Quote: Scott Garrett

Lauren, have you read the e-books about pack structure here on Leerburg? If not, click the the free e-book link on the left of the page.

I have read it several times, a lot of the advice is stuff I have already been doing since she was 9 weeks old. The DVD is on order right now and should be here any day, hopefully it will cover some details that I may have missed.

 Quote: Scott Garrett

For example, my wife tries to do everything with him the same way I do but, she puts herself more on a playmate level in general so he shows her a fair amount of disrespect.

Would you mind giving an example? I'm curious if I may do some of the same things without realizing it.

Over the past two weeks my dog has growled at me twice. The first time she was being pushy about playing and I wouldn't participate. The other time while she was chewing on a bone and I pet her.

Last night she flashed her teeth when she was laying in front of the door and I made her to move.

All three of these incidents were very quick. I didn't even realize that she did it until a moment after, so they went ignored rather than corrected.

Just out of curiosity, some of this has happened since I moved to a new place. She seems to have settled in well, so I don't think the upset of moving is an issue. We are in the same neighborhood, on the same street. The routine hasn't changed.

This apartment is furniture challenged, and I have not been able to find a couch that will fit through the living room door! I have been sitting on the floor more than ever. Do you think that this might move me closer to equal in her mind?

Just a couple of brief suggestions....

If she gets too pushy about playing, I'd let her cool her heels in her crate for a while. How often do you play together and what are you doing for playtime?

If she's growling about a bone, maybe she should only get the bone when she's in the crate? Or make her play with it in another room so she doesn't feel the need to be so possessive. Are her bones and toys down on the floor where she always has access to them?

And the part about flashing her teeth when you made her move-- that would have just earned her some quality close tethering time. I still let my Dom drag his leash in the house. If he gets a little testy and starts to focus on his own agenda too much, I grab the leash and he stays in a 4 foot bubble around me for the next few hours until the message sinks in.

Think of it in terms of Jurassic Park where the raptors spend allllll of their free time testing the electric fence for a weak spot. That's how I would describe a dominant adolescent dog. Just testing, testing, testing, waiting for the one day where they find a breach in security!

These things are almost to a 'T' things that I went through with my bitch at that age, or perhaps a little bit younger.

 Quote:

Over the past two weeks my dog has growled at me twice. The first time she was being pushy about playing and I wouldn't participate.

She has a drag line on inside, and a long line on outside at all times, correct? IMO, this is something that you should correct for, with a 'Knock it off!' or 'Enough!' and a good pop. If she does this when you are ending a play session, move right into a quick obedience session with her before you end the play session. This will bring her drive down a bit and put you back in control.

 Quote:

The other time while she was chewing on a bone and I pet her.

Well, the simple answer is, don't do this! If she has a bone, she should be in her crate and allowed to have the bone uninterrupted. Alternatively, don't give her bones. If you need to take a bone from her, trade her for something else.

 Quote:

Last night she flashed her teeth when she was laying in front of the door and I made her to move.

This one is the most troubling, and I will leave it up to more experienced members to respond. If it were me, I would be going back to NILIF (nothing in life is free) and crating would become a big part of my dog's life again.

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I have been sitting on the floor more than ever. Do you think that this might move me closer to equal in her mind?

Yes, IMO. Get a chair or whatever and get up off the floor.

All three of these incidents so caught me off guard that I didn't even know they happened until a moment later! Now that I know in the future I will be much quicker to correct her for it.

The bone thing especially. I have always pet her when she was chewing on them without any reaction, not even a glance. It makes sense to me to just give her space from now on. I don't have kids so I don't have to worry much about it.

Good idea for doing obedience after play! I have always done it before playing with her. What you say makes total sense. When we play she plays nicely, if we tug she outs when I tell her and bring the toy back to me without hesitation. Same with the ball. The problems start when I'm done playing and she's not. I will try that.

If she is initiating play in a bossy way she goes in the crate.

 Quote: jessica pedicord

Just a couple of brief suggestions....

If she gets too pushy about playing, I'd let her cool her heels in her crate for a while. How often do you play together and what are you doing for playtime?

Almost all of our play is toy focused, mostly to avoid wrestling and mouthiness. Balls and occasionally tug. We only tug if she follows the rules, the second she gets the idea in her mind of not bringing the toy back or outing on command it gets taken away and the game ends. I also do a lot of "Wait...... Take it!" with her.

We also do lots of fun marker training games.

 Quote: jessica pedicord

Think of it in terms of Jurassic Park where the raptors spend allllll of their free time testing the electric fence for a weak spot. That's how I would describe a dominant adolescent dog. Just testing, testing, testing, waiting for the one day where they find a breach in security!

This is too funny, and completely true!

 Quote: lauren jeffery

Would you mind giving an example? I'm curious if I may do some of the same things without realizing it.

...

This apartment is furniture challenged, and I have not been able to find a couch that will fit through the living room door! I have been sitting on the floor more than ever. Do you think that this might move me closer to equal in her mind?

Sure thing.

She frequently gives him toys and will throw a toy for him when he's being pushy, without making him work for the reward. She tends to sit on the floor more than I do and she gets him riled up. She also used to turn herself into a toy, according to the Bernard Flinks Building Drive dvd, by running around with him or enticing play with a pseudo play bow. I don't do any of those things with him.

Here's an example of how he greets us. He walks up to me with his ears back, will nudge and/or lick my hand, and then sit down to calmly wait for me to pet him. He walks up to my wife with his ears up, nudges and/or licks her hand, then paws or mouths at it, and if that doesn't work he'll jump up on her lap.

Also, about sitting on the floor. Duke doesn't really like it when I do. It automatically makes him feel like he has to be submissive. I laid down on the floor about two weeks ago to see if I could him to cuddle with me. Instead, he peed and belly crawled after I laid down. I can only imagine he thought I was showing him my belly and wanted no part of a dominance challenge. He's willful and independent but, he never challenges me...which leads me to a thought, more in a second. Other people are challenged, if he's on his territory, if they keep eye contact for more than a second or two.

We buy Duke these little $1 stuffed toys at WalMart so he can tear something up occasionally. I can reach down and take stuffing out from under his head and he doesn't pay any mind. If I touch the toy he drops it and waits for me to do something with. Here's where my thought comes in. I've been doing the Bernhad Flinks tug training for about six months and it really builds his confidence that he gets to keep his toys until I say "all done". With his tug I stopped telling him to "drop" completely except for the end when we're inside (yes, I play tug with my dog inside), outside I let him carry it until he drops it on his own at the door. With his toys I always trade him a small handful of food after I say "all done" and take the toy away. The only toy he has full access to is an extreme xl kong that lives in his crate. This carries over to bones, bully sticks, or rawhide bones. Like This Video Shows, either my wife or I can reach in and pick anything up from him without challenge. We don't bother him at all while he has a chew, though. He stays in his crate.

 Quote: Lauren Jeffery

We only tug if she follows the rules,

Hi Lauren,

i would hold off on any tugging games for now.
Especially with a dog that sounds like she's trying to test you.

You say that you play until she doesn't follow the rules, but even just one time of not following the rules is going to be a win in her favour (by that I mean, if she doesn't release to you when you say and wins the game)

I would also agree with some tethering for now. Just so she knows that she has to follow your direction, there is no question.

Keep up the Marker Training & NILF. Make sure you are following NILF in all aspects though, every good thing that's coming her way she has to work for, even a belly scratch, or petting. Make her sit first and earn the reward.

Don't give up, sounds like she's just being a bit of a brat for now. this too will pass...lol