My dog gets "aggressive" with toys around other dogs

[rebeccamonchon]

I have a 11 month old dog (mixed) found on the street beaten up. She lived in different homes at the age of 6 month and finally i took her in. Before her heat she was very curious and always nice to other dogs and played really good around them. Now we got a shepphard (2 year old) from shelter, in the beginning they fought over food and toys which i know is normal and then after a while it calmed down and now they can share toys. But around other dogs in parks example she starts growling (with teeth) at the dog if one is having a toy, and also if people throw snacks around them. Is this normal? And how can i teach her to be able to "share"? and not aggressive while others have toys? Or is this impossible?

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hello Rebecca Monchon,

Welcome to the forum. It is great to hear you have opened your home to a dog with such a sad past. She is very lucky to have you. Good to hear that now your two dogs can share toys.

 

The changes you have seen in personality are not unusual. Many dogs get along well with other dogs at parks and play dates during puppyhood and then as they reach doggy adolescence and social maturity, things start changing. You can read more about the adolescent stage here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/survive-dogs-adolescent-stage/

 

Just to clarify: is the growling taking place when she is in possession of a toy or food or when the other dogs are in possession of it? To answer your question, I don't think your dog is acting "abnormally" as countless dogs growl when there is food or toys and other dogs around; however, this is a behavior that we do not want a dog to rehearse because it can escalate and lead to squabbles and sometimes even serious fights. Of course, these unpleasant situations can be easily avoided by simply avoiding areas where trouble like that may be brewing. This brings to the next question: Is this a regular park or a dog park? Many dog parks have strict rules of no toys, treats, food allowed so to prevent potential fights among dogs.

Edited August 25, 2018 by Adrienne Farricelli

[rebeccamonchon]

Thank u for the quick reply!

 

She will start growling when she sees a dog with another toy, and be more "aggressive" when she is in the possession of a toy and another dog comes close to her. Today i went to a dog park where she played good with other dogs and could even get treats from another man and that the other dog also could take the treat. As soon as other dogs came she also played fine with the dogs (the only thing is that she can become a bit barky and growling a bit, but i dont see it as aggressive), then a women started throwing treats to all the dogs so that they could all get, sometimes she didn't react to it but the problem was that she played where the women throw the treats so that there became a small aggression in this area. Also when a women threw a ball to her dog, my dog started growling and showing aggression because i think she wanted the ball.

Also on a cabin where my family wanted to play with sticks my dog took one and another dog came over to take the stick, then she bit the other dog (luckily someone held her while this happened so the damage was only minor).

Is there any way to train this? Or should i just prevent this by not going to the park.

In my opinion this shouldn't be legal that they throw treats and toys but i think this rule is not here so that i cant prevent it.

 

Normally i think she plays very nice with dogs otherwise when no factors are involved even though she became a bit "bitchy" towards some dogs, but quite few.

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Thank you for the further details!

 

Honestly speaking, I would avoid putting dogs into situations that may deteriorate, and the one where the woman is throwing treats to all the dogs would make me nervous as I can see the potential for a fight to erupt (even among dogs who are not normally resource guarders), because there's just too much competition going on. If your dog gets along well and plays well with other dogs when there are no toys or food around, I feel it would be better to look for a dog park that has stricter rules about feeding dogs and bringing toys or a potentially better option may be finding a few dogs that match her energy levels and play styles and organizing some fun "play dates" with them. Of course, while always keeping in mind avoiding putting her in difficult situations that she may not know how to handle well.

 

Now, a disclaimer is warranted here: there are always chances for possible altercations as we never know when a resource may 'pop up' from no where, even in a dog park (think the carcass of a dead bird or a leftover sandwich wrapper carried by the wind). A plan should be in place to cover these instances. For example, should a child playing nearby accidentally toss a ball close to a group a dogs, the owner should be able to redirect the dog before an accident happens by calling the dog. I find that a strong recall at a dog park is a must for several reasons, whether a dog is about to engage in bullying behaviors, a dog is being pestered or there is an opportunity for resource guarding or some other sort of problems.

 

To answer your question, yes, there are ways to curb resource guarding between dogs but it would take implementing behavior modification in a very controlled setting and that is definetely not in a dog park. This would entail managing every session very carefully and preventing as much of possible rehearsal of the problematic behavior especially in the inititial stages.

 

To work on the issue of resource guarding toys or food from other dogs, therefore it would be necessary to work with the resource guarder under threshold, starting from a distance far enough that the dog is relaxed with the other dog being around, despite the presence of a resource, and then, in time, distance can be gradually decreased. Behavior modification in this case mostly entails preventing rehearsal of problem behaviors and creating positive associations to situations that triggered mild resource guarding in the past.

 

Behavior modification for resource guarding against other dogs usually entails desensitization and counterconditioning with the goal being teaching the dog who resource guards that the approach of other dogs makes great things happen. For safety, both dogs should be on leash and held by two different people. With time, after some reps and correct implementation, you would expect seeing the resource guarder beginning to relax and the expression should change from being worried to actually looking forward to the other dog coming near.

 

Most dog owners would require the aid of a behavior professional (veterinary behaviorist, behavior consultant using positive behavior modirifaction methods) for safety and correct implementation at least to get started. Until then, prevention is neccessary by not providing anything a dog finds valuable when other dogs are near, and with good management so that the resiurce guarder doesn't have a chance for rehearsing the behavior, or worse, getting to steal chews/toys from other dogs which will only further reinforce the behavior. Albeit the fact that positive changes can be seen in resource guarders using behavior modification, there are never guarantees that the dog will be able to apply what he or she has learned in these controlled settings to a place like a dog park where there are often stranger dogs and variable dynamics.

 

 

Following are some resources explaining some behavior modification terms more in detail:

 

Under threshold: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/

Desensitization:https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/desensitization/

Counterconditioning:https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/counterconditioning/

Edited August 27, 2018 by Adrienne Farricelli

[rebeccamonchon]

Thank you so much Adrienne for the answer :) Its good to know that its not just me that gets nervous and that people just shouldn't do this in the first place, im always feeling so overprotective and nervous but in these situation i know how things can end up and i would rather avoid it like u said! I will try to find some trainers where I live to train this with her so that she gets less sensitive around these situations, but for the most parts i will keep away where i know people bring toys and snacks :)

 

Can i also ask you, as i said before that we also have another dog where i live (in Slovakia), and they got mostly used to each other, but now i have been back to my home country for 2 months and will go back there soon again and then they will live with each other again.

I just wanted to ask you regarding the food and toys. They got used to having toys laying around and never fought of it, but what i noticed is that in some situations they all of a sudden fought feks if me and my boyfriend were eating than my dog thought we gave food to the sheppard and they had a fight (with teeth and some wound but not serious at all). But this came out of no where, so i just wanted to hear your thoughts about this and if we should always just hide food and everything. Maybe we can try to use the methods that you described over with these two also but as they already think its okey and it just happens in certain situation out of no where im not sure exactly what to do. Its a bit hard because my boyfriend thinks dogs just should solve everything themselves, but im not agreeing with this as i think we should see situations and separate them before things happens and rather teach them whats right and wrong.

Edited August 27, 2018 by rebeccamonchon

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Thank you so much Adrienne for the answer :) Its good to know that its not just me that gets nervous and that people just shouldn't do this in the first place, im always feeling so overprotective and nervous but in these situation i know how things can end up and i would rather avoid it like u said! I will try to find some trainers where I live to train this with her so that she gets less sensitive around these situations, but for the most parts i will keep away where i know people bring toys and snacks :)

 

Can i also ask you, as i said before that we also have another dog where i live (in Slovakia), and they got mostly used to each other, but now i have been back to my home country for 2 months and will go back there soon again and then they will live with each other again.

I just wanted to ask you regarding the food and toys. They got used to having toys laying around and never fought of it, but what i noticed is that in some situations they all of a sudden fought feks if me and my boyfriend were eating than my dog thought we gave food to the sheppard and they had a fight (with teeth and some wound but not serious at all). But this came out of no where, so i just wanted to hear your thoughts about this and if we should always just hide food and everything. Maybe we can try to use the methods that you described over with these two also but as they already think its okey and it just happens in certain situation out of no where im not sure exactly what to do. Its a bit hard because my boyfriend thinks dogs just should solve everything themselves, but im not agreeing with this as i think we should see situations and separate them before things happens and rather teach them whats right and wrong.

 

You are very welcome! I like you plan. Just to clarify, more than a dog trainer, you will need a behavior consultant. Dog trainers work on training behaviors (sit, down, heel etc) dog sports etc, while behavior consultants work on behavior cases and the field of changing emotions. Now, there are many dog trainers who also offer behavior consults, but behavior consultants have made the area of behavior their area of specialty, hence why many dog trainers refer behavior cases to veterinary behaviorists or certified applied animal behaviorists.

 

I agree with you on the fact that dogs shouldn't be allowed to solve issues among themselves.This method of thought has left many dogs injured, veterinary blills and dog owners upset. Now, in some cases of resource guarding, there are often minor squabbles around resources, but these are just noisy affairs and nobody get hurt. Although loud, these cases may not always require professional intervention as the dogs are engaging in ritualized aggression (a way to ultimately avoid real aggression, dogs "using their words") and that's a form of communication just as sometimes children fights over a toy. However, there is always risks for things to escalate and this often happens if the other dog gets defensive towards the resource guarder rather than "apologizing" and retreating.

 

I tend to be a proponent of reducing areas of conflict also to reduce the chances for stress in certain contexts and areas of the house. You are correct that in this case, the same methods of desensitization and counterconditioning would likely be applied. Things can get challenging though when there is no predictable antecedent. In behavior terms, an antecedent is what happens right before the behavior takes place. In other words, it's the trigger. A predictable trigger facilitates behavior modification because it provides the opportunity to recreate a similar circumstance but in a less threatening matter with the dog under threshold.

 

Therefore, for example, let's say Dog A is the resource guarder and Dog B is the victim. If fights would occur most of the time around the dinner table when you and your boyfriend are eating, a sample of behavior modification would entail something as such: Dog B is kept on leash nearby the table and fed food (not necessarily food from the table to discourage begging, but just on a mat nearby the table), while Dog A is on leash at a distance held by a behavior professional and fed food as well just a split second after. Several reps of this take place over the course of several sessions. After several trials, Dog A should start looking forward to Dog B being fed food because it has become a predictor that Dog A will be getting food too. With time, more sessions are conducted at gradually closer distances, up until the dogs can be kept nearby with no tension. The ultimate goal may be to set up a nice dinnertime routine with both dogs laying on their mats. Dog B gets a long lasting treat to chew on like a bully stick and then Dog A also gets a bully stick. Dog A learns that when Dog B gets a bully stick, he will get a bully stick too and starts looking forward to it. Both dogs must learn a solid down stay and to not get off their mats until released by the owner. Care must be taken to avoid conflict after being released from the mats as sometimes one dog may want to check the others' area for leftover crumbs.

 

Here' another example of behavior modification for resouce guarding: owner is cooking and Dog A approaches in the kitchen looking for food. Dog A is not fed any food until Dog B comes into the kitchen too. First sessions require both dogs on leash. Dog A is on leash and Dog B is on leash. Every time Dog B is brought into the kitchen, food is fed first to dog B, then to dog A. When dog B is not in the kitchen no food is ever fed. Dog A eventually learns that food happens only when Dog B is present.

 

Of course, these above are just examples and only the behavior consulutant coming into the home to assess the behavior can assess which method would work best or may suggest some totally different methods. In any case, strict management (preventing access to resources) may be necessary in the meanwhile and a back-up plan for emergencies where one dog or both dogs are taught to respond quickly to a cue so to interrupt them quickly before there are chances for fights. All dogs in the household should have a fluent response to training cues so to have the situation better under control.

 

As mentioned, though, there may be some cases where no major intervention is needed. Sometimes when dogs are new to each other, they need to establish what roles they play in their relationships and after a few squabbles at first then things just tend to adjust. However, sometimes things do escalate and often times it's because Dog B decides to become defensive one day or perhaps the resource at stake is too valuable to let go. There are several dynamics that can take place, hence why having a professional assess the situation in person is often the best option for safety and correct implementation of behavior modification.

Edited August 27, 2018 by Adrienne Farricelli

[JMFS]

Thank u for the quick reply!

 

Today i went to a dog park where she played good with other dogs and could even get treats from another man and that the other dog also could take the treat. As soon as other dogs came she also played fine with the dogs (the only thing is that she can become a bit barky and growling a bit, but i dont see it as aggressive), then a women started throwing treats to all the dogs so that they could all get, sometimes she didn't react to it but the problem was that she played where the women throw the treats so that there became a small aggression in this area.

 

Each dog park I've been to specifically states that food is prohibited. Common sense should prevail, but alas, it does not and so we have rules. Alas (again, because I rarely get to use the word), folks tend to walk Right past those ever-so-wise rules with nary a glance at them and allow their dogs to go merrily bounding into the fray. Most dogs are a-okay, but there are always those special cases. Gertie wouldn't care one wit if there were treats and other dogs. Momo would likely end up in a fight. I would definitely move both of my pups away from anyone doling out treats.

 

I'm with you on the resource aggression - Momo can be a jerk. My ultimate solution was simple and stress-free: he doesn't get long lasting treats or toys when he's around other dogs or children. After 8 years of special treat deprivation he's no worse for the wear so I'm here to share with you that even if your girl remains grumpy about these things she can live a satisfying life. :) I've tried so very many things and short of hiring a behavior trainer nothing's worked; he's simply a sour grape, but he's My sour grape. :D I haven't given up, but I don't know if he'll ever learn that no one wants his stinky, slimy, dirt covered, drooled upon chews and toys! Well, Gertie might, but her tastes are questionable (she occasionally sneaks a bite of the cat's hairballs or petrified frogs . . . gag).

 

I'm glad you posted about your issue - the answer was a good read and gives me food for thought.