desperate--bites

Question
Okay--I'm desperate. I'm so nervous that my husband will get rid of my dog--a 10 month old, 7 pound, male Maltese.  I love him so much, but he just sent my husband over the edge tonight.  Ever since we got him we've worked off of the "alpha" concept. But Jonah has always been INCREDIBLY possessive and aggressive concerning his toys (especially bones) and his crate.  If you put your hand near his bone while he's chewing it, he'll snarl and even nip--and if you try to touch him while he's in his crate, it's just as bad.  It's gotten worse the last few weeks and he's bitten a friend's child and both of us while he was chewing a bone or in his crate (if you think his little mouth doesn't hurt, you're wrong! _ :)  Other than this one area, he really is a great dog!  He has a great personality and is so lovable--I don't want to lose him.  Will you please help me?  I'm desperate!  Thank-you...
Shannon
shannonvinig@hotmail.com

Answer
Ok, first of all, LOTS of dogs have this exact problem--including labs and retrievers, believe it or not! The dog believes that you are going to take away his food or treat for some reason. He doesn't trust you to give it back. Does he tend to get a lot of items that he should have & you or your husband then take it away without a reward? He may be paranoid about you or your husband taking the item away and not replenishing it. I have books on the subject and I am going to help you out here.

Spatial aggression/object guarding:

An aggressive dog whe is aggressive during eating, sleeping, grooming, or being handled by a dog professional is showing spatial aggression. This aggression is associated with other kinds of aggression.

If you see this type of behavior in your dog, don't hit your puppy or scream in any way. These reactions only reinforce him into thinking you are there to steal his prize. To help your pup accept you as less threatening, follow these steps, which use the food dish as an example:

1. The feeding ritual is not a power struggle.
2. Shake a plastic cup with some small dog buscuits and reward your puppy with one; keep doing this until your puppy connects the sound with the treat cup.
3.Approach your puppy once a day with the treat cup while he is eating a meal; if he growls as you approach him during a meal, stop and toss him a few treats before you leave.
4. Repeat Step 3 until you can stand over him and drop treats into his bowl.
5. At this pointt, approach his bowl speaking happy prasises but without shaking the cup. When you get to his side, toss a treat into the bowl and leave.
6. Next, try kneeling down as you shake the cup and toss a treat into his bowl.
7. When you kneel and toss a treat into his bowl without tension, try placing the treat into his bowl with your hand.
8. After you offer your puppy a handful of treats, try stirring the kibble with your hand. If you are successful, continue this once every other day for a week.
9. Next, after offering a handful of treats, try lifting the bowl. Give it back immediately and leave. Repeat once a month.
10. Repeat this entire process for other doggie objects, like bones or squeaky toys.

*Dogs notice fear. If you are afraid, your puppy knows it and will be suspicious. Call a professional immediately.
*I cannot gurantee you will not get bitten in the process. Be your own judge; proceed as your puppy is comfortable and seek help if you need to.


My dog, along with so many other dogs, have this exact problem. You are not alone. What I normally do is give my dog a biscuit treat and then come over with a better treat while he is munching on that dull biscuit. A chicken tender from Sam's Warehouse or Walmart in the Wagon Train Doggie bag is what I would call a "supreme" treat. They are expensive, but my dog worships them. He will stop growling or doing what ever he is doing to come claim a "chickie". It becomes a very good bartering tool, for when he has an "illegal" object. I usually throw the "chickie" in another room, close the door, and get the object from under the table, where he usually hides. Both the dog and I are happy! Beware, though, your dog will get addicted to the Wagon Train chicken tenders and Beggin' Strips. I would expect the dog to gain a few pounds! :)

When you take his toys, reward him for forking up the item with a chickie or other really tasty biscuit. This tells him that if he cooperates, he can have an even better prize than he has now. I would also teach him the word "Drop It". This should come in handy, for sure.

Also, is your dog neutered? His dominance could be partially promoted because of his raging hormones. Also, about dominance, I hope you aren't flipping him on the floor and pretending like you will choke him. There is a word for doing that during training, but it has slipped my mind. That kind of training is NOT recommended, especially on such a spiteful dog as this. Lots of dogs will be afraid that they are going to die during this ordeal, and it causes a lot of stress for the dog. Barking back at the dog in a low voice saying "no", getting in front of him, and making him sit or laydown for every object he owns will help him better realize that he is at the bottom of the household.

Has your dog had training yet from a trainer? At this point, don't expect Petsmart and a few other training facilities to take your dog. You need 'Bark Busters' (in 38 states & they come in your home). Also, I bet every trainer is going to request a muzzle on your dog when they train him. This is not an irregular request for when they train aggressive dogs.

Your situation wasn't there when you got him from the breeder or pet store...he grew into this problem. All of this could have been prevented by not playing tug of war or taking an item without replenishing it with another item.

For a few more tidbits, don't bother your dog when he is eating unless you have a better treat and at that time, stroke his back--but not his head. The stroking may give him a better feeling and the smell of the better treat will be much more appetizing. He will eventually want you to come over so he may have the opportunity for a better treat. Whatever you do, though, don't take the food, food bowl, or treat away while he is eating. Wait until he leaves the room or finishes. When you feel like he will trust you to take the item and replenish it, then you can take the food bowl in his presence. I would replace the food bowl with a treat or a bowl with a treat in it.

Why were you in his crate while he was in his crate? That is his place to be without people and he can sleep. If he goes in his crate by choice, he wants to be left alone to rest. Think of it as your bedroom. You don't want to be bothered in your bedroom by another person. The crate is his bedroom. It is his space. Don't feed him in his crate, either. Feed him outside (watch for ants) or in the kitchen. All he needs to do in the crate is sleep with a blanket and a toy.

Why was this dog with a child unsupervised? Maltese are severely NOT recommended with families or frequent visitors that have children. The number one rule is safety--which means NEVER, EVER, leave a maltese unsupervised with a child--even if they are 10-12 years old. Your dog bit a child, and you are lucky if your friend still enjoys your dog's company. If it happened off of your property, you are in even more deep doggie doo-doo. I would limit Jonah's contact with children by placing him outside or in a room with treats and toys when friends are over. The last thing you want is your dog to chase the neighborhood children on another person's property and then the dog bites the children, who will then tell their parents. That is a very bad situation to be in.

I hope I have given you a very specific agenda here with what to do with your dog's spatial aggression. I wish you lots of luck & I hope you keep the dog.