Toy Aggression

In a past post, I wrote about how to deal with food aggression. Today, I will talk about TOY aggression. Both are types of resource guarding in which your dog is exhibiting signs of aggression towards humans or other pets that approach your dog when it's in possession of something highly desirable. At first, this can seem somewhat tame and a little bit annoying, but if not dealt with, it can lead to a dangerous situation for all humans and pets involved.

Signs That Your Dog May be Resource Guarding:
When you (or another pet) approaches your dog when in possession of a prized object, do they:

• Refuse to give it up when asked?
• Snap?
• Hoard all toys and treats sometimes hiding them?
• Growl?
• Exhibit jealous behavior like butting another dog out of the way when you are petting the other dog (Congratulations! You are the prized object!)?

If you answered "Yes" to any of these, your dog is exhibiting signs of resource guarding. At first, some of these may seem cute (jealous behavior) or just downright annoying, but if you don't deal with them as a serious issue, you will have a serious issue on your hands. It can escalate very quickly. 

Reasons Dogs Resource Guard:

• Resource guarding is a natural instinct for dogs when they need to express anxiety or fear over a perceived threat. Do you have multiple dogs in the house? Is there anxiety and stress within the "pack"? Is one dog constantly "bullying" another dog? These are all things you need to observe within your household. It may also have to do with two-legged family members and not just other animals. Assess the environment. 
• Medical Condition
• Poor socialization as a puppy
• Inbreeding
• Genetics-- resource guarding can be a normal behavior for specific breeds
• Pack order behavior-- Again, this plays in to assessing your environment and the stress within your "pack" (human or animals). You should be the "pack leader" in your household and it's your job to maintain a calm, stress-free pack. Even though dogs do not speak human, they do pick up on our emotions. If you are feeling angry, stressed or depressed, your dog will pick up on this. They may not know the "Why" for these feelings, but they know something is not right.

Ok, so now that we have all of this out of the way and may have identified the problem, what do we do? There are specific things your can do specifically for food aggression. You can read about that here. But, today we are talking about TOY aggression.

1. First and foremost-- YOU ARE THE BOSS. That does not mean you become the pack bully. That means you are the one in control in a calm, assertive manner. Before you give your dog anything, whether it be food or a toy, have them work for it. This involves placing said object on the floor and standing over it. Have Fido either, sit and stay, lay, roll over, shake whatever you choose as long as they are not running towards the object and trying to grab it (or gobble it!) as fast as they can.
2. Teach your dog how to "drop it" and "leave it". Training a dog these manners are a must. Someday, they could potentially save your dog's life. 
3. Prevent access to prized object that your dog constantly hoards and causes aggression. Just don't bring it home. Or if you do, your dog should only have this object when by themselves in a calm quiet place like their kennel. Honestly, this tip really doesn't solve the problem. It just kind of masks the problem and makes your life easier for the time being.
4. If you are in the moment of your dog hoarding something, cause a diversion in order to get the dog away from the object. This can be something like ringing the doorbell, a ride in the car, or going for a walk. You could also give them a really enticing treat. If you do go the treat route, make sure you slowly lure the dog away from the prized object a good 15-20 feet before giving the treat. Do not give it to them right by the object! 

All in all, always remember that children should never be involved with "helping" a dog that is aggressively hoarding. If it gets to the point in which your dog is growling, snarling, snapping, lunging and biting, you need to get a professional dog behaviorist to help. 

Gland Health in Canines

 Let's talk about anal gland health. A dog's anal glands aren't actually glands. They are sacs, positioned on each side of the anus, that contain oil & sweat glands. There is also small receptacles that produce a fluid with a strong odor that is unique to each dog and helps dogs identify each other and mark their territory.  Normally, most dogs involuntarily express their glands when they poop or are highly stressed, but there is a population of dogs that need their glands manually expressed by a groomer or a veterinarian. For these dogs, the liquid is not the right consistency and creates a blockage that can become infected.

Symptoms that your dog may need manual expression: 

• Dragging their butt on the ground
• Licking or biting their butt
• Sitting uncomfortably
• Having a different standing or sitting position
• Tail chasing

Underlying Causes That May Cause Blockage:

• Chronic skin dermatitis
• Obesity
• Insufficient dietary fiber
• Chronic soft stool
• Food and/ or environmental allergies
• Genetics
  

A dog's diet can play a big role in healthy anal glands. A dog's food should contain the right amount of fiber to promote a good push on the anus. This helps express the glands. A lot of commercial dog diets do not have enough fiber, but at the same time, sometimes raw food diets are too soft. It is important to work with your veterinarian to assess your dog's dietary needs. If your dog has chronic anal gland issues, your veterinarian may prescribe supplements for gland health or recommend anal gland removal.

Dogs: Bringing A New Baby Home

 

When you bring a new baby home, everything changes. There will be new smells, new routines and a new human being! This can be incredibly overwhelming for our canine family members. Especially, if they were never introduced to babies or small children as a puppy. Dogs, like humans, need time to adjust to the changes, but there are things you can do to help your furry family member transition:

1. Provide your dog the space-- mentally & physically-- to adjust to the new baby: The crate is your dog's best friend. Remember, that dogs are naturally den dwellers. The crate should be your dog's sanctuary & should never be used for punishment. Additionally, when your children are older-- crawling age and up--there should be a non-negotiable rule: Absolutely no (human) children inside the crate. A crate is a place for the dog to escape & find serenity in all the chaos of family life. 

2. Before The Baby Arrives-- Train, Train, Train: Teach and/or review basic commands before the baby arrives-- 

"Go To (insert location)"

"Away"

"On/Off"

"Up/ Down" (furniture or stairs)

"Stay"

"Leave it"

"Drop"

 

All of these are essential for your dog's safety as well as your own and the baby's.

 

3. Control Your Pheromones (to your best ability): Having a new baby coming into the house is a stressful and exciting event. But let's remember, that your dog doesn't necessarily know what is going on. He/she can SMELL your pheromones that say "stress" & "excitement". In turn, this will communicate to your dog that they should be stressed and excited. If you are nervous when your dog is around the baby, your dog will be nervous around the baby. 

 

4. Get Advice from dog experts: A "Dog Expert" means just that.... A dog expert. Yes, most everyone that owns a dog will think they are an expert, but seek out information from a dog behaviorist or trainer. Getting advice from your neighbor, best friend, aunt.... the person at the grocery store, will only add to the confusion of what to do and not to do.  

5. Reward Your Dog for Positive Behavior around the Baby: When your dog behaves without fear or concern around the baby--> click & reward. On the flips side, never try to correct your dog while they are fearful and anxious when they are near the baby. Instead, calmly & firmly eject the dog from the area. 

6. Before the Baby-- Introduce The Dog to All Things Baby: Everything that has to do with the baby should be introduced to your dog prior to the arrival-- new gear, new routines, new smells, etc... Encourage calm & positive associations and minimize any feelings of disruptions, deprivation or agitation. Start to take your dog on walks with the stroller. If you know that you will be spending less time with your dog when the baby arrives, try to start decreasing your attention beforehand and enlist others to help. Invest in some amazing interactive toys for your dog as well. In addition, if you are worried the baby's crying will be distressing, start playing a recording of a baby crying on a low volume. Gradually increase the volume over time until it reaches the natural cry level. 

7. THE INTRODUCTION: The day has come! You are bringing the baby home. Yes, it does help to bring something home that smells like the baby prior to the baby arriving. I used the hospital cap my baby wore just after being born & had my husband bring it to the dog to smell prior to my (and the baby's arrival). Remember, that your dog has missed you and wants to see YOU. It helps if you can enter the house without the baby first, so the dog can get all it's wiggles and jumps out. Enlist someone to take the dog for a nice long walk prior to your arrival, so the dog is tired. Once all the wiggles and jumps are done & it's time for introductions, call the dog into the baby's space instead of bring the baby into the dog's space. Maintain boundaries and let your dog respectfully sniff. The dog should be included, but not in or on top of personal space. DO NOT force the meet. If your dog is acting fearful and/or wants nothing to do with the baby, respect your dog's space. Many dogs, just like humans, need time to adjust. 

 

8. Always supervise the dog and baby together. This is also the hard rule for when your baby is no longer a baby. For more information on children and dogs, click here.