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  1. #1
    Real Retriever sipsi's Avatar
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    Growling when disturbed

    I always use positive training methods with Latte. She is almost 4 months old. I never yell at her. My only negative move is jerking the leash when she pulls.

    She doesn't have possessive guarding. (Well, she rarely growls when there's a toy in her mouth but I don't let her get away with that.) The thing is, when she is doing something wrong like chewing furniture or something, if she doesn't listen to my commands I have to stop her by picking her up. At this point she shows serious aggression (well I guess it is serious) She growls like crazy and tries to bite my hands. When she does that I give her a time out. DH sometimes yells at her and uses physical sanctions (of course not hurting her) and she she responds with aggression.

    So I have some questions.
    Will she grow out of it or is it a serious problem?
    Doesn't Latte respect me?
    Do I even have to make her scared of me?
    Isn't positive training enough?
    What should I do when she acts like that?

  2. #2
    Senior Dog charliebbarkin's Avatar
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    Will she grow out of it or is it a serious problem?


    She will only grow out of it if you train her out of it.


    Doesn't Latte respect me?


    Doubtful. She's young. Keep training and be stern, be consistent. She will learn.


    Do I even have to make her scared of me?
    No. You want her to respect you and love you. You want her to work for you because she wants to. You never want her to fear you. Ever.


    Isn't positive training enough?


    It can be.


    What should I do when she acts like that?


    Ok. So let's go over a few things.
    1. Stop picking her up. When she's full grown you aren't going to want to be doing this. She will learn to expect it and continue to ignore your commands if the only time they are enforced is by picking her up.


    2. Practice 'leave it'. Practice it over and over all the time. Make it fool proof. So when you need it to work, it works.


    3. Leash her up. Correct her when she's chewing furniture. Crate her if you can't watch her.


    4. Make sure she's getting enough exercise and training. Chewing is a sign of boredom.


    5. She's probably teething. Give her something to chew on. Under supervision I have used a soaked towel that I rolled up and froze. You can use bully sticks, stuffed kongs, raw bones, etc. but supervise!


    6. Reward her for good behavior! When she doesn't chew or growl or when she stops, tell her how wonderful she is!


    7. Work on attention training. Every day, at least twice a day. Just use her kibble, grab a handful from breakfast, say her name. Get eye contact, say good or yes, and treat with kibble. Do the same at dinner time.

    You are the boss. Don't let her have anything without you giving it to her. Work on NILIF training.


    Good luck! Make sure you are socializing her as well.
    Charlie and Burton


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  4. #3
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    my two cents and that's all it's worth:

    I would find alternative ways than picking up the dog to deal with issues. Because, that isn't going to be an option much longer anyway so you'll have to find something. redirect in other ways (if she is chewing, present an appropriate chew toy in her face, use treats, get in the way, etc.)

    I would get the puppy use to touches and being handled slowly and positively. it's pretty normal for a dog to not want to be picked up and touched. you want to do it when the dog is in a quiet put relaxed mood with treats and slowly handling them.

    Growls do NOT equal a bad dog. Growls is just one way a dog has to communicate. You are interrupting something the dog is doing that they enjoy by picking them up which is something dogs really generally DO NOT like at all (some dog, but generally dogs don'T like being picked up). So he is probably just saying "I don't like being picked up". But I can't know that, no one really knows what the dog is thinking. Some dogs growl more than others. But a growl is JUST one way a dog communicates and thankfully it's one all humans recognize. I was just reading a bok that people assume no growl means all is good - but it doesn't the dog could be giving you all kinds of other signals saying they don't like what's going on, are nervous/fearful, etc.

    You do NOT want to correct a growl, taking away the growl takes away one of the dogs safest modes of communication.
    You do NOT want to use "aggressive (or non positive) training because a dog growls.

    ETA: I think (and I'm just a dog owner not a professional) that the puppy may well just be reacting to being picked up. a puppy temper tantrum to being picked up, saying "let me go let me go" in a way a dog would - using their mouth/teeth and displeased voice (growl). Not aggression or rebellion. Again, being picked up is not something most dogs like.
    Last edited by Tanya; 03-25-2015 at 07:20 PM.

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  6. #4
    Real Retriever sipsi's Avatar
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    Well, I'm totally cleared by the information. No more picking up. Growling is not something to correct. Done. Latte is not a heavy chewer though and when she chews inappropriate things, I tell her Leave It and redirect her to an appropriate toy. Works well. I just wanted to know if this growling is something to correct or not. And I see that I am the one to be corrected.

    I always try to make sure she is getting enough exercise and socialization. And I don't want to make my dog scared of me. I'm glad I don't have to make her do. I love my Latte so much and hope she feels the same way

    Thanks to both of you for these precious explanations. Thank you so soooo much.

  7. #5
    Real Retriever fidgetyknees's Avatar
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    Getting physical and raising ones voice is probably not a good idea ... especially pysical as that is aggressive behavior on the humans part as well. Maybe call her and make her do a behavior for a treat, or hand her a more appropriate chew toy to avoid the growling behavior.

    Make sure she is getting enough mental stimulation and enough exercise (at 4 months you have to be careful about types of exercise).

    You can also spray the furniture with bitter lemon (I think that is what you call it), pet supply stores have it.

    That being said I do have a grumpy 10 year old who steals my or my husband's spot in the bed if we go to the bathroom at night ... and if we shove her over she seriously growls - she then gets expelled from the bed for the night for that behavior, not a problem we are ever going to fix but you just made me realize I should just tell her to move so she doesn't end up growling at us.

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  9. #6
    Real Retriever sipsi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fidgetyknees View Post
    You can also spray the furniture with bitter lemon (I think that is what you call it), pet supply stores have it.
    Yeah that spray thing didn't work :/

    That being said I do have a grumpy 10 year old who steals my or my husband's spot in the bed if we go to the bathroom at night.
    LOL... That's funny.

    And thank you for the help.

  10. #7
    Senior Dog Jeff's Avatar
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    In positive training there is also positive punishment.

    Punishment doesn't need to be spanking or slapping or yelling but can be simply removing the pup from what they want. For example last in in agility class, one of the peoples dogs just didn't want to behave, it wouldn't stay seated before start and wasn't listening at all. Basically being a butt head. After 4 times trying to get started, fine you don't get to run. The dog gets taken my the collar and put in his crate while the other dogs run and have fun. He comes out, is a butt head again twice, gets put right back in his crate. He quit being a butt head after that and actually ran the course better than any of us ever seen him do.

    This is exactly what CharlieBBarkin was saying and I agree completely.

    To train them to give you a toy, teach them that taking things away doesn't mean bad things. Hemi did this to me when he was a puppy too. Especially with chew toys and trust me you want to handle it now not later. Basically I would walk up and ask him while he was chewing on a bone or something, "Can I have that". I would reach for it he would growl and duck away like your not getting this. I would take it, dip it in peanut butter and give it right back. He was like wow, this is awesome. second or third time. Can I have it, he was literally throwing it at me like Heck Yeah. Then about the 6th time, I just took it away. Then over the next several months like once a week we would just do this. So he learned that letting me have things is not always a bad thing. In fact Nolan, my Great Nephew can walk right up to Hemi and take something away from Hemi, usually one of Nolan's toys without a issue. They play together all the time. Hemi gets rewarded and he knows it.

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  12. #8
    Real Retriever sipsi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff View Post
    I would take it, dip it in peanut butter and give it right back. He was like wow, this is awesome. second or third time. Can I have it, he was literally throwing it at me like Heck Yeah. Then about the 6th time, I just took it away. Then over the next several months like once a week we would just do this. So he learned that letting me have things is not always a bad thing. In fact Nolan, my Great Nephew can walk right up to Hemi and take something away from Hemi, usually one of Nolan's toys without a issue. They play together all the time. Hemi gets rewarded and he knows it.
    I usually give the toy back after I take it from her mouth. But your method is awesome! I'll definitely try that next time. Thank you!

  13. #9
    Best Friend Retriever emma_Dad's Avatar
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    Do you have any trainers in your area? You might really benefit from a good puppy class! They will be able to guide you through all the issues you're running into and how to keep moving forward with her training and upbringing.

    I don't think its aggression exactly, since she's way to young it sounds more like she's telling you "HEY DONT DO THAT! I DONT LIKE THAT! IM TELLING YOU NOW DON'T MAKE ME DO SOMETHING ELSE" If she's chewing on something inappropriate, (don't take this the wrong way) its the human fault. They don't know any better it's your job to show them what to chew on. Give her bones/toys/etc... if you can't be watching her at that moment either tether her/ crate/ or doggy safe area.

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  15. #10
    Real Retriever sipsi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by emma_Dad View Post
    Do you have any trainers in your area? You might really benefit from a good puppy class! They will be able to guide you through all the issues you're running into and how to keep moving forward with her training and upbringing.

    ... If she's chewing on something inappropriate, (don't take this the wrong way) its the human fault.
    I couldn't find any trainers that I can trust unfortunately. And yes whatever inappropriate thing she chews I know it is my fault. I Never get angry with her.

 



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