9 Week Old Puppy Getting Increasingly Aggressive

by Jackie
(Utah)

I've had my female a week and a half now. She ate some of our other dogs weight management food which made her not feel very well. She hadn't eaten much so I mixed a bit of wet food into her regular dog food.That's when the food aggression came out. She bit my boyfriend when he petted her and tried to move the bowl. She didn't snap right away, but is very possessive and growls and snarls. I wondered if it was simply because she hadn't eaten much and was super hungry, but when tested again the next day, she wasn't as violent, but still aggressive. I've hand fed her and tested this when I got her with her regular dry food and there's no aggression what so ever. Only when wet food or special treats are involved. I don't give her treats around our other dog, so that's not where the competition is stemming from. Then just this morning I went to put her out to go to the bathroom and as I picked her up like usual she aggressively growled and tried biting me. She did have a bone before, so I'm wondering if she felt like going out meant no bones? She's done well with training to sit and lay down, hasn't had an accident in the house since she whines when she needs out, even during the night and has since day one. I want to correct this, but am not sure how to correctly approach this one since I've never encountered this aggression in a puppy before. Please help! Kids are involved, so this aggression can't carry on.

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Jan 05, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Food agro pup
by: Anonymous

Is she from a real breeder or a farmer/ byb. Do not try and pin her get physical with her. It will make it worse and she will lose your respect snd trust. Try hand feeding her. Start working with her snd teaching her things like sit stay down and following you on a walk instead of leading the way. If it ws from a breeder contact them.
Jan 05, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Aggression
by: Donna

Nine weeks is too young to have such an aggressive puppy.

It sounds like you have been working consistently with pup by hand feeding.You need to work more with pup by continuing to hand feed the wet food. It's of higher value. Bones, well, those are highest value. Trade with cheese or something smelly that she likes.

You always need to train your kids never to go near the pup when eating or take things away. However, more work is obviously required in trading off goods. Have a positive-reinforcement trainer come in to help you. No punishment at all.

Kibble is pretty dull stuff. Not much value in it for some dogs unless they've been starved.

Did you pick her up when she had a bone? As in, she didn't want to be taken away from her bone? Dogs aren't going to relate with being picked up with not getting their bone outside.

My guess is she didn't come from a reputable breeder as in a breeder who breeds for sound temperaments and health and the dogs are registered with a recognized kennel club. You would normally go back to the breeder and they would help you with this.

Nine weeks is just too young for this behaviour.

Pup must always work for food in this case. Don't just feed pup. Take that bowl of food and put it on the counter. Take a bit and make puppy sit. Good pup and some food. Lie down, good pup and puppy gets some more of his dinner. Do this until bowl is empty. No free ride for pup.

If he is getting a bone, hold onto it while he chews. Take it away and give him some cheese. Then, give bone back. He needs to know he will get the bone back but you need to be able to take it away. Always hold it while he chews and keep doing the trade off.

Again, find a positive-reinforcement trainer come in to help you out. They will also be able to advise you much better since they would be there to see what is going on.

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