Dog growling

[anit]

HI, I have a 2yr old collie who has started growling and being aggressive. My husband nearly always goes to bed before me and toon sleeps on the bed with him when I come to bed later he growls and becomes very aggressive towards me the first time he did it was last week and again last night any idea why he has started to do this.

 

[gypsysmum]

It is called "resource guarding" and is a primitive instinct and not him being "naughty". He values his comfy place on the bed as a valuable resource and does not want to give it up.

The best way to deal with it is to teach him that good things happen if he gives up the resource. Get some really tasty treats and lure him off the bed with them. Do this several times and then add in a word such as "off". Do not turn it into a battle of wills just teach it to him like a new trick. You say off, he comes off, and he gets a fantastic treat for doing it.

You may have to quickly block his access to getting back on the bed so that you can get to it before him after he has come off. This might involve scattering some treats around the floor for him to go find while you get into bed.

Never challenge a dog that is guarding a resource. They do not know that it is "wrong" to do it. If they get challenged they can up their game and try harder to keep the resource by growling more or even going through with a snap or bite. This makes us back off and that makes the dog think that it is a successful strategy to use!

You may also want to think about keeping him out of the bedroom until you let him in when you go to bed. You could then scatter some treats around for him to find while you get in bed.

It is all about rewarding him for giving up what is, to him, a valuable thing and making it worth his while to do it.

Some dogs guard bones, toys, their bed etc. All of them should be taught that we are no threat to their resource and that they will get it back after they have learned to leave it for a short while.

Anyone really struggling with a resource guarding dog should seek professional help from a qualified behaviourist belonging to either COAPE or the APBC. Never challenge them and keep children well away.