HUGE PROBLEM..Roxy bit my wife

[MuttMike]

Roxy has a food aggression issue. Everytime someone gets close to her while shes eating, she growls. She has bitten my daughter while she was putting down her food a while ago and has growled numerous times at my boy as he walks by while shes eating. We have kind of a rule not to mess with her while shes eating to avoid any problems.

Today, she was sitting by the table on the floor and putting her paws on a chair to see what was on the table (smelled the food). We finished dinner and the kids were sent upstairs as I was walking to the kitchen with the dishes, my wife saw her trying to jump on the chair to get on the table. She told her no and instructed her to go upstairs. She wouldnt budge. Normally she pretty good at listening. She told her again and walked toward her. She got off the chair but wouldnt move. So she attempted to grab her collar to "nudge" her along upstairs. Well, Roxy turned and bit, pierced my wifes hand in between her thumb and index finger. While my wife was rolling in massive pain almost to the point of fainting, Roxy ran upstairs to her crate and has not come out since.

What in the world do I do? This type of behavior is TOTALLY not accepted and we both realize that getting rid of her is very much a strong possiblity but what is destroying me is the fact that they will put her down...PLEASE someone help, we are really torn, upset, dissapointed and distraught over this. :confused:

[dr2little]

Roxy has a food aggression issue. Everytiome someone gets close to her while shes eating she growls. SHe bit my daughter while she was putting down her food and has growled numeroius tiems at my boy as he walks by.

Today, she was sitting by the table and putting her paws on a chair to see what was on the table. We finished dinner and the kids were sent upstairs as i was walking to the kitchen with the dishes, my wife saw her tryign to jump on the chair to get on the table. SHe told her no and instructed her to go upstairs. SHe wouldnt budge. She told her again and walked toward her. She got off the chair but wouldnt move. So she attempted to grab her collar to "nudge" her along upstairs. Well, Roxy turned and bit, pierced my wifes hand in between her thumb and index finger. While my wife was rolling in massive pain almost to the point of fainting, she ran upstairs to her crate and has not come out since.

What in the world do I do? This type of behavior is TOTALLY not accepted and we both realize that getting rid of her is very much a strong possiblity but what is destroying me is the fact tht they will put her down...PLEASE someone help, we are really torn and distraught over this. :confused:

Resource guarding can be a frightening and dangerous issue but it is correctable. It also sounds like your dog could use some additional training and a gentle lesson in leadership is in order.
First, this is a problem that does require help from a trainer/behaviorist (certified) with experience with resource issues. While I and others can give you advice on here, this is much too serious an issue to be corrected over the net.
Resource guarding IS correctable but management and safety are imparative while training takes place.

I would be happy to help you to find someone qualified to help you in your area. There are some posts/threads on this forum that may also help, I'll go dig them up and post them for you.
A good book to get is this one http://www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB740 ....I would order it today, but it does not take the place of professional help.

edited to add - Here is one link with a bit of advise - http://www.chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42722&page=2&highlight=food+possession+guarding

[MuttMike]

i am in Miami Florida. Is there a good percentage of success with correcting this?

[dr2little]

i am in Miami Florida. Is there a good percentage of success with correcting this?

There is, but of course it depends on compliance and consistency. I've gone to some pretty bad cases, some where the dog has gotten to the point of attack if you go within 20 feet of "his" guarded object. Don't get me wrong, this is serious and does take work but with safety plans put into place before the work starts, it can be done....we do it all the time.
How old is your child/children? When did the guarding start? What items are guarded and does your dog guard people or spaces (growl when moved off beds/furniture)? What corrections if any have you used for your dogs warnings (growling, lip curling) and how do you presently take objects from her or do you just leave her alone when she has something. How old is the dog and is she intact and healthy?
I'll go and send out some emails for professionals in your area, in the mean while the answers to the above questions will help me to give you more specific interm advise.

[dr2little]

Check your PM box, I sent you a trainer to try....he's not actually in there but his number is;)

[silverpawz]

In the mean time, while you're waiting to find a trainer to work with. Keep a leash on her in the house so you can use that to move her if needed. This will keep anyone from having to take hold of her collar. Just pick up the leash instead.

[MuttMike]

My daughter is 16 and my son is 10.

Guarding started about a year and a half or so ago. She only growls and/or lip curls with food or chewing bones which we stopped giving to her because she would take it to her crate and would not come out and growl when approached.

We usually just take something from her and say NO! and just take it. For example she'll grab a sock while we are folding clothes and we say no and take it from her either out of her mouth or sometimes she'll drop it when we say so. She always runs to her crate with something and i just reach in there and take it.

She is about 3 years old. She is healthy and is "fixed".

[dr2little]

In the mean time, while you're waiting to find a trainer to work with. Keep a leash on her in the house so you can use that to move her if needed. This will keep anyone from having to take hold of her collar. Just pick up the leash instead.


That is very important^^^!

[dr2little]

My daughter is 16 and my son is 10.

Guarding started about a year and a half or so ago. She only growls and/or lip curls with food or chewing bones which we stopped giving to her because she would take it to her crate and would not come out and growl when approached.

We usually just take something from her and say NO! and just take it. For example she'll grab a sock while we are folding clothes and we say no and take it from her either out of her mouth or sometimes she'll drop it when we say so. She always runs to her crate with something and i just reach in there and take it.

She is about 3 years old. She is healthy and is "fixed".

OK, so your kids are old enough for you to be able to safely manage their interaction with her while training progresses. This is great news, it's a much stickier situation when you have toddlers in the home.

You're right to stop giving her bones for now. Did you read the link to the thread that I posted? I wrote a post on some exercises to work on including hand feeding. Contrary to what we used to think, guarding can and often does transfer to other items/objects so removal of her current triggers (chew bones) won't solve anything.

The fact that you take things from her tells me quite a bit. While it is very common for people to think that this should be just fine to do, for some dogs it can create or increase a resource guarding problem. From now on, no matter what she has, you should trade her for something more valuable. A squeek toy for a sock for example. Using a drop it command and lots of praise. This is not bribery but rather an exercise to help her to feel more comfortable releasing items.

Also, as Silver suggested, she must wear a leash at all times (while supervised) so that if you MUST move her, you can do it gently using her leash and again lots of praise for compliance (even if you had to move her yourself). Oh, and no more reaching into her crate. Close the door if it becomes a problem..

Please read the forum link, I'll check back in a bit.

[MuttMike]

I cant give her anything because she'll destroy it within a day. I tried buying a pad or 'mattress' for her crate and when i returned from work, it had a hole in it and the stuffing was everywhere, which included im sure so in her stomach. So for that reason i havent bought anything for her.

[dr2little]

I cant give her anything because she'll destroy it within a day. I tried buying a pad or 'mattress' for her crate and when i returned from work, it had a hole in it and the stuffing was everywhere, which included im sure so in her stomach. So for that reason i havent bought anything for her.

Having her leash on at all times may also pose a problem for you then unless you get the metal link line and watch that she doesn't try and hurt her teeth.

What about trading for treats then. It is preferred that you trade object for object but if she's that distructive then you just may have to use a treat.
edited to add - you may be better off anyway as anything that you do give her that she finds interresting may be another opportunity for her to guard it. Treats may just be your best option for now.
The whole point is to help her to feel that there is reward (value) in handing something over and no threat in having things just taken from her. When we snatch things away from our dogs we essentially teach them that next time they had better be more careful to hang onto them (resource guarding).

[Rubylove]

There are a number of toys on the market specifically designed for power chewers like Staffies etc. They are hard core industrial strength rubber and they cannot be destroyed. I have two dedicated chewers (they ate my Foot Spa, once) and these toys are just amazing.

They also have extra heavy-duty Kongs for destructive chewers - made out of sterner stuff than the regular Kongs. They're the black ones and they're not too expensive, and worth every penny.

[MuttMike]

Problem is with giving her a toy is she gets into the resource guarding mode and will most likely take it to her crate...follow me?

[dr2little]

Problem is with giving her a toy is she gets into the resource guarding mode and will most likely take it to her crate...follow me?

If you look at my last post, I highlighted an edit that I added after some thought along those lines..
Treats may be your best bargaining tool. Small, pea sized, yummy treats for trading.:)

[Rubylove]

If you look at my last post, I highlighted an edit that I added after some thought along those lines..
Treats may be your best bargaining tool. Small, pea sized, yummy treats for trading.:)
Agreed. Treats will give her an instant distraction/reward without giving her something to run off with and guard. Perhaps later, once you have worked with her more and she is getting better, you could try a toy and see what she does.

[MuttMike]

SHe is somehwat of a concern but my wife is what im more worried about. SHe had to take a pain pill for the bite. The dog almost completely pierced the other side of her hand, in other words, in one end and ALMOST out the other...Weird thing is, she not really bleeding too much...

[Julie]

A puncture wound from an animal can easily get infected.
Keep a very close eye on that! :)

[Doberluv]

She should go to the doctor to get antibiotics and a tetanus shot. I was badly bitten by a dog once and had multiple puncture wounds on my forearms, wrists, throat, neck along with a few gashes requiring stiches and like Julie said, dog bites, especially puncture wounds which don't bleed much are VERY prone to infection. I hope she feels better soon.

You're in good hands with Dr2little. I have nothing to add as far as the traing information goes. I do wish you all the best.

[sam]

Good luck Mike. Resource guarding is a changeable problem if handled carefully and correctly. I haven't read through the links Dr2 gave you but I trust her advice implicitly. Keep us posted.

[bubbatd]

I feel so sorry for you and your wife . Luckily you have excellent pros here to help you . My only comment is to lurkers ...... if you ever see this starting to happen with your dog , don't think it's a phase ! Nip it in the bud !

[showpug]

So sorry to hear you are experiencing this with your dog.

I just wanted to emphasize that when people say bite wounds are prone to infection, they mean it! Very serious and at times, limb threatening infections can come from puncture animal bites! Doctor asap!

[Buddy'sParents]

There are a number of toys on the market specifically designed for power chewers like Staffies etc. They are hard core industrial strength rubber and they cannot be destroyed. I have two dedicated chewers (they ate my Foot Spa, once) and these toys are just amazing.


Do you have any links that you could provide to back this claim... I've got two male dogs that say they can get through anything! :D

To the OP: so sorry about your situation... I don't have any advice, but Doc gave you some good stuff. ;) Best of luck to you.

[Miakoda]

Check your pm's, Mike. :)

[MuttMike]

THanks to all with their advice and kind words, havent had time at all to contact vet or pro about issue. SHe has been fine but i still plan on addressing this.