"Dog was on the couch and son was on the floor?" So your dog is allowed in a position of power and authority over a human as a normal event?

Dog's should not be on furniture. In the dog's mind it conveys a higher position in the pack than anyone sitting lower. If getting on the furniture (especially without a specific instruction) is a norm you've essentially removed the shipping clip from a grenade. Your son's proximity to items the dog believes are his/hers then then in dog-land he/she has the authority to remind the lower ranking pack member of their position and proximity of "Their" stuff and you've pulled the pin.

One must learn how to live in a dog's world. It's earier for me to relate to my dog in dog terms than to expect my dog to relate to me in human terms. People who get that wrong drive their dogs insane and set themselves up for issues. If your son's face wasn't seriously mauled needing reconstructive surgery then the dog wasn't attacking it was simply asserting it's dominance, which it believes it has because it is permitted to sit higher than a human.

Yes I let my ninety pound GSD on the bed, but it's a treat, it's special, and it's never because the dog wants it.

This is tricky, because none of us can be sure this was not the rough play of a 9 month old pup. In any case, I would step up obedience and house manners training.

My 2 cents here. Sounds like it was a one time incident in a situation that was other wise quite normal. I would crate the dog after intense exercise for the rest period. The two activities seem to be related from the information given. If it happens again after this has been implemented then I would become concerned. At 9 months they are homonally challenged (normally) and testing limits.

I would also have my Son (with your direct supervision) reinforce dominating behavior ie picking up the food dish while the dog is eating or taking a toy away to be played with, walking out the door first etc. Reward after each successful event. If it is unsuccessful then step in with heavy pack leader correction and try it again. If you are concerned about it, leash the dog.

Assume your position of authority and set the dog up to make correct decisions. Just my 2 cents on it. Good Luck

 Quote: Melissa Hoyer

This is tricky, because none of us can be sure this was not the rough play of a 9 month old pup. In any case, I would step up obedience and house manners training.

Based on the OP's other thread, this makes a lot of sense.

 Quote: Polly Simpson

I would also have my Son (with your direct supervision) reinforce dominating behavior ie picking up the food dish while the dog is eating or taking a toy away to be played with, walking out the door first etc.Good Luck

Okay, I think this is a terrible idea.... These are all training techniques that are routinely used to make the dog MORE possesive of items, not less. Ever seen the Dutch train the object gaurd?

Just remove the valuable items when you're not directly engaged with your dog. No biggie, and nothing to fight about. Also, get her off the couch. Preserve your couch, and let her get hair all over her cushy mat inside the crate. Problem solved.

What it 'sounds like' to me, is that the dog was stalking around, trying to make a point with body language, which your son instinctively knew was some sort of 'problem,' so he cued in. That's why he was able to dodge the bite. Doesn't 'sound like' rough play to me. Sounds like a herding breed trying to control it's environment.

Your thread is apptly named, though, and I think you know what the problem is, which is why you called it that.

How's that for some phsyco-babble? lol

 Quote: Polly Simpson

I would also have my Son (with your direct supervision) reinforce dominating behavior ie picking up the food dish while the dog is eating or taking a toy away to be played with, walking out the door first etc. Reward after each successful event. If it is unsuccessful then step in with heavy pack leader correction and try it again. If you are concerned about it, leash the dog.

This is actually a really good way to create some major resource guarding issues. The dog is liable to get quite possessive if his food is randomly taken away from him. I'd only take food away from a dog is it eating it might hurt the dog in someway.

If you want to reinforce who's in charge, the dog gives you the desired behavior before they have food/toy/whatever they want. The Nothing in Life is Free method. But once they earn whatever, it's theirs. With my dogs I make them wait and give me eye contact before I release them to eat.

 Quote: michael_wise

 Quote: melissa hoyer

This is tricky, because none of us can be sure this was not the rough play of a 9 month old pup. In any case, I would step up obedience and house manners training.

Based on the OP's other thread, this makes a lot of sense.

Had to look for that one...sounds like the problem is escalating

I would love to hear about anyone's experience with true dominance in a nine month old pup to the point of an "attack". My bet is this dog has poor bite inhibition and poor house manners.

"I would also have my Son (with your direct supervision) reinforce dominating behavior ie picking up the food dish while the dog is eating or taking a toy away to be played with ... "



I need to comment on this too.


Give the dog the food and leave the dog alone.

Maybe one one of the biggest shifts in many shelters' protocol around food-guarding behavior is to stop perpetuating it by threatening the food that you have given the dog.

Yes, I am the pack leader, and yes, I can remove food from my dogs' bowls or their mouths, but a huge part of this is that I practice a very strict policy of "give the dog his food and then let him eat in peace."

http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/298478/page/0/fpart/1

http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/264372/page/0/fpart/2

 Quote: melissa hoyer

 Quote: michael_wise

 Quote: melissa hoyer

This is tricky, because none of us can be sure this was not the rough play of a 9 month old pup. In any case, I would step up obedience and house manners training.

Based on the OP's other thread, this makes a lot of sense.

Had to look for that one...sounds like the problem is escalating

I would love to hear about anyone's experience with true dominance in a nine month old pup to the point of an "attack". My bet is this dog has poor bite inhibition and poor house manners.

I still agree with your earlier assessment that this is a tough one to ID on the Internet. I could very easily see this as rough puppy play being misinterpreted as something sinister.

The descriptions are vague, and I'd really like to see some of this caught on video, or a professional give an on site eval.

 Quote: michael_wise

 Quote: melissa hoyer

 Quote: michael_wise

 Quote: melissa hoyer

This is tricky, because none of us can be sure this was not the rough play of a 9 month old pup. In any case, I would step up obedience and house manners training.

Based on the OP's other thread, this makes a lot of sense.

Had to look for that one...sounds like the problem is escalating

I would love to hear about anyone's experience with true dominance in a nine month old pup to the point of an "attack". My bet is this dog has poor bite inhibition and poor house manners.

I still agree with your earlier assessment that this is a tough one to ID on the Internet. I could very easily see this as rough puppy play being misinterpreted as something sinister.

The descriptions are vague, and I'd really like to see some of this caught on video, or a professional give an on site eval.

This sounds like a pushy dog who has been allowed to set her own rules.

I would probably be looking for a trainer (who would be interviewed before ever getting a hand near my dog), and in the meantime I would be reading on the LB site about pack structure and I would practice NILIF in every aspect of the dog's life.

JMO!

Also: Just remove the valuable items when you're not directly engaged with your dog. No biggie, and nothing to fight about. Also, get her off the couch. Preserve your couch, and let her get hair all over her cushy mat inside the crate.

Yes.