Hi There,
My name is Thea and I joined this group for a specific problem. We adopted a 7 year old Pyrenese/collie mix about six months ago. Truman was an unneutered, not housebroken, underweight dog that was brought into the shelter as a stray...He has come so far in so many ways in the six months since he's moved into our hearts and lives. He really is such a great dog - just so grateful for every tidbit. Anyway, he's a tad aggressive where food is concerned. I'm heavily involved in parrot rescue and their behaviors, and I've sort of been applying the same theories to Tru. Every behavior has a consequence and the only way to change a behavior is to change the consequence TO the behavior. Right? So, here's what's been happening:
A - Truman is eating his bone on his bed in the family room
B - husband walks in, Truman growls.
C - Husband removes the bone and throws it out.
I asked my husband what he thought he just taught Truman, and my husband (who has been bitten by Tru at least SIX times) said that if Truman growls, he loses his bone. *I* said "really? because I think you just taught him that since growling obviously doesn't work, maybe biting will the next time." So, this is what we've been doing now. Truman can no longer have anything that cannot be eaten immediately. My husband has been handing him little treats...things that can be eaten in under a minute, hopefully taking the need to guard his stuff away. My husband has also been giving lots of praise and more food rewards to Truman for taking the food and eating it without growling.
I don't want you to think my husband is rough with Tru...he's not. Just the opposite in fact...I think he trusts Truman way too much. I sort of feel that Tru may never be 100% trustworthy where food is concerned, and I think that maybe the best way to go about it is to just not put Truman in a position to fail.
Whatcha think?
Thea
My name is Thea and I joined this group for a specific problem. We adopted a 7 year old Pyrenese/collie mix about six months ago. Truman was an unneutered, not housebroken, underweight dog that was brought into the shelter as a stray...He has come so far in so many ways in the six months since he's moved into our hearts and lives. He really is such a great dog - just so grateful for every tidbit. Anyway, he's a tad aggressive where food is concerned. I'm heavily involved in parrot rescue and their behaviors, and I've sort of been applying the same theories to Tru. Every behavior has a consequence and the only way to change a behavior is to change the consequence TO the behavior. Right? So, here's what's been happening:
A - Truman is eating his bone on his bed in the family room
B - husband walks in, Truman growls.
C - Husband removes the bone and throws it out.
I asked my husband what he thought he just taught Truman, and my husband (who has been bitten by Tru at least SIX times) said that if Truman growls, he loses his bone. *I* said "really? because I think you just taught him that since growling obviously doesn't work, maybe biting will the next time." So, this is what we've been doing now. Truman can no longer have anything that cannot be eaten immediately. My husband has been handing him little treats...things that can be eaten in under a minute, hopefully taking the need to guard his stuff away. My husband has also been giving lots of praise and more food rewards to Truman for taking the food and eating it without growling.
I don't want you to think my husband is rough with Tru...he's not. Just the opposite in fact...I think he trusts Truman way too much. I sort of feel that Tru may never be 100% trustworthy where food is concerned, and I think that maybe the best way to go about it is to just not put Truman in a position to fail.
Whatcha think?
Thea