Introduction and help please!

[Fluff]

Thanks for your help, everyone. Amber ate a treat (she must have been sitting on it!) after about 40 minutes and finally let us back in to the living room! Since then, she has been a bit growly, but Mark has firmly told her 'no' and she has backed down. She's now sleeping in her bed.

I spoke to Cynthia at NESSR, where she came from, who is very supportive. We are going to see how things go. This is Amber's third home, but no aggression has been mentioned before, however she has always lived with other dogs, so perhaps she is trying it on now she is 'top dog' or in fact, the only dog? We are going to be very clear about her boundaries and get a crate or stair gate to she has 'time out' if necessary.

I absolutely do not want to give up on her, neither does Mark, as we are so attached to her already. I am sure we can get this right. It's still early days and tomorrow I go back to work after the Christmas break, so some sort of routine will be established again.

I've also emailed two behaviourists, one has quoted me £850.00 + travelling expenses, for two sessions, which is way beyond our budget! I'll look for others in the East Midlands area.

I'll keep you posted.
This site is great, it's kept me sane this past week or so. I can't express how grateful I am to you all for taking the time to help us. 'Thank you' just doesn't cover it!

Lisa 

Glad you got back in, it does sound like classic resource guarding. The good thing is, if you know what it is, you can start trying to deal with it! For now, I wouldn't allow her anything she can take away and guard. It may be in previous homes, she has had to protect her things from other dogs or people, and is still in that mindset now.

This might be worth a read, but if you are in any danger of being attacked or bitten, don't approach.

http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/resource-guarding-treatment-and-prevention

[MIN]

just sending a few 

[Cockertime Blues]

I've also emailed two behaviourists, one has quoted me £850.00 + travelling expenses, for two sessions, which is way beyond our budget! I'll look for others in the East Midlands area.

   They're having a laugh aren't they?  Maybe someone on here can point you to a good one in your area.  Top Barks might know of someone in your area.

[LisaNewland]

just sending a few 

Thank you, hugs are always welcome. x

[williamsmum]

So sorry for what you are going through, reading this, but I think your determination to keep hold of her and get the problem sorted is wonderful. Good luck and hope it all goes well for you.

[LisaNewland]

So sorry for what you are going through, reading this, but I think your determination to keep hold of her and get the problem sorted is wonderful. Good luck and hope it all goes well for you.

Well, she has mine and Mark's heart already. She is adorable and so loving and sweet 99% of the time. I don't think she enjoys being aggressive at all! I've always been of the view that the owners need to change their behaviour if they expect their dog to change its. Last night, we had no aggression at all. It was my first day back at work after the holidays, so Amber had about a couple of short spells on her own. Perhaps that helped her? She has not displayed any resource guarding traits at all since Sunday and Mark and I are working on being firm with our voice and generous with our love, as well as sticking to a regular routine and ignoring where appropriate.

Thanks again everyone. If I knew how to give a hug on here, I'd give you all a great big group hug!

HUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGSSSSSSSSSSS

Lisa
xxx

[Cockertime Blues]

Lisa it sounds like she's really landed in the right place with you and Mark.

  The hug icon seems to have disappeared.  I had to copy this but it's :big arm hug: without the spaces between the words.

[linda c]

I think you and Mark will be her forever home now, keep up with what you're doing and it'll all work out in the end 

[chrisp]

I've also emailed two behaviourists, one has quoted me £850.00 + travelling expenses, for two sessions, which is way beyond our budget! I'll look for others in the East Midlands area.

   They're having a laugh aren't they?  Maybe someone on here can point you to a good one in your area.  Top Barks might know of someone in your area.

Yes, get in touch with Top Barks. 

[williamsmum]

Wonderful update, Lisa. So pleased for you!

[LisaNewland]

Just to let you know - it's coming up to four weeks that we have had Amber and these past five days have been wonderful! No serious growling or snarling as before, just a couple of minor growls but stopped immediately one of us said 'no'. I'm so so happy with her. Not giving her any toys or bones for a while yet, it definitely helped not giving her things she could guard. Also, we realised that she gets very tired by about 7.30/8.00pm and needs to get in her downstairs bed. Once she's there, she sleeps til we go up. She gets into bed as soon as we tell her to and settles beautifully. So all in all, it's a much better situation than this time last week and Mark and I are very optimistic. Hooray! 

[Pop-Star]

Just to let you know - it's coming up to four weeks that we have had Amber and these past five days have been wonderful! No serious growling or snarling as before, just a couple of minor growls but stopped immediately one of us said 'no'. I'm so so happy with her. Not giving her any toys or bones for a while yet, it definitely helped not giving her things she could guard. Also, we realised that she gets very tired by about 7.30/8.00pm and needs to get in her downstairs bed. Once she's there, she sleeps til we go up. She gets into bed as soon as we tell her to and settles beautifully. So all in all, it's a much better situation than this time last week and Mark and I are very optimistic. Hooray! 

Hooray indeed 

[ejp]

Good for you!  Onwards and upwards. xx

[lesley3165]

So pleased to hear things are getting better for you. I haven't any experience of what you are going through but we contacted Mark at Top Barks for training issues we were having and I cannot recommend him enough. He turned our lives around with Meg after a two hour session 

[julie1]

Another thing I thought of is as you get to know Amber you will discover what her most prized treat is, eg cheese or ham etc, keep some in to use to swop when she has something you want to get off her, with Harry it is a tub of peanut butter he will give me almost anything if I have that in my hand. He only gets it very very occasionally so it remains highly prized and he practically drools when I open the lid  Ben will do anything for cheese.  Its useful to keep something like this for times when bribery is essential

I was also going to suggest this, with Kez when  she is wet & we fist come in, I lay a towel down for her to lie on to get a bit dry & she has a "chew", she now gets excited & expects this even when she is not wet, after a little while I take the chew off her ( I don't really like her to have them), I show her a very small biscuit, or it could be anything they love, she accepts it and also seems to know that I will take the chew away,  she accepts this o.k. now , it only took a couple of goes.   She now knows that this is the routine.