New rescue dog - toy possessive/growly

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Oldred

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Apologies if this has been covered lots before, but any advice for a new rescue I hope to have this week. She's a terrier cross and sweet but shown to growl with a squeaky toy - at my other dog and humans. We got the toy off her with a treat. The dogs home seem not to know a lot about her behaviour.

How should one treat a dog like this? Any experienced dog whisperers out there?
 
she may be playing. Our terrier does this because he wants you to 'pretend' to want it and growls when you try and take it off him. But the growling is different to when he means it (the little bugger).
 
As suggested terriers can be very vocal when playing, as other breeds, this can be seen as a form of communication and friendly play, esp if the dog is wagging its tail, it is a good idea to swap for a treat and give a command i.e leave to teach her to release/give up the toy when instructed.

I woud however with a new rescue arrival work with simple training and general discipline before allowing toys, this way when it comes to a different stage i.e playing with toys she will have atleast have learned some basic manners and will know what she can and can't get away with.
I would deem it natural for a dog to growl at another over a toy, but not acceptable to a human esp if they mean it and have a posessive issue.
Firstly work on er recall offering her treats for coming to you and gradually put in a sit command then treat her after the sit.
When you get around to the toy stage work with her one on one, when you ahev mastered the recall it may be easier for you to call her back after retrieval of a toy, ask her to sit, then swap her for a treat.

Never leave her to add lib to toys, allow her to have supervised play time with you, this way you can use every playtime as a little training session, she will be less likely to become possesive if she has toys all to herself and she has nothing to do to actually get them or give them back...bit like a spoilt kid
grin.gif
 
Super - thanks for that. Reassuring about growling at my dog but no so reassuring she's growling at humans then? Having said that, what a strange and stressful situation she is in. Going off to give her another visit now and will try to get more feedback from the kennel staff.
 
I had 10 years of playing 'take it off me then....no don't take it off me!' accompanied by lots of really savage sounding growling with my old rescue dog Jake, who was the softest dog I've ever known but very vocal with his toys. It's hard with a rescue to know if he means it or not but you'll learn in time. Meanwhile don't let any children near him while he's got a toy.
 
I would second that - so far I have had 5 years of growly toy games with my rescue lurcher, but unfortunately he DOES mean it, as no-one has ever taught him to play and he gets 'beside himself' and carried away

I am just very, very careful when we do play - a football is ideal, he can grab one side and I can get the other whilst staying out of harms way!
 
Be careful with this and take it slowly. It can be a game but it can also be insecurity and related to pack status. You need to swap one squeeky for another so that the one you have is more interesting than the one she has or swap for food as you have done. Initially do not try to rush just take it slowly - you may find teeth imprints in your hand if you rush things. Terriers have BIG personalities and can be more resistant/challenging to train.

It will also help to teach a "leave it" command start with an object not already in the dogs possession. Have the dog further away and the object or treat close to you. Say "leave it" as you place it on the floor, if she goes towards the treat pick it up, eventually she will get fed up and not move and just look at you at which point massive praise and walk towards the dog and give the treat. Once this command is mastered use the command to get the dog to drop what it has and when it does treat (hence the dog is now actively choosing to swap in response to verbal command). The treat must be of higher value than the toy. You can expand this further to the retrieve by telling the dog to leave an object when thrown and then use a release command to send the dog on.

Is the dog OK around it's food bowl and bed??
 
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