Losing control of 7 month old English Spaniel

Question
Hi Dr. Hogan,
Four months ago we got an English Spaniel. He was a good and quiet puppy for the most part. The only issue was peeing in the house which we seem to have resolved by tethering him to us or an object when he is in the house. It took a while, but now I think that issue is resolved.

However, He will now only follow the "sit" command (a raised finger; the only command he knows) when he wants something (like dinner or a treat). We also have an issue with him grabbing anything he can get his mouth on, showing it to you and then shredding it. I used to be able to take whatever it was away from him, but about two weeks ago he growled when I tried to take a candle and yesterday he growled then bit my hand.

We are concerned obviously because we fear his behavior is getting worse. He is good with other animals and strangers for the most part, but we worry what he may do if he thinks a child is trying to take something from him.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We have considered behavior training but cannot really cover the cost at this time.

Thank you,
Joel  

Answer
Joel,
You are a good dog owner for recognizing the potential problems associated with your situation.
I went through this exact same situation with a client four years ago.  Same breed same issues.  First off let me tell you that what is occurring is nothing out of the ordinary given the situation and lack of leadership establishment that defines your current situation.  You have experienced the biggest problem with the use of "Treats" or "food" in training and that is the possibility of the dog responding to the treat and not you!!! Your dog is growing up and you continue to fail in its eyes to establish yourself as a leader and your dog wants the definition to be clear.  A natural part of any canine maturation process.  Some dogs easily accept this while others will challenge constantly until you establish outright control in your leadership.  All dogs want and need defined leadership in the family "pack" and if you fail to define yourself in that position the dog will usually assume if not challenge for the position.

Explanation aside here is what needs to occur. First go to my website and buy my ONE, TWO, GOOD DOG! booklet and you might as well get the whisper string with it.  It is a short booklet that teaches you through the use of the basic learning theory of a dog to establish control and develop a simple short effective protocol with the dog to handle any problems like these that you will come across.  I guarantee this will be easy to understand and implement or I'll give you all your money back. I would suggest that you go through crate training, house training using the crate, as well as all the basic obedience in the booklet.
Specifically on your situation you need to implement the ONE, TWO, GOOD DOG! protocol in dealing with this particular issue.  Wear a pair of heavy leather gloves so you don't have to worry about reacting to him if he attempts to bite.  Get the dog on a leash for control so that he can not exit the situation.  Create the situation where he growls or snaps at you.  Reprimand it with a deep loud "AAAAAAH" (short "a" sound) immediately when the dog ceases the growling praise it.  You should use a deep reassuring voice in your praise followed and accompanied by firm patting and rubbing of the chest and sides.  Avoid stroking down the back or patting the head.  This entire process should take no more than 2 or 3 seconds with maybe 5 seconds of physical praise. Repeat.  You will look to get 15 or more reps of this process in 3 to 5 minutes.  If the vocal reprimand doesn't work then you may need to go to a physical one by grabbing the dog firmly by the skin on the sides of the neck or by the collar and shaking slightly for confirmation.  You could in extreme circumstance go to a slap across the muzzle.  I usually don't recommend a novice do this without a full understanding of the ONE, TWO, GOOD DOG! protocol first.  If you need to escalate beyond grabbing the dog then the timing and sequencing of the protocol become very vital in assuring that the dog understand what you are asking for.
If I were there to work with the dog personally I would guarantee this process would work in the first 5 minutes.  Once you have communicated to the dog that this is unacceptable behavior then you need to continue use of the process within your daily interaction with the dog.  Here's how the protocol applies to the process:
Reprimand (ONE), Dog stopping the aggressive demonstration (TWO), Praise (GOOD DOG!)
Whenever I attempt to address an issue like this I always recommend the booklet because this type of behavior in this situation is only a small example of what you will have to deal with if you don't get basic control and obedience established with your dog.  The booklet helps you do that.  Consider it an owners manual for the average dog!  Without establishing control and leadership with your dog you will most likely continue to have similar issues throughout the dogs life.  Please take the time and give the dog what it is asking for: LEADERSHIP!
Feel free to contact me with additional questions or further explanation. You can find my booklet on my website at this page: http://invincibleservices.com/html/one__two_good_dog_.html
or call: Dr. Hogan 509-991-0385 until 10pm pacific 7 days a week.