Jack has guarding tendencies with both resources and spaces. It started when he was about 6mths with a bit of tissue and under a table. Its never been a huge problem and is easily managed. It does sometimes take us by surprise as its quite rare it happens and normally over something like a lighter or pair of knickers. To give you an example he wondered into my understairs cupboard a few weeks ago while i was getting something out and lay down on a tool box, I could tell if I asked him to move or come out of the cupboard he was going to start guarding it so I just completly ignored him and walked away, not giving it change to start. He came out a few mins later and I still didnt make a huge fuss of him (just acted normal) and just left the door open all day so he could go in and out as he pleased while i ignored it. That nipped it in the bud with the cupboard and we have found that if we completly ignore any attempts at guarding it stops quickly. So if hes grabbed a pair of knickers I can normally just ask for them but if i think from looking at him its going to be a pair he will guard i just completly ignore him, he will wonder round or sit with them in his mouth for a bit and when he realises im not interested and hes getting no attention he normally just puts them down somewhere. I will leave them for a bit then just pick them up like its no big deal and later on get his clicker out and do some work with him bringing us objects. I dont know if this is the right way to handle it but I have found that when I think hes about to guard if I dont give him chance to do so and dont get into the situation where its a stand off or im going to ask him to do something hes not going to do its the quickest way to stop it. We have found this is the way that works best for us and we see quick improvements, he only tries to guard every few months usually and it never lasts long.
Jack is brilliant with dummys, comes in and sits at my left hand side then gives me them on command with his head up. Hes fine with rabbit skin dummies ect. Where we walk him he would occasionally find a dead rabbit and bring it to me without a problem until recently. Then a few weeks ago he found a few half eaten dead rabbits (guts, bladder hanging out) brought it to me and when i asked for it he went nuts and began guarding it. He was growling, barking his body was stiff and he had bit down hard on it, Its the only time i have ever felt in danger of getting bitten. im worried about ignoring it and him thinking its ok to eat game plus i dont know the damage eating a dead rabbit would do to him.
He was still fine with un marked dead rabbits he found but then brought me back a live one. He carried to me fine and when i asked for it he bit down and broke its ribs killing it. I put him on lead and let him carry it home sitting him every so often and just stroking him acting like everything was normal then when i got home i took it off him (he gave it up fine) did some retreives with it which he was great with. All this happened in the space of a week and it turns out the area has mixi so i have stopped walking him there now.
Im worried though his eating half eaten rabbits will make him see rabbits as food and he will start trying to eat any he finds, he found a dead un marked rabbit a few days ago in an area we didnt think there was rabbits
and although he brought it to me he was a little reluctant giving it up (came in and sat with his head down then mouthed it as he was releasing) which he never used to do. So i hid it and gave him a blind retreive with it and he brought it in presented and released it fine
He does retrieve cold game (birds) and is brilliant with them. He treats them exactly the same as he does his dummys and comes in to sit at my left side then holds his head up and releases on command.
I have put notices up in local farmers market shops asking for unmarked dead rabbits so i can use them with Jack to practice but have had no joy yet.
I dont know what to do, I dont want guarding behaviours to escalate or him not trusting me. I realise a half eaten dead rabbit must be extreamly high value to him. hes never going to work on rabbits but i dont want him finding the half eaten ones and guarding them or finishing them off, im worried it might be birds he will start eating next and im also concerned about hard mouth developing.
The strange thing is I can give him a chicken wing then ask for it and he will release it on command, i have no problems around food and have accidently given him Bries food before and not hesitated in taking it off him.
Im so confused (which is why this is a long rambling post) anyone got any ideas?
We are so close to him being trained and i really dont want him and us to miss out on working because of this problem getting worse. Is this something you think would effect his working or would it be a seperate issue? Is there any reason he would start on birds? and what should i do when he finds half eaten things he starts guarding?
thanks
