Hello again,
As i mentioned in a earlier post I am picking my GSD`puppy up the first week in Febuary. I have a 3 year old Pomeranian with a god complex. He is a spoiled brat. Well, as I wait for Febuary I surf this website every minute I have. I have ordered Marker training DVD and Your Puppy 8 Weeks to 8 Months DVD.
Anyway, to the point, from what I have looked at it seems I may have a dominance problem with the Pom. He will steal something, turn and look at you with it and runoff as soon as you try to get it. It was looked at as funny and cute until I started to read. Not all the time but sometimes he will growl at you when you do try to take it. He will also do the samething sometimes with his chew toy. He has NEVER tried to bite. I dont want/need this behavior when the GSD gets here because I forsee a dead Pomerainian.
Please advise what to do. DVD mabey?

Meet Monkey the theif!
"Yep, I got it! Now what?"

I would start a "Nothing in Life is Free" program with the him. Anything he wants, he needs to earn.

Before he goes outside, he needs to sit, before he eats he needs to sit and give eye contact, before you pet him have him do something for you (doesn't need to be much, just a sit or down). This is an easy, no conflict way to reinforce the fact that you are in charge of everything and therefore the boss.

I'd also be working on marker training and basic obedience with him. I think the issues you're having with him are happening more because they were allowed rather than him actually being a dominant dog.

As far as grabbing an object an running with it, it could just be that he's trying to start a game with you. Dogs seem to love chase games and if you've chased him in the past, well, it was rewarded enforced so he continues to do it. So in turn teach him to bring or trade with you. This can be easily done with marker training. Start with a low value object and offer to trade it with a high value treat - most food driven dogs will spit that thing right out in favor of a bit of meat or cheese!

When he growls I'd pick him up and crate him/ignore him for a few minutes. How have you reacted in the past when he growled? If you've backed off he's learned that growling gets him what he wants so he does it.

It sounds to me like you've got a dog that is possibly displaying some dominant behaviors, but mostly because he's been allowed to. I'm guessing that if you institute some rules and boundaries and teach him what you want that these behaviors will go away.

"I dont want/need this behavior when the GSD gets here because I forsee a dead Pomerainian."


Besides everything advised above, please don't have the idea in your mind that this dog and the new pup need to interact on their own anytime soon. They do not.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

"I dont want/need this behavior when the GSD gets here because I forsee a dead Pomerainian."

Besides everything advised above, please don't have the idea in your mind that this dog and the new pup need to interact on their own anytime soon. They do not.

What she said!

My advice would be to start now with a serious program of working on the Pom's manners, beautifully outlined by Mara, above. When the two dogs are ready for interaction with each other, down the line a ways, it will need to be supervised, supervised, supervised!

Thanks for the advise.

When he growls I'd pick him up and crate him/ignore him for a few minutes. How have you reacted in the past when he growled? If you've backed off he's learned that growling gets him what he wants so he does it.

He gets a stern "NO" and the item is taken from him. I have never backed down from him and he has never snapped or anything.


Besides everything advised above, please don't have the idea in your mind that this dog and the new pup need to interact on their own anytime soon. They do not.


I dont plan on letting them interact alone for a long while, if at all. I have had a GSD before and know the power they have and dont want the little guy hurt. We had him at a friends the other night with an adult dog he has known for a whle and a new puppy. He would acually defend the older dog and try to push the puppy around in the house. Outside he and the puppy would run and play like old friends.

I just recievedthe 2 DVDs I ordered. One being the marker training DVD. I am waiting on some other things as well. I tried to watched the DVD tonight on my car laptop but it wont play it. Go figure!

Thanks again for all the advise. Now its my job to use it!

I highly recommend John Bradshaw's book, "Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You A Better Friend to Your Pet". He brings together the latest information from research on domestic dogs and ways we can improve our relationships with them. Bringing his theories into play has been helping us build a more joyful, affectionate relationship with our dogs, enjoying their companionship first, while we help them adjust/adapt to the constraints of living in modern human society.

 Quote: Troy Baker

. I tried to watched the DVD tonight on my car laptop but it wont play it. Go figure!

Thanks again for all the advise. Now its my job to use it!

Which DVD is it? Does it play on other devices? TV?

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

 Quote: Troy Baker

. I tried to watched the DVD tonight on my car laptop but it wont play it. Go figure!

Thanks again for all the advise. Now its my job to use it!

Which DVD is it? Does it play on other devices? TV?

Marker training and 8weeks to 8 months. Both play on the devices in the house. Im sure the laptop just doesnt have the drivers. I keep it kinda slim because I only use it for business

Did you just recently purchase the DVDs? I know I can access the DVDs that I purchased and watch them on this website. I had to send an email to Bobby to get her to set me up for it though.

 Quote: Debbie Martin

Did you just recently purchase the DVDs? I know I can access the DVDs that I purchased and watch them on this website. I had to send an email to Bobby to get her to set me up for it though.

Oh, right! Where is my head?

Troy, you can watch DVDs you have recently purchased on this site!

http://leerburg.com/dvd.htm

Scroll to "LB's New Video on Demand."