Cocker Specific Discussion > Behaviour & Training

Resource Guarding the Sofa?

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Stiilez:
They are complicated dogs aren’t they!

Anyway Poppy is 14 months old female, No season yet (as far we know).
Everything going ok, a bit of sock and bones chew guarding started when she was about 6 months, but we had a trainer in who advised us to firstly restrict access and if it does happen play it down with a Beverly casual swap, that’s worked fine and she’ll give up socks or anything for a bit of ham or chicken.

However, over the last month we have seen a behaviour change.
Mostly in the evening so I suspect tiredness comes into play, but after about 6 or 7 when she is on the sofa relaxing she has airsnapped at least 6 times at people who have gone to stroke her, it’s happened to all of the family members so it’s not a specific person.
We are not sure if it’s oncoming season, teenage angst or she may be guarding the sofa?

We are seeing the vet for her 6 monthly check up  in 2 weeks so I will ask them, but has anybody experienced anything similar? If it is guarding the sofa it might be a tricky one I suspect.

sophie.ivy:
How is Poppy getting on? Has she come into season now?

My girl took against her boot crate when she came into season and started to howl in there and refuse to get in, which she had never done before. All back to normal now she's out of it - I think it's just a very confusing time for them, poor loves.

I also knew a cocker who used to air snap when he had dental pain and the vet said it can often be a displacement behaviour for pain/discomfort.

Stiilez:
Hi Sophie.ivy,
We did find out what the problem was and it wasn’t her season and unfortunately it wasn’t good.
We took her to the vets and they discovered an inoperable tumor in her stomach/intestines and was put to sleep during surgery, she was obviously in some discomfort sometimes.
Our family and the children were absolutely devastated as you can imagine.

it’s obviously good advice to get your dog checked by a vet when they have a behavioural change in case it is a medical problem, alas in this instance us and Poppy we just unlucky as she couldn’t be saved.

She was our first dog so we made all the mistakes that you’d expect, but we went on that journey together and she’d woven herself into every part of our family life.
At the moment there’s not an hour that goes by when I don’t think about her.

Finvarra:
So sorry to hear this, so sad at such a young age, poor wee soul. Sympathies to you and your family.  :bigarmhug:
Lesley

bizzylizzy:
That is so sad, I‘m really sorry to hear you‘ve had to suffer this experience with your first dog.
I‘m sure you made no more mistakes than any of us would have necessarily made, unfortunately they can’t tell us how they’re feeling and, particularly with young dogs, changes in their behaviour  can be depend on so many things and even an experienced dog owner can miss things. (I have a 7 year old hopping along on 3 legs sadly, to prove it!  )
Be kind to yourselves and remember the joys and love that you both shared with each other.
Run free little Poppy  ❤️

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