New aggresive behaviour?

[poochadoo]

Hmmm, something is up with my doxie and I need to know if this is "typical" (like anything is typical of a doxie!), if anyone else has had this experience and, if so, what can I do about it.  This is highly unusual for my little Schatzie.  Let me preface this by saying we're all suffering from cabin fever.  Its cold, the snow is high and walkies have been few and far between.  We play lots of tennis ball catch and fetch.  Schatzie loves  rawhide and is happy to chew and chew for hours.  I keep a good eye on it to make sure she's not getting little pieces or harming her teeth.  Last night when it was time to turn off the lights and go to bed, I went to get the rawhide.  She alsolutely refused to give it up. I rached down, she nipped at me.  I gave her "the look" - you know the look - and she was immediately sorry for nip.  As I reached down, she looked up at me and beared all her teeth - didn't growl, she just made the most horrible snarly face that made me stop mid-reach.  I pulled back, reached and didn't she do it AGAIN.  I could tell that if I put my hand down to the rawhide again, she'd nip.  It might be more than a nip given that nasty face. We got into a war of dominance over this stupid rawhide!  Its not the first time she's gotten a little possesive of rawhide - she never acts like this with toys, only rawhide - but, this was more than possesive, it was donwright aggressive and shocked me. Should I stop giving her the rawhide because she can't "handle it"?  I've tried luring her away from it with a promise of cookies, but I don't like that tactic and her waist line isn't that great given the lack of activity lately. Mine is questionable right now, too! Any input is welcome - possessive/aggression with rawhide?

[Doxherding Karen]

TA-DAAA!!!!!  IT'S UNCLE CESAR'S ALTER EGO, AUNTIE KAREN, TO THE RESCUE!

Somebody at your house is running the show and it has four legs!

Schatzi is pushing her dominance of the pack.  Since she is pack leader, you are no longer allowed to touch the rawhide.  I strongly recommend you reassert yourself as pack leader.

If you can watch www.youtube.com there are podcasts on there by Cesar Millan.  Do a search on his name - be sure to watch the spelling.  You need to show calm authority and Schatzi needs to be in a calm submissive state BEFORE you praise her or reward her with a rawhide treat.  Watch his videos and notice his way of standing, talking, and asserting himself around a dog.  He never yells or shouts or overreacts.  He's the ultimate Mr. Cool.  Claim your space from her and when she is calm/submissive, you can give her a treat. :apls:

AND. . .  you need to take it back from her and reassert you ownership of the rawhide.  I can explain how to remove anything from a dachshund's mouth: Use one hand from behind the head, and take your thumb and index finger to push against the dog's mouth.  KEEP THE DOG'S SKIN BETWEEN YOUR FINGER AND THEIR TEETH!  Use your other hand to grab the rawhide/toy/treat/item.  Squeeze the mouth open and pull out the item.  Calmly let go of the dog once he/she has calmed down.  This always works and as long as you stay calm/assertive, the dachshund will become calm/submissive.  Roscoe,The Handsome One, was a lunging, biting menace over food.  Now I can take away his entire food dish!  With food IN it!!!

Any dog-bribing with treats will only reinforce her dominance:  "Growl, snarl, bare fangs - ooo, I get a treat for all that!  What a deal!  What a country!!"

Remember: hoomans rule - they're the ones with the opposable thumbs! :thumb:

Auntie Karen

[poochadoo]

You know, Karen, you're one smart cookie!  Once you pointed that out, it became so obvious - of course she's being dominant, it's the perfectly natural pack behaviour!  I thought about how and when we give her the rawhide and the fact that she's only done this to me - never to the true Alpha of the house, my husband.  I feel so silly for not putting it together until now.  I had it chalked up to "cabin fever" when the answer is so much simpler and obvious.  Adustments in my behaviour will be made so I re-establish my dominence.  Bravo - you get an extra treat!  Thanks!!!

[Leslie]

oh yeah, nip that in the bud.  We are still working with Loki.  She has to sit and WAIT for EVERYTHING.  She is learning slowly to sit and wait for her suppah, too.  And no just jumpin' in the big bed when she wants.  That's pack leader's den!  Only when invited.
Granted, this is not easy --she hoots and hollars like a banshee when she wants something -- and it driving DH up a WALL!!!   But we created this monster and now have to deal with it.

With Zuzu she gets aggresive over stuffie toyz.  So no more stuffies. 

Jeepers, this is so much easier to accomplish with a puppy you trained yerself.

[PattyInAK]

Yep, Schatzie is pushing your buttons and taking over as pack leader.  You need to get yourself back into "alpha" position.

[Leslie]

AND. . .  you need to take it back from her and reassert you ownership of the rawhide.  I can explain how to remove anything from a dachshund's mouth: Use one hand from behind the head, and take your thumb and index finger to push against the dog's mouth.  KEEP THE DOG'S SKIN BETWEEN YOUR FINGER AND THEIR TEETH!  Use your other hand to grab the rawhide/toy/treat/item.  Squeeze the mouth open and pull out the item.  Calmly let go of the dog once he/she has calmed down.  This always works and as long as you stay calm/assertive, the dachshund will become calm/submissive.  Roscoe,The Handsome One, was a lunging, biting menace over food.  Now I can take away his entire food dish!  With food IN it!!!

Auntie Karen

wow. can you dome to my house and train Loki?   

[Roberta]

Emma was our Divine Ms M we just removed HER from the object,  and told her NO and left her.
The rest of them, we have had no problems with, but Emma was ALPHA, capital A. These guys are weenie, small and most people are bluffed, but don't ever be fooled they have the brains of a chess master, you have to keep on top of the game at all times, or YOU lose. The other thing we do, I know the pair we have will not get up front, and snap,  is to blow up their nose or place fingers behind the item and push back in their mouth so they have to open the jaw, its the authority you give out AFTER that  that makes you BOSS.
As I said most people think small dog no brain......................but have they ever lived with one of these masters of manipulation, probably not, they  are independent, self willed, outspoken little darlings but worth every minute and every breath of your life......but you ............have to outwit, outsmart and outplay as they say in Survivor.
Roberta

[poochadoo]

Yes, it is JUST like "Survivor" - except I could never vote her off my island.  Off the bed, off the sofa, off the fresh laundry, off my toes when I'm cooking dinner, no problem!  Once I really began to analyze how I've been treating her lately, I realized that without intending to, I had, in fact, given her more authority than usual.  I'm recently home more often, so she has free run of the house.  Its been so snowy, so out of guilt for lack of walkies, I give more treats (toys, rawhide, not cookies) and her grumpy mood has been chalked up to cabin fever.  Perhaps she is a little stir crazy, but I have to be more firm with her because she takes control so fast.  I think she actually likes being brought down a few notches because she's more comfortable in a "beta" role.  Thanks, all, for the insight and (again!) assuring me that this little girl isn't so unlike her doxie family.

[Roberta]

If you cannot go outside start playing hide and seek. Our pair love it, as it teaches them to use their noses and look up under and behind things. They catch on pretty quick.
roberta

[Doxherding Karen]

wow. can you dome to my house and train Loki?   

They don't call me The Magician for nothin'!  Just open the door and. . . where exactly DO you live?   

Oh, well, that doesn't matter.  Can't wait to see you!

Merlin

[papbouv]

You can practice Nothing in Life is Free also they do not have any Privileges at all you go though all doorways 1st,they have to wait,no on the couch or bed unless invited,no food unless they sit or down and no petting unless you want no head butting of the hand to get you to pet them when they want to be petted.You are the boss.
Papbouv

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

The first day I brought Hallie home and she was reluctant to go into the large wire crate, I got in to show her it was OK. By the time I pretzyled myself around the cramped crate so I was facing out the door in there, I look up to see her sitting in my chair watching me crammed in her crate.

From that moment on she pretty much has had me under her control. LOL.

Seriously though, every case is so different. Hallie has never once snarled or growled or even shown any kind of bad mood toward me or anyone else. I have always been able to take her food, toys, chewies, ANYthing from her with no problems. So I have never worked with her on waiting or giving things up to me, etc she just has that kind of temperament and will happily give me what I ask for. You should see us play with her toys, it's pretty pathetic, we are both way too polite LOL.

BUT if she were the kind to guard her things from me,  I would never stand for any kind of growling, etc either, so good for you for recognizing it as a problem and asking advice here (which there is a lot of!).

If it were me, I'd do similar to what has been said, making them wait before they get any kind of food or goodies and teaching them a release word like "give" or "out". Same as with obedience, I always used "out" to have them release the dumbbell or article or glove. Also if it were me, I would hold the chewie for her at first and if she snarled I would immediately take it away from her (you have a hold of it already so there would be no having to wrestle her for it). If she didn't snarl I'd take it from her after a moment and quickly give her a tiny treat (training treats don't have to be very big) and tell her what a good dog she was. If she snarled and I had to pull it away from her, I would remain calm and quiet and just put it up, her punishment is losing her chewie. Same with her meals, she waits until you say it's ok to eat. Keep your hand on the bowl until you say it's ok, if she goes for it prematurely pick it up before she can get it. She needs to always earn the right to get what she wants and she also has to learn that the Mom always has the right to take it from her at any time.

[LoveDoxies]

It sounds like she is trying to be the Alpha.  The only way to overcome this is to re-establish yourself as the pack leader.  When you and her go to another room, does she charge ahead or does she allow you to enter the room first?  Alpha's always enter the room first.  Do you feed her at the same time that you sit down to eat your dinner?  The Alpha should always eat first.  Alpha's prefer high places - this is hard to follow with little dogs because they like to hang out in high places anyway cause it's safer; but, you may need to make her sleep on the floor for a while until she realizes where her rank lies.  Then you may try to give her the rawhide again but only for short periods at first.  Hope this helps  :thumb:

[Delia and girls]

By the time I pretzyled myself around the cramped crate so I was facing out the door in there, I look up to see her sitting in my chair watching me crammed in her crate.

:2funny:  If it had been Gretchen, she would have closed the crate and partied - junk food included!!!!!