Need some objective Opinion (Sorry kind of long)

[Edith & "Lucy"]

Lucy (10 month old) is a recourse guarding dog. That's what I was told by a behaviorist. The resources she is guarding are my husband and especially myself. Well with a lot of training and consistency we'll be able to conquer it. I have 2 girls age 5 and 9. The little one is consistently being nipped because Lucy thinks she is above her and the 9 year old sometimes but always when I am involved or my husband. She is guarding us and not our two girls. Just a little love from us makes her want to snap at our girls. Jealousy? She has never drawn blood so far. But my little one is constantly with her little face in the dogs face and wants to kiss her and love the dog up. I am telling her over and over again to not go so closely to the dog but …

Well, today I got to the end of my rope and called the behaviorist again. Lucy just snapped at my older daughter because the dog stood next to me and I was petting her and my older daughter wanted to chime in and pet her too. Well she snapped viciously. I told her NO and gave her a time out. We are starting to have more and more incidences and it scares me. It has been going on since we got Lucy at 8 weeks.

Well, Patti the behaviorist told me that in her objective opinion it would probably be a better choice to rehome Lucy. She wouldn't want to see our girls being harmed and scared the rest of their lives. My husband is kind of in denial until a while ago when I told him that we really have to do something with the dog. We have the dog's leash on at all times, she gets walked, played with, trained, sleeps in the crate at night, chases the cat around a lot still (we are working on that too).

I am really torn. I do love Lucy a lot and we are not the kind of people to give animals away. But I do have to protect my children.

BTW, Lucy is an F1b doodle. Could it be that they are more aggressive?

Thanks in advance for your input. Edith

[Leslie and Halas]

I don't have any different advice than what others have posted. But I wish you luck. I hope that it's something you can fix with training (or meds if she does have a health problem). I think you're doing the right things by getting her to a vet and by talking to a (or multiple) behaviorist.

[Adina P]

This is a difficult situation, I hope that with a vet workup you can at least get that part taken care of if there is a medical reason. However, I would keep searching for a trainer or behaviorist if the current one doesn't help. Find someone with a track record of success when it comes to human guarding that can list for your happy clients and is willing to let you talk with those clients. Honestly, the more I hear about people's experiences with trainers and behaviorists the more it seems the truly good and effective ones are few and far between. Good luck and keep us posted!

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

Cesar Milan could help. I have seen many episodes on this. I wonder if you can contact him. (e-mail?) I can tell you what would come instinctual to me and my dh....I will be all over Abby like a dirty shirt the first time she tried to pull a stunt like showing any sort of mean-ness or agression towards one of my kids. She would certainly think twice about curling an upper lip towards them. My min schanuzer/shitsu cross (RIP) tried guarding food and stealing food and sounded ferocious and rabid when trying to take it back from her (as a young puppy) I was actually scared of her! She got a hold of a chicken bone and I had to phone DH at work because she was so scary and I couldnt take it away from her. He grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and took it even though she was snarling at him. A few repetitions of him going Alpha all over her when she tried to pull this crap and he broke her of it. She became a very respectful dog. If we hadnt worked on her she would have become a monster. She growled and got mean towards the kids a few time and DH would come flying acroos the room grab her, flip her and yell NO in her face....He trained me to do this and eventually I didnt have to touch her at all. Just give her a verbal warning if she looked like she was threatening, and then it was like she would snap out of it and look sheepish, regretful.

[Edith & "Lucy"]

Thank you very much. I really appreciate all the recommendations and input. I do love her too much to give her up. We really have to try everything first.

[Lynne B]

This is such a difficult situation for you. I commend you on consulting with a behaviorist and for working with your dog, but since the dog just snapped at your child again, I would have to agree with the behaviorist..you just can't take a chance with your kids. perhaps you can call the breeder and explain the situation? Maybe they can find a home for the dog and try to give you a puppy that wouldn't exhibit this behavior. I don't think that F1b's are aggressive, most labradoodles that I have seen regardless of generation are not very aggressive at all, but it's just hard to say what caused this, if you get another dog talk to your behaviorist about what signs to watch for to stop this behavior if it should show up in another puppy

[2m42srv7vi6sq]

We had the same problem 2ith a Golden and he turned out to have a tumor that was pressing on his intestinal tract.

Go to the vet first...then make a decision.

[Debbie and Thomas]

I just read All of the comments and have to say that the people on this web site are the best arn't they? You have been given a lot of useful advice and it sounds to me that you love Lucy a lot. I really believe that she will learn quickly to participate with you and your kids with the proper training. She is a smart girl and if you let her know when she is behaving badly, she will learn to behave correctly. It may take some time-or maybe she will learn within a few weeks. I only wish our dog trainer was available to you-but we live too far away. I saw a really nervous, irritable, protective, 10 mth old labradoodle come into our puppy class one day. Our trainer worked with her for most of the hour, while the rest of us practiced the regular stuff with the assistant trainers. Within three weeks(we only meet once a week on Sat morn) so after only three 1 hr sessions, this doodle was allowing us all to pet her-no more snapping and sat with the other dogs in the class like the best behaved dog. Her family of course reinforced everything they had learned at home during this time. So I guess what I am saying is there is hope if you find the right trainer. I was also thinking that perhaps she should be socialized with other dogs-I mean often. (Dog parks, doggie daycare, etc) It seems to me that being with other dogs helps keep them more sociable. By this I mean that meeting other dogs helps them work out issues that only dogs have and I believe that this makes them more family friendly. After a two hour run at the dog park with lots of other dogs, maybe Lucy will not think it is "her job in life" to protect you and your husband as 1) she is exhausted and 2) she might be more approachable. Hope this makes sense to you as I am sure she is a lovely dog and I would hate to think that you had any regrets if you decided to rehome her which I am sure you will not do. Hoping it will all work out, Debbie and the doodle Thomas from Toronto

[Edith & "Lucy"]

I can't thank you enough for responding to my question. I got a whole lot of very good advise. I will be focused on getting Lucy better starting with a medical exam and daily training involving the kids.

I can't thank you enough. What a great website Doodle Kisses is. Thanks Adina ;)

Edith

[Sessa]

You have gotten really positive and encouraging advice! Take it to heart and make it happen!
It sounds like YOU DO have the right attitude and continued hard work with perseverance will see all this through--not only for your family, but also, for the sake of your beautiful doodle! Lucy has the capability within her to be the PERFECT family companion--she just needs guidance and the means to communicate properly--she is sooo young, nothing is set in stone!
May all this manifest into the changes you envision!
BEST OF LUCK!!

P.S. I just want to echo that involving the children in training is so vitally important--not just for establishing their position above the dog in the pecking order, but, also as a means to teach them at an early age to be pack leaders of their own--these are skills that translate into interacting with humans too! ALL THE BEST!!