terrritoral

Question
i need help with a male of ten months i adopted that now is becoming territoral towards us and our kids and friends.
I do not want to return him but he growled today at me when  I tried to tell him no when a friend came to the door , he would not let them in.
What do I do with  him.
Please help.

thanks.

Answer
Well, first, was this friend someone you know you are safe with?
You don't say what breed he is, but if he is one of the breeds known to be protective of his family, he may have seen danger to you, in this person.
The reason I bring this up, the same thing happened when my German shepherd was about that age, she refused to let a man come into my house one day, when my husband was gone, and later that day, he tried to rape one of my neighbors.
The dog knew more about this person than I did.

Growling at you:
Could be he is trying to establish himself as the Alpha dog, so he can run the place.
Do you know what kind of treatment he had before you took him?
I am the Alpha dog in our house, and I don't use hitting etc for correction, but when one tries to become alpha over me, I nag, in a loud voice.I jump right down their throat, verbally, and if one growls at a child, I really throw a B--- fit with them.
I have a comanding voice, when I want to, and I leave no doubt there is no fear in me, of them, and they sort of curl up,like, "Boy, I plowed up a snake"
Usually about once is all I have ever had to do this, to get the message across.
I have trained dogs that would bite their owners, and I have never been bitten yet.
I am not going to be mean to them, and I am darned sure not going to let them boss me around.
You have to be this in-charge person.
When a friend comes, and he behaves badly, and you know he is not seeing harm to you, in the person. Chew his little bum out royally, and put him in time-out. In a bathroom, or other small room. do not put him in a room he will like to spend a lot of time in.He must ecognize this as punishment.
He will soon learn he has to be nice and follow the rules you set down.
You are the mom, he is the little shin kicking kid.
Lay the law down.
If you back down when he growls at you, you give him permission to start his rein of terror, to get his way.
Just like you would do with a spoiled little kid.
You can tell, when you chew him out, and put him in time-out, if he is going to just try to get his bluff in on you, or if he is one that is NOT going to conform. In that case, you may be better to return him, so that he can be placed with someone who can control him, and get another one for yourself.
He may have been allowed to boss where he was, and is just trying to do the same thing here.
Dogs are just like kids. They will do what they can get away with.
He is old enough to be pretty set in his ways, so it will take a little longer to straighten him out.
Good luck to you,and feel free to write again, anytime you feel I can help.