skycat 6,174 Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Some very good advice there, but I don't think that anyone has addressed the issue of the dog lying on the sofa and growling. IF the dog had previously been abused when it was in its own bed, somewhere all dogs should feel secure and unthreatened, this could be the reason he is growling on the sofa. If he sees the sofa as HIS bed then the memory of being abused in the one place where he should have felt secure might be causing the problem. For this reason alone I wouldn't allow him on the sofa until you have, hopefully, solved the problem. Could you put a dog bed, his bed and his alone, in the same room,and train him to go there when you tell him to? You must initially never go to that bed when he is in it, and stand over him in a dominant or threatening way. It must be his safe place where no one disturbs him. If you want to do anything with him you call him away from his bed with a treat, toy or whatever works. If this works, and you can get him off the sofa with a command ('Bed' for example) then you can slowly work on eliminating his reasons for fear. He shouldn't feel as though he is being punished by being sent to his bed, so you need to make it a game initially: going there for a treat that you can hide under the bedding. Of course you also need to teach the 'stay' as well so he knows to stay there until you tell him to come off the bed again. Small steps to begin with. To show him what 'his bed' is you need to lead him there with collar and lead, put him in a sit, then a down and a stay for a very short time. Gradually build up the length of time he will stay in the bed, and offer treats while you do this. He must always see the bed as his safe place where he gets rewarded for doing what he is told: lying and staying there. Once he is going to the bed on command and staying there with no problem you will be able to let him on the sofa again. Once he is completely over his fear growling you should start to play games which involve you sitting in his bed, when he is not in it, and calling him to you for a cuddle and a game: this is just so he doesn't get any ideas of guarding his bed. I once had a rescue Wolfhound which had been very badly abused indeed. It took me months of patience before I could approach her when she was lying down: anywhere! She felt threatened if I stood over her, and she would attack any man approaching if he had a stick or chain in his hand. I learned that the hard way, though luckily she never actually damaged anyone, just pushed them to the ground and stood growling over them. She ended up being a superb flock guardian and house dog and my constant shadow. None of the above might apply to your dog, but it might. The thing is to try and figure out why he is behaving as he is: this is where a really good behaviourist might be able to help; someone who visits you in your own home. There are loads of crap behaviourists out there, but I'd always recommend Jim Greenwood, as although he's a lurcher man, he deals with all sorts of dogs and behavioural issues and has a rare insight into what makes dogs tick. He also works a lot with rescue dogs who have many problems. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alan626 305 Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 bollox to wat every body is telling ya if that was my dog and he was treatning to bite and wanted to know where he stood in the pack id let him know id get two rideing whips and muzzle and me and the wife would whip the bollox out of him he would soon know where he stood Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlefish 587 Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 bollox to wat every body is telling ya if that was my dog and he was treatning to bite and wanted to know where he stood in the pack id let him know id get two rideing whips and muzzle and me and the wife would whip the bollox out of him he would soon know where he stood Would you have a hard-on whilst doing that? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alan626 305 Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 bollox to wat every body is telling ya if that was my dog and he was treatning to bite and wanted to know where he stood in the pack id let him know id get two rideing whips and muzzle and me and the wife would whip the bollox out of him he would soon know where he stood Would you have a hard-on whilst doing that? of corse Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Casso 1,261 Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 (edited) one thing that is painfully obvious from this thread is how little people understand bout the nature of the canine no pup was ever born with a chip on its shoulder, they were put there by the sack load by misguided fools,, Edited January 18, 2011 by Casso Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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