work on "drop it"...over and over.  Continue to add more and more challenge.  What is your current mode or correction...that's key?  Have you ever tried or heard of "Nothing In Life Is Free" approach to training?

[Jessica & Benny]

No, I'm not afraid of her at all--she's a total cuddlebug 99% of the time. I have been working on the "drop it" command, which is successful with low interest things IF there's a darn good treat coming her way. Part of the problem I think is that she's not a big eater, nor does she have a favorite object, so that she's less inclined to respond to that sort of thing. We've done the basic puppy kindergarten training, and I've pulled out the materials from that, and am kind of redoing it all again, since clearly not all of it stuck.  I have a trainer coming next week, so I'm hoping that she'll have some more insight. You're right, though, I think, that it'll take a lot of time and patience. 

[Adina P]

I lean toward what Jane said.  And I'm also wondering what her obedience is overall.  Although "sit" and "come" and "stay" and all those basic commands aren't directly related to giving up a valued item, sometimes it takes gaining control in all those basic areas before a dog will give up control with resources.  And by gaining control...I mean fully reliable obedience regardless of whether there is a leash on or not.  Spot fixing resource guarding without full obedience in the basics is often working backwards and won't give you the same success.  Because think about it...if she is in possession of something on her bed and is reliable at "Come" -- you would be able to call her over to you and she would come to you and that willingness to come on command reflects a different relationship and respect.  Does that kinda make sense?  I think resource guarding for her would better be fixed in a round about way...work toward excellent obedience in basics and the rest will come, if not immediately the much more easily.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

And of course, when you have reached a certain level of obedience training, you say drop it and they drop it, period, whatever it is.

[Adina P]

Yes =)  I've never had a resource guarder myself.  Boca picks up stuff around the house constantly frequently and is NOT sneaky so I yell "Drop it" from feet away and out it comes.  The kids were running around with an apple (which I don't generally allow as I try to stick to a 'we eat at the table' rule, but sometimes they get away with stuff) and suddenly the kids were not holding the apple and I got worried.  Sure, enough Boca walks by and I see an apple in her mouth. It is ridiculous how she doesn't even try to hide her naughty steals.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

LOL, ridiculous but nice!

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

I obviously have not reached that level with Cubbie  :(

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It's tough, and some dogs are tougher than others. My last poodle was impossible with this. She once got hold of a rib bone that she would not give up, and it was a cooked bone, so I had to get it away from her.

I had a hold on the bone, and pulled so hard that she was lifted a foot off the ground and still would not let go of it! I don't even know how I finally got it away from her, but it was not pretty. It actually would have been better if she had snapped at me, because then she would have had to relax her hold, lol.

[Jessica & Benny]

I think you (and Jane) are definitely right--basic obedience needs to be strengthened.  We've done the basic puppy class, but I'm going through it again on my own with the materials we got, because clearly I didn't do as good a job as I needed to.  She has sit and down solidly, but come is weak. I am working on reinforcing everything in hopes that this helps.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

Jessica don't feel bad.  a lot of us have a weak recall, but of course there are some people here on DK with an awe inspiring recall too (I'm not one of those people)    :)

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

Have you worked with a trainer at all on the resource guarding issue?  You mentioned that you have kids in the house so if it were me, I would find a good trainer and start working with him/her right away rather than just try on my own.  They can assess the situation and help you come up with some methods that will work for you and then of course you have to continue to practice them at home but at least they can help get you started. Cubbie went through a resource guarding phase but only with my husband.  I took Cubbie in to see one of our trainers (the one that we had for his CGC class) and while she was surprised that we were having this issue, she really helped us out.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I came in here hoping to ask the same question.

I took Spud to a dog park last Spring ( that LAST TIME) and he went over to a water dish and lied down to drink.  Another dog came along and he growled.  The dog proceeded again, and he growled. The third time,  he snapped at the dog.  We left.

So yesterday, we had a little romp in our yard. Another doodle, a baby pit, and Spud.

I brought out the water. Spud plopped down to one of two dishes. Of course, they all wanted the same dish.Repeat the same scene as above; Two growls and a mean snap. 

I'm thinking this is not resource guarding?  It is, " I am so thirsty. This is my yard, my bowl, my water first"  But later, the same thing happened with a ball.  Three balls.  But two doodles got in sniff.  A few good bites came into play. Is this guarding? Has Spud become an only dog?

We are getting a foster next week. Should I be worried my dog has changed?

I'm sorry, if I should place this somewhere else.  We are talking about guarding and it has been bothering me