# Puppy very possessive over rawhide



## Capt Jack (Dec 29, 2011)

I'd take it from her &put it on the floor between you & her & not let her get to it then pick it up & hand it to her & take it away again & repeat.I'm not a trainer or exspert but I had the same problem with Jack & this worked for me.If you don't do something now it will spread to other things like food & toys.When their 6 months & 50 lbs it gets frightining


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

I would remove the rawhide. Eight years ago, I observed something in my whelping box. When there were only four pups remaining, among the new things I introduced was a filled marrow bone. That bone was of such high value,that one of the boys in the litter got very aggressive. I instantly removed it and his owners never had a problem even when they got two more boys. I never want any of my dogs to practice aggression or possession all six dogs and four humans have to peacefully co exist.


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## edgard409 (Jul 12, 2012)

Capt Jack said:


> I'd take it from her &put it on the floor between you & her & not let her get to it then pick it up & hand it to her & take it away again & repeat.I'm not a trainer or exspert but I had the same problem with Jack & this worked for me.If you don't do something now it will spread to other things like food & toys.When their 6 months & 50 lbs it gets frightining


I do that with her food every day , and I will start to practice with her bone. I guess I am just in shock because she started it almost immediately after receiving the bone.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Please read the book, Mine! By jean Donaldson. By taking the food away, you are only teaching the dog that when you are near, the food goes away. You are creating food anxiety. Instead try hand feeding. I have never practiced taking food away from my dogs, but when/ if I had to, I could.


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## mommyof5 (Apr 20, 2012)

thanks. we're having this issue with macy and I've been hand feeding her. She has no issues with her food, only with bones and other food. I just ordered this book off kindle from amazon. Reading it tonight! Thanks.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

You also have to remember, a growl is a warning. If my dog was growling when I got near, my cue would've been to throw it away the second she moved away from it. Discussion closed, no more rawhide.


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## sameli102 (Aug 23, 2009)

I would not allow my dog to have anything that caused that kind of behavior. For some reason rawhide tends to do that. I can give mine marrow bones, which they love and they are great with them, but give them rawhide and something seems to take over them. So not allowed. I don't like rawhide dangers anyway though.


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## debra1704 (Feb 22, 2012)

I would not allow the pup to have rawhide ever again. Years ago, we gave our last dog (Bessie) pig's ears, and she acted like this, so I never bought them again. I just ordered Winter an antler- hoping it doesn't cause any resource guarding behavior (and if it does, it goes away).


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## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

I differ with most of the opinions above. By not allowing rawhide ever again, you would just postpone the problem to the next thing she might feel possessive about, not work on the issue. 

I would get two or three rawhides and teach her to trade one for the other. Sit on the floor with her, give the first rawhide, let her chew for only a minute or so, present the other one (act a bit excited about it if she does not lift her head from the first one), give her the second one, take the first one, repeat a couple of times then all the rawhide goes away and she gets her next favorite thing (thug toy, stuffy, a romp in the yard, whatever rocks her boat). Repeat a couple of times a day and extend the trading to all things - trade a ball for a stuffy, a stuffy for a rawhide, a rawhide for a filled Kong... you get the drift. 

The idea is to make her understand that you are not there to steal her more cherished thing, you are there to provide lots of different cherished things. The only time we had a negative reaction with the girls was with raw bones. Because they were trade trained, we could take those away without it ever going to growls. It was more like "Oh, you want that thing now and you got that other thing we like so OK, we are not going to get grouchy about it".

Hand feeding from the bowl or dropping added kibble or tidbits to the food bowl works on the same principle, why make a different choice when it comes to treats or toys ?


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

Capt Jack said:


> I'd take it from her &put it on the floor between you & her & not let her get to it then pick it up & hand it to her & take it away again & repeat.I'm not a trainer or exspert but I had the same problem with Jack & this worked for me.If you don't do something now it will spread to other things like food & toys.When their 6 months & 50 lbs it gets frightining


Not what you want to do. This problem is called Resource Guarding. There is a book entitled "Mine!" and you should really look into it. It is all about making your hands = good. While your dog is chewing something high value (which I wouldn't give rawhide btw) you need to drop lunchmeat, yummy treats, chicken, etc by the face. When your hand comes near, the dog should allow it and take the treat. Rinse, repeat x 100000. Hand feed all meals for the next several weeks. Kibble by kibble, it takes time but also builds that positive association between food and your hands.


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## Capt Jack (Dec 29, 2011)

Again I do not claim to be a pro trainer.I was only stating what worked for me.I rarely give advice on here & mostly ask & listen.All I can say is is that Jack is now 2 1/2 years old & if a small child he had never seen before wondered into the yard & took any treat he had away from him he would sit & wait for it to be given back.(this has happened)About 18 months ago I was the one posting this question so I know this problem all to well.But if there's a better way please do it your way & good luck.


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## Merlins mom (Jun 20, 2007)

When Merlin was a pup (maybe 4 months old) the receptionist at the vet gave me a rawhide when we were checking out. I put Merlin in the backseat and gave him the rawhide and we drove home. About halfway there (at a stoplight) I heard a gaggy cough. He wasn't choking but it worried me and I decided I should take it away from him. I reached back to take it and he growled/snapped at me. I was floored as he'd never showed me that kind of behavior. I immediately pulled over in a parking lot and got him out of the car. He left the rawhide in the backseat (as I had hoped) so I took it and threw it out when we got home.

I never gave him another rawhide and he has never shown that behavior again. He's fine with bones and toys, even around other (foster) dogs, and is not possessive at all. 

Just wanted to share my experience. Just because she growled at you over the rawhide doesn't necessarily mean she's going to be a resource guarder. But don't give her the opportunity to practice that behavior again.


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## kdurrett (Nov 29, 2011)

My 3 month old male puppy turbo literally jumped up and grabbed my 7 yr old son's arm when he came near the puppy that had a raw hide for first time. He broke the skin and left a giant bruise . Pretty scary coming from puppy. So this is what I did , I gave him another raw hide next day, again he growled. I held him by scruff of neck and said loud no, than I repeated and no growl . Than I gave him a piece of dog kibble in exchange for raw hide. I eventually fed him all week by hand practicing release of raw hide for kibble and had my son do it too. So far so good


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

Join the club. You are not alone. My Mercy was (and may still be) the same way over bully sticks starting at 3 1/2 months too. I don't understand what it is with Golden puppies having resource guarding issues.:yuck: I think it's because they feel insecure about something precious and valuable from them taken away and not trusting that you approve of her enjoying it. What I was taught was to use the trade command. I give her treats so she will willingly drop it. Then give the bone back so she will know that you care about her need to chew her bone. Mercy is better now in that she no longer grows and snaps at me when* I* take her bone like she used to, but will still occasionally growl at some people who come near her and her bone. Hope this helps.


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## edgard409 (Jul 12, 2012)

Merlins mom said:


> When Merlin was a pup (maybe 4 months old) the receptionist at the vet gave me a rawhide when we were checking out. I put Merlin in the backseat and gave him the rawhide and we drove home. About halfway there (at a stoplight) I heard a gaggy cough. He wasn't choking but it worried me and I decided I should take it away from him. I reached back to take it and he growled/snapped at me. I was floored as he'd never showed me that kind of behavior. I immediately pulled over in a parking lot and got him out of the car. He left the rawhide in the backseat (as I had hoped) so I took it and threw it out when we got home.
> 
> I never gave him another rawhide and he has never shown that behavior again. He's fine with bones and toys, even around other (foster) dogs, and is not possessive at all.
> 
> Just wanted to share my experience. Just because she growled at you over the rawhide doesn't necessarily mean she's going to be a resource guarder. But don't give her the opportunity to practice that behavior again.


Even though my pup might not be a resource guarder do you think it is still okay to practice all the things to prevent her from being one? Such as hand feeding her and the trading treats for the bone suggestion etc... Also how do i prevent the opportunity for her to practice the behaviour.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

edgard409 said:


> Even though my pup might not be a resource guarder do you think it is still okay to practice all the things to prevent her from being one? Such as hand feeding her and the trading treats for the bone suggestion etc... Also how do i prevent the opportunity for her to practice the behaviour.


The whole idea/purpose of hand feeding, trading, adding good stuff to the bowl, not taking the bowl away, is to show the dog she/he has no reason to fear losing what she has because she will (more often than not) get something better, or she will get something better AND get the item back. Your hands mean only good things happen. 
It is natural instinct for a dog to want to keep what it has, in the animal world keeping your food means survival. They all are born with the instinct but it may only surface when the dog has something it views as high value - like the rawhide, the raw bone, the stolen sock and it feels that the human or another dog is going to steal it from them. A puppy may be playing with a stick, another puppy may decide he wants the stick, the first puppy might growl or snap at the would be theif in order to keep the stick, the offender goes away. They know it works, and they practice it as soon as they are able, it is a skill they have in their toolbox for life. Some dogs never feel the need to guard from their humans, some dog are easily provoked, but the best prevention is to teach your dog that you can be trusted around their items of value.


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## Shalva (Jul 16, 2008)

Can we just also mention that rawhide in general is a really bad idea.... many dogs have died from rawhide blockages... there are so many other safe chewables that I would can the rawhide altogether....


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## Merlins mom (Jun 20, 2007)

edgard409 said:


> Even though my pup might not be a resource guarder do you think it is still okay to practice all the things to prevent her from being one? Such as hand feeding her and the trading treats for the bone suggestion etc... Also how do i prevent the opportunity for her to practice the behaviour.


It's definitely a good idea!!! Practice it with other toys and hand feeding is a great idea too. I would not give rawhides anymore though. Aside from the fact that you got this reaction from her, I just don't think they are safe and there are a lot of other options out there (Michigan Antler Art - Home). 

I'm not familiar with all the practices involved as Merlin isn't a resource guarder but there are many members here who have successfully dealt with this behavior and you've received some great advice!

At the time the incident happened with Merlin I didn't really worry that much about it (maybe because I didn't know much about resource guarding at the time). I just decided he wasn't going to have something that made him that possessive.


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## edgard409 (Jul 12, 2012)

Thank you all for your responses and support. I already see an improvement with the hand feeding, as she doesn't try to take off chunks of my hand to get to the kibble lol.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

I just never gave Mick rawhide. Didn't see the point or the benefit.


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## Heatherjfitz (May 4, 2012)

mommyof5 said:


> thanks. we're having this issue with macy and I've been hand feeding her. She has no issues with her food, only with bones and other food. I just ordered this book off kindle from amazon. Reading it tonight! Thanks.


 
We have the same issue with Isla, and we are all working on hand feeding her, and I never just "give" her anything. She has to earn it all, sometimes I hold her kong with treats inside and make her sit and eat the treats while I hold the kong... I've noticed improvements, but she is still showing resource guarding with my smaller kids, so I also installed the rule that she can only have treats on her own while she is in her crate. I'm hoping all the work I'm doing with her pays off!


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

I recommend Smart Bones. They are the healthy alternative to rawhide. They are made with real chicken and vegetables.


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