# My poodle is a little terror when it comes to his treats



## kciao (Oct 29, 2010)

and i'll admit he's spoiled and it's problem


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Take a look at FozziesMum's thread on resource guarding http://www.poodleforum.com/23-general-training-obedience/8744-fozzie-resource-guarder.html - and don't let this build up any further. Until you have decided on a plan of action, stay away from him while he has treats - I would only give long lasting chews to him in his crate or bed (tie them there, if necessary). Don't get confrontational with him - that will make things worse.

You may find "Mine!" by Jean Donaldson helpful. Meanwhile, stop spoilng him. He is an adolescent male, and will be pushing the boundaries. Now is the time for him to learn good manners, if you are all to live happily together. It sounds as if it is time to reclaim your home with a good dose of NILIF (nothing in life is free) - no harsh measures, just an expectation that he says "Please" by sitting or lying flat before meals, treats, games, cuddles, etc. Would you let a 13 year old boy take over your house, boss you around, and take what he wanted with nary a Please or Thankyou?!


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## FozziesMom (Jun 23, 2010)

gosh I could write a book

1. take away anything he guards, permanently. If he guards the couch he's not allowed on it, period. 
2. get a trainer/behaviorist, quickly. don't wait. It *will* escalate. 
3. Don't see it as a dominance issue and try to overpower--that will definitely cause problems. 
3.5 Nothing in life is free now, he must work for everything, praise, treats, affection, play. use playtime to practice taking things from him with a command such as "leave it", "can I have that?", or "drop". 
4. Don't take it personally and try not to get too anxious about it. He sounds young and this may pass if you don't over correct.


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

The previous posters gave you WONDERFUL advice, I'm just chiming in to encourage you to follow it. My mother used to say, "Little children, little problems; big children, BIG problems." It's the same with dogs! Don't confuse loving your minipoo with spoiling him. Love is a good thing, spoiling is not. And now IS the time to get his behavior under control so you can love him happily and safely for many years to come. Good luck!


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## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

Ditto what fjm and FozziesMom said. He's a bolshy teenager and needs to learn that you own all the good stuff (food, treats, chews, sofa) and that you will share on your terms, not his. He's not a "bad" or a "dominant" dog, he's just a dog that has found a way of communicating that works for him, and it's up to you to engineer his life so that that form of communication doesn't work any more. 

There are some good articles on Dog Star Daily and Dog Training and Behavior Information.

Good luck!


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## FozziesMom (Jun 23, 2010)

Chagall's mom said:


> Don't confuse loving your minipoo with spoiling him.


And it's SO easy to spoil them, especially when they're as cute as that picture of Chagall in the snow!


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## Momosmama (Feb 2, 2011)

Ugh.. My dog does this too. Whenever he gets something he knows he's not supposed to have, or he gets a new toy or a treat, he'll just growl at anyone who comes near. If you try to touch him or take away the thing, he'll bite you. He's a mini but his bite still hurts really bad.. I don't want him to get worse, but I don't know how to make it better. The only thing I can think of is to not go near him when he's eating a treat so he knows I'm not even interested in it. The frustrating thing is after the toy or treat is gone, so is his temper. He's all of a sudden that cute little black bear again.


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## PaddleAddict (Feb 9, 2010)

Momosmama said:


> Ugh.. My dog does this too. Whenever he gets something he knows he's not supposed to have, or he gets a new toy or a treat, he'll just growl at anyone who comes near. If you try to touch him or take away the thing, he'll bite you. He's a mini but his bite still hurts really bad.. I don't want him to get worse, but I don't know how to make it better. The only thing I can think of is to not go near him when he's eating a treat so he knows I'm not even interested in it. The frustrating thing is after the toy or treat is gone, so is his temper. He's all of a sudden that cute little black bear again.


I suggest getting help for this from a professional. Not a regular dog trainer, but a certified animal behaviorist. This is a HUGE problem and it's not as simple as just leaving him alone with things. What happens if the thing he's guarding is toxic or sharp? You need to be able to take things from your dog. Also, the behavior will escalate, as Fozie's mom can attest. It's not something to be ignored.


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## FozziesMom (Jun 23, 2010)

yes, do not ignore. what if a child tries to take something from him? Or a well meaning stranger at the dog park? In some places they'll put a dog down for just one bite. 

get help and quickly. Don't panic, but do get help.


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