# Snarling at child



## Brydean (Apr 3, 2008)

It's been awhile since I've posted here. But I'm back with a new question. We have a lab mix approx 3 years old. Have had her just under 2 years. She was a rescue. We have always sort of assumed, that she had been abused at some point in her life. She is missing most of her tail and her front leg had been broken and not set. For the most part she is a great dog. Very docile and patient. But, there are certain things that will set her off. One thing we have never been able to stop her from doing, is getting into the trash. I swear you could offer her a steak in one hand and trash in the other, she would go for the trash! LOL
So once or twice when my husband her I have been chasing her out of it, she has snarled. Only over trash, you can take anything else from her, she doesn't care. Even once she is away from the can she doesn't care. I have taken a chicken bone out of her mouth with no problem. 
A few other times when she hasn't wanted to do something, she has snarled at one of us. But, never the children.
But, what happened this morning made me nervous. She is not allowed on the furniture most of the time. At night though, she gets her blanket on the couch and she is allowed to sleep there. She never even tries to get on any other time. This morning my son came out and sat down on the couch. Not even right next to her. This is nothing unusual. She suddenly sat up and started snarling at him and did a lunge. At that point my husband lost it, he smacked her on the back side and I put her outside. I'm thinking she should lose her couch privilege immediately. 
I get upset if she snarls at my husband her me. But, snarling at one of the children is not to be tolerated. 
Is my idea to move her bed immediately a good one, or will she get more upset over losing her spot. TIA


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## MissMutt (Aug 8, 2008)

Your dog has a resource guarding problem. I personally feel that the best way to stop it is, like you said, to remove the dog from the situations that prompt the behavior. 

So, no, she should not be allowed on the couch. You should begin to implement NILIF with her. That may mean having her work for every single bit of kibble she receives for dinner. She will have to sit before being let outside. She will have to lie down before being given praise and pets. You get it.. eventually you may allow her back on the couch, but she is only to come up when invited, not on her own, and she should get off when you tell her "off". She should not be made to think that the couch belongs to her.

I would also consider putting your trash can to somewhere she cannot get it.. some folks keep it in a cabinet under the kitchen sink. Or perhaps trying a higher can with child-proof locks. Allowing her to continue to go into the trash cannot be helping this guarding behavior and can be dangerous for her from a medical/digestive point of view.

I know what your husband did was kind of a knee-jerk reaction, but please do not punish this behavior with anger and physical contact. It will only make the situation worse and may make the dog feel like she needs to guard her things even more.

Lastly, I always suggest this for fear/aggression-based behaviors.. have you had her checked by a vet recently? Changes in temperament can point to physical issues and/or pain. A blood test and thyroid check might not be a bad idea, either, just to be 100% sure that there are no medical causes for her behavior.


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## NRB (Sep 19, 2009)

I'm no expert. More experienced people will come on here and help you. 

BUT usually problems arise with lack of consistency. I feel that if you want the dog off of the couch 90% of the time then it is best for everyone that you actually keep her off the couch 100% of the time. Clear set rules are so much easier to follow than wishy washy ones. 

The growling at the garbage sounds like resource guarding to me. The garbage MAY have been her only source of food before she came to live with you. And maybe she used to have to fight for her right to eat the garbage in the past. 

I understand your concern and anger over your dog snarling and lunging at your child on the sofa. But hurting the dog in that instant, while she is in that state would only make the dog more unsafe. 

All of this is just a gut feeling of mine, and I really am no expert. I hope that you can get help.

edit; MissMutt posted while I was typing. She has great ideas.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

Agree with both above posters. Magpie came to us with a severe guarding problem, and an extremely sensitive nature otherwise. She lived in a garage with many other dogs and was horrendously bullied over her food. Came to us very emaciated. Never had a soft place to sleep. She spent most of her days sleeping on our bed, and we never had a problem with her. Then my boyfriend's brother walked into the room. She immediately snarled and lunged at him. Fortunately my boyfriend was there to intercept. All couch and bed privileges were then taken away and NILIF was in full force. Don't think it is easy to do, especially with a rescue you already feel awful for, but it's important they learn they are in a place where these things are there for them and they don't need to fight to have them. 

You need to block access to the trash, and start games of trade with her food, even if she does not show guarding over said food. Make sure she earns EVERY thing she gets. Give her a bed that is her and make sure your child understands that that is where she sleeps and she is not to be disturbed while there. 

I know it was a gut reaction, but please do not respond to aggressive behaviors with aggression. I have been bit by one of my dogs, and while working out guarding problems with Smalls and Magpie I have been snapped at. It's scary, but I have never laid a hand on either of them. They need to learn they are in a place where they are safe.

Agree with both above posters. Magpie came to us with a severe guarding problem, and an extremely sensitive nature otherwise. She lived in a garage with many other dogs and was horrendously bullied over her food. Came to us very emaciated. Never had a soft place to sleep. She spent most of her days sleeping on our bed, and we never had a problem with her. Then my boyfriend's brother walked into the room. She immediately snarled and lunged at him. Fortunately my boyfriend was there to intercept. All couch and bed privileges were then taken away and NILIF was in full force. Don't think it is easy to do, especially with a rescue you already feel awful for, but it's important they learn they are in a place where these things are there for them and they don't need to fight to have them. 

You need to block access to the trash, and start games of trade with her food, even if she does not show guarding over said food. Make sure she earns EVERY thing she gets. Give her a bed that is her and make sure your child understands that that is where she sleeps and she is not to be disturbed while there. 

I know it was a gut reaction, but please do not respond to aggressive behaviors with aggression. I have been bit by one of my dogs, and while working out guarding problems with Smalls and Magpie I have been snapped at. It's scary, but I have never laid a hand on either of them. They need to learn they are in a place where they are safe and not have a reason to fight for things. Your dog doesn't understand it's inappropriate to growl at you or your kid, or which will be more tolerated. It's not even the person that matters, it's what they're guarding.


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## Brydean (Apr 3, 2008)

Thank you for the replies. The couch will now be off limits. We never should have given in, in the first place. It just always seemed that no matter what we put on the couch at night to block her. She just crawled under it or knocked it off. So we gave in and let her sleep up there. Now its time to take control again.

As for my husband smacking her. I do realize, that's not the way to deal with her. I don't know if any of the responders have children. But the same instinct that causes her to guard her things. Will also cause a parent to guard their child! Believe me a large 50lb. dog lunges at a child, the parenting instinct overwhelms the pet owner, good training techniques every time!

Physically, she has been checked and is fine. Except that sometimes when she gets up in the morning her leg is stiff. Which could also lead to her being cranky in the morning. I've been told she will need arthritis medication by the time she is 5.

I wish I had a good place to put the trash, I just don't. I've tried a couple different types of cans to keep her out. The one I have now, works for the most part. Unless someone doesn't put the lid down right. Or its starting to overflow. But that is a whole other forum (annoying husbands!)  I have made it VERY clear to my husband that he is not to yell at her when it is his fault, because he hasn't taken the trash out.

I just want to make sure that these issues are kept under control now, before they get any worse. She is really good dog most of the time. I've even grown to like the crazy mutt. I'm not a dog person, never have been. Am I allowed to say that here?? LOL But, she has been a good dog for me to start with! LOL


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

If you can't move the trash, just be more vigilant about taking it out. Also, there are different kinds of cans you can get that are basically impossible for a dog to open. Ours is metal topped and almost vacuum seals itself shut, so if they even flipped it it would not open. 

No one is getting down on you for protecting your child. I protect the dogs like they're kids.  Just the smack following and being thrown outside is a bad idea. We can all get physical in the heat of the moment. I have personally kicked another dog who was trying to get at Jonas, and once Smalls attacked Magpie quite badly and every thing I knew went out the window and I just grabbed her by the scruff and sent her skidding across the floor. 

By physically OK do you mean blood work and thyroid? A vet will NOT run those tests unless specifically asked to do so. Smalls has thyroid issues that caused aggression, and the vet kept saying "She's in perfect health!" before I asked for the blood tests. 

This is a good place to be! There are lots of great stickies in the training forum (including NILIF and how to curb guarding behaviors) I would also look into a good behaviorist in your area that can come out and help you.


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## MissMutt (Aug 8, 2008)

You can also try adding some bitter apple flavor or deterrent (they sell these kinds of things in the pet store) to the trash and purposely let her get in to it a couple of times so that she sees it tastes bad and won't want to eat it anymore.. 

But yes, we always empty the pail here if we know we're not going to be home.. not that my dog is much of a trash grabber, but she has done it a couple of times..


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

For the limping, start the dog on a Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM supplement. You can buy pills for people in the vitamin section of grocery stores or pharmacies. Give one pill a day in her food or a piece of cheese/liverworst/cream cheese.

Get her a dog bed of her own, and teach your son that thet is her place. If she is there, he is not to approach her. I believe all dogs should have a safe spot that is theirs, so if they are tired of play/attention they can go to their quiet spot.


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

To expound on what nikes said about glucosamine... I would actually suggest a liquid that you can get right at wal mart or costco by a company called wellesse... it has the theraputic levels of glucosamine, chondroiten and MSM (An anti inflamatory) and you only need to give 1 tablespoon a day for maintentance doseage. Double up your first 2 weeks then cut back. When using a liquid there is a lesser chance of allergic reaction because of binding agents used in pills plus it gets into the system A LOT faster than pills. 

To help keep the dog out of the trash. Bitter apple and tobasco did nothing for my assertive trash can picker. Chinese Hot mustard did tho. Also keeping a can with a lid and a bungee cord over it helped for those overnight times or when we couldn't be there to watch 24/7. Also to help keep her off the couch when you can't watch... we got those clear plastic runners at family dollar with the little nubby teeth in the back and put it onthe couch teeth side up. This "scat mat" kept even my dane from going up on the couch at night while we were asleep.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Well, I think that at night when it is sleeping time this dog ought to be crated (this removes access to the trash AND the couch). No more free access to the house unless you are right there with her. 

All the rest is good.. NILIF... make her work for every thing she wants.. including going outside, eating, getting in the car and any other thing SHE wants to do. Sit before going out the door. Sit or lie down before getting in the car. Dinner time, sit and wait until released to eat out of her bowl. 

You should be able to pick her bowl up in the middle of a meal and set it down with NO problem.


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