dog growling

[jimmy]

Why do some dogs do this a little back ground on my situaction, I'm looking after a rottweiler and 6 weeks in she's been fine apart from the first couple of days when she had a football inside and got aggro so that had to go.

Now shes been having a tennis ball inside which as been fine, so today after a 3 hour walk and a laugh with her, I give her the football which she has had inside now and then with no problems but today she got aggro again (god know whats going through her head).

Do some dogs just do this I will add that she has'nt had the football for some time inside but I felt we got over this (it's my dinner **** of mate) lol.

Any advise agian much appriceated.

[bbkng]

Hi,

I think there will be more experienced advise but a growling dog no matter over what is not acceptable. You should work on this.

How old is she? and is she also aggressive over other stuff? For instance does she let you play with her food when she is very hungry? or let you pet her when she is tired?

For the time being i would start to exchange the ball with a treat she loves and give lots of praise afterwards for letting the ball go...

[lizzybeth727]

Haven't you said that she's worse about not letting go of balls when she's tired? I think a three hour walk would probably tire her out.

I think we've talked about this, but when she has a toy, and you try to take it away from her causing her to become aggressive (growling, running away, etc.), this is called resource guarding. She has a resource (toy) that she knows you want, but she doesn't want you to take it away. This is VERY common - in fact it's an instinctual behavior in dogs and does happen more often than not. I'd guess that about 95% of dogs will show some form of resource guarding at some point in their lives.

Like we said before, the easiest way to stop resource guarding is to not give your dog access to the resource. But if he does have it, you can trade for something else, which I understand you're doing with other balls.

[jimmy]

Hi yes the thing is with the tennis balls she was fine at first outside then she would not give them back outside, then after a while i just left them out for her inside and she lost intrest in them once I ignored her when she had them.

the football was just a little weird as I give it to her and done my cleaning but she just started grawling for no reason really. I was'nt looking at her or trying to take the ball away.

Anyway no balls inside full stop, we now at the moment use a football outside and she plays with for a while then looses intrest in it so it's no problem getting it back. And if does become I problem I'll get a tennis ball out and trick her and get the football back.

I have been more strict with her and I "think" she gets it.

Thanks again.