Possessive, kleptomaniac puppy?

[TwyfordM]

This is the face of a horror ... who I adore

Just turned 9 month old griffon called Rodney, who I've known since birth. Helped the little menace survive birth (c-section because he was enormous!) helped him bond with mum because she was ready to reject the monster single pup. Then saw him multiple times a week (at work) until he was ready to come home. Although he was a single pup he was socialised with a litter of pups that were two weeks older so had "siblings" but never had to share mum, and I think .. came to view me as "his" from day one which is cute, but has turned into possessive boyfriend type reactions and behaviour as he's grown

He's very well behaved for me 9/10 times, but has a very naughty streak! Super friendly with people, absolutely loves to be cuddled and have all the fuss, but will death stare out/attack any other animals that look my direction. He gets told off for this, and Miek our other dog who's just over a year old winds him up constantly by jumping on my lap for attention/is now sleeping on top of me to wind him up

He does the serial killer/anger management stare ..
We watch their behaviour together as they are bros and get on fantastically 99% of the time, but Rodney is bigger and stronger so we step in if they get a bit too carried.

He's also become a bit of a kleptomaniac, stealing things to hide, I have no socks left so I need to move my bed as I think his hide is under there
This has evolved into chewing things too (millions of toys but he wants the Tupperware )

He's getting the snip soon which I hope will help, wanted to wait a bit longer but I think lowering testosterone will help. I'm also going to try and find an outlet for him like agility etc but don't want to start too young due to joints etc

But any other tips would be appreciated, he's the first dog I've had that behaves like a stereotypical dog ironically. Miek and the greyhounds are all a little "special" frankly I think Mieks the dog equivalent of autistic so he doesn't do anything remotely dog

I love him to bits and his antics make me laugh most of the time but we need a little reining in now

 

[skinnydipper]

Don't laugh at him or reward him with attention.

Why do you think castration will help?

 

[TwyfordM]

Don't laugh at him or reward him with attention.

Why do you think castration will help?

They're both entire, I gather the hormones don't help

Don't outwardly laugh at him, take myself away if I feel the need as realised pretty quickly he loves any kind of reaction.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I'd start treating him as if he were a big dog, the fact that he is small means he is getting away with things because they seem cute/funny.
The only thing castration will guarantee is that he will have no balls.
If you are telling him off and he is continuing the behaviour, then whatever you are doing does not mean anything to him.

Most 'protective/possessive' dogs are either protecting themselves/their own space or are treating the person as a resource/a thing, it's not something I find endearing and it has nothing to do with the human perception of 'love'.

Do not allow him access to the things he is stealing. I say that as someone who had a dog who had to have major surgery after swallowing a balled-up pair of tights. If he swallows a sock, being so small, it could be catastrophic.

So overall I would suggest a bit more control/consequence/boundaries, get more involved rather than relying on the removal of parts of his anatomy, stop thinking of this behaviour as cute/funny and start treating him as if he were a large dog who has the potential to hurt you/other animals/himself if he is allowed to continue.
With a nine month old dog you have a window in which to fix this before it escalates and you have the added benefit of him being small, so you won't go to hospital if he tries to fight you

I would expect a little kick back to boundaries if he has been allowed to do his own thing for nine months. This is why putting them in place from day one is fairer for everyone.

 

[TwyfordM]

I'd start treating him as if he were a big dog, the fact that he is small means he is getting away with things because they seem cute/funny.
The only thing castration will guarantee is that he will have no balls.
If you are telling him off and he is continuing the behaviour, then whatever you are doing does not mean anything to him.

Most 'protective/possessive' dogs are either protecting themselves/their own space or are treating the person as a resource/a thing, it's not something I find endearing and it has nothing to do with the human perception of 'love'.

Do not allow him access to the things he is stealing. I say that as someone who had a dog who had to have major surgery after swallowing a balled-up pair of tights. If he swallows a sock, being so small, it could be catastrophic.

So overall I would suggest a bit more control/consequence/boundaries, get more involved rather than relying on the removal of parts of his anatomy, stop thinking of this behaviour as cute/funny and start treating him as if he were a large dog who has the potential to hurt you/other animals/himself if he is allowed to continue.
With a nine month old dog you have a window in which to fix this before it escalates and you have the added benefit of him being small, so you won't go to hospital if he tries to fight you

I would expect a little kick back to boundaries if he has been allowed to do his own thing for nine months.

I'm going to have a move around of furniture as he climbs from beds onto draws and then into washing baskets and tips them, by the time you've heard the thud and got to the room he's made off with stuff and hidden it, ideas for blocking off under beds appreciated as he's a bit of a bulldozer and knocks boxes out the way etc you think it's puppy proof then he proves you wrong again!

 

[TwyfordM]

He's very responsive to training, been taught to ring a bell to go in the garden etc very food motivated, it's just the minute I turn my back

 

[CorvusCorax]

My idea is that it should not be physically possible for him to do any of this. You have to adapt your surroundings to the dog to help keep them safe sometimes. My old dog has to be in a crate or a secure kennel if he is not with me/I cannot watch him, so that he does not pinch or choke to death on things/do stupid stuff.

 

[misst]

I'd start treating him as if he were a big dog, the fact that he is small means he is getting away with things because they seem cute/funny.
The only thing castration will guarantee is that he will have no balls.
If you are telling him off and he is continuing the behaviour, then whatever you are doing does not mean anything to him.

Most 'protective/possessive' dogs are either protecting themselves/their own space or are treating the person as a resource/a thing, it's not something I find endearing and it has nothing to do with the human perception of 'love'.

Do not allow him access to the things he is stealing. I say that as someone who had a dog who had to have major surgery after swallowing a balled-up pair of tights. If he swallows a sock, being so small, it could be catastrophic.

So overall I would suggest a bit more control/consequence/boundaries, get more involved rather than relying on the removal of parts of his anatomy, stop thinking of this behaviour as cute/funny and start treating him as if he were a large dog who has the potential to hurt you/other animals/himself if he is allowed to continue.
With a nine month old dog you have a window in which to fix this before it escalates and you have the added benefit of him being small, so you won't go to hospital if he tries to fight you

I would expect a little kick back to boundaries if he has been allowed to do his own thing for nine months. This is why putting them in place from day one is fairer for everyone.

This was some of the best advice I was ever given years ago with my first dog. A super cute tri coloured small JRT. She was adorable but I was told from day 1 she shouldn't be allowed to misbehave just because she was cute. She was the best behaved puppy and dog I ever owned as I was so determined to do right by her. I totally adored her, still miss her and my mum used to be horrified as I would say Bed! if we were eating and she tried to beg. She went straight to her bed until we'd finished. Small terriers do need firm boundaries. You can still secretly worship the ground they walk on. I could take her anywhere and never worry she'd misbehave. She had a good loving exciting terrier life and loved everyone to death.

A crate is essential and mine are not usually crated after the age of about 18 months to 2 years and they are allowed on furniture as they get older but know "off" and "no" . If there is possesiveness even now they go on the floor immediately.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I'd start treating him as if he were a big dog, the fact that he is small means he is getting away with things because they seem cute/funny.
The only thing castration will guarantee is that he will have no balls.
If you are telling him off and he is continuing the behaviour, then whatever you are doing does not mean anything to him.

Most 'protective/possessive' dogs are either protecting themselves/their own space or are treating the person as a resource/a thing, it's not something I find endearing and it has nothing to do with the human perception of 'love'.

Do not allow him access to the things he is stealing. I say that as someone who had a dog who had to have major surgery after swallowing a balled-up pair of tights. If he swallows a sock, being so small, it could be catastrophic.

So overall I would suggest a bit more control/consequence/boundaries, get more involved rather than relying on the removal of parts of his anatomy, stop thinking of this behaviour as cute/funny and start treating him as if he were a large dog who has the potential to hurt you/other animals/himself if he is allowed to continue.
With a nine month old dog you have a window in which to fix this before it escalates and you have the added benefit of him being small, so you won't go to hospital if he tries to fight you

I would expect a little kick back to boundaries if he has been allowed to do his own thing for nine months. This is why putting them in place from day one is fairer for everyone.

Totally agree.
I got a raised eyebrow from a good friend when I was having a word with litte D (she is now 1, this was when she was 6 months old) and asked why I was dealing with her like a 'big dog' as she's soooo tiny and cute. My response was no, I'm dealing with her as a dog. Same way I bought up my previous dogs, firmly and not blurring any lines.

OP, have you a solid playpen to pop him in for quiet time out? Deny him access to anything he likes to steal.

 

[druid]

I'm going to have a move around of furniture as he climbs from beds onto draws and then into washing baskets and tips them, by the time you've heard the thud and got to the room he's made off with stuff and hidden it, ideas for blocking off under beds appreciated as he's a bit of a bulldozer and knocks boxes out the way etc you think it's puppy proof then he proves you wrong again!

Close the bedroom so he no longer has any access is the easiest answer.

I agree with CorvusCorax, treat him like he's a GSD doing these things. I see too many small dogs allowed to get awya with hell because they're small.

 

[SaharaS]

sounds like classic resource guarding to me, I've been thru it with several livestock guardians and it can be simple as a person, inanimate object or imaginary leaf / space.
I have had the best results with positive reinforcement based in all training, but too much to unpack there for a quick reply other than highly recommend ignoring the bad, praising the good(highest value tasty wages get quickest ingrained results) its mainly down to (cunning & devious) management and thinking ahead to create an environment he is set up for success in..but I would highly recommend a book (think its on amazon e version) called MINE!by Jean Donaldson.

it can be immense with a big dog 50kg plus dong this...but even more scary with tiny ones sometimes as they often use max force sooner to make up for their tiny size ( why many roughly doughty army malinois handlers will run for the hills from an old lady wielding a chihuahua that makes Satan start praying...maybe dont let him read that incase it ads a sense of extra demon to his skills... its not going to be quick but install the right groundwork & you'll train a solid reliable dog in time...

hopefully see you in one piece on the other side!!

oh and as others said, any reaction is a win to him

 

[TwyfordM]

sounds like classic resource guarding to me, I've been thru it with several livestock guardians and it can be simple as a person, inanimate object or imaginary leaf / space.
I have had the best results with positive reinforcement based in all training, but too much to unpack there for a quick reply other than highly recommend ignoring the bad, praising the good(highest value tasty wages get quickest ingrained results) its mainly down to (cunning & devious) management and thinking ahead to create an environment he is set up for success in..but I would highly recommend a book (think its on amazon e version) called MINE!by Jean Donaldson.

it can be immense with a big dog 50kg plus dong this...but even more scary with tiny ones sometimes as they often use max force sooner to make up for their tiny size ( why many roughly doughty army malinois handlers will run for the hills from an old lady wielding a chihuahua that makes Satan start praying...maybe dont let him read that incase it ads a sense of extra demon to his skills... its not going to be quick but install the right groundwork & you'll train a solid reliable dog in time...

hopefully see you in one piece on the other side!!

oh and as others said, any reaction is a win to him

He grew up with chi's and poms ironically

He doesn't bother me whatsoever, I'm used to both teeny and large and everything in between, but these two are the first I've had from day dot. Any resource guarding with food/toys and they both get firmly put in their place, he's always the one that gets taken off my lap/bed etc if they start grumbling at each other because he doesn't want to share me. Miek only does it with very high value food/treats, doesn't have the attention span for anything else, where as Rod holds a grudge!

There's an 9 week Pyrenees at work who's just coming out of her shell and settling in, puts Rodney into perspective

 

[Clodagh]

I wouldn’t let him decide who sits on your knee, and no death stares allowed.

 

[Amymay Again]

I wouldn’t let him decide who sits on your knee, and no death stares allowed.

Death stares should definitely not be allowed.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Definitely start treating him like a big dog . Our first Lancashire heeler over 30 years ago was a horror , doing things I would never have allowed my GSDs to do . The penny eventually dropped with me and she had a few sharp , life lessons and soon became a delightful little dog .