Growling When Trying To Get My Grey To Move

[Guest RobinAZ]

I've had now had GreyCee for almost 5 months and she's just the sweetest girl. But one thing I've discovered. If she's on the couch and we need her to get down to make room for people she will not budge. We've tried calling her down, but she just looks at us. If we try to gently nudge her she growls and if we keep at it she tries to bite. Same thing when she's on the bed hogging the whole thing and we need her to scoot over. What I've done is start offering her a treat to get down because I don't know what else to do. I'm sure that's not the right thing, though. Any suggestions are appreciated.

[JAJ2010]

I would clip her leash onto her collar and lead her off. THEN she would loose all furniture privileges! That is my couch and bed. If I choose to share it I better not get backtalk or snapped at. I'm sure she has some nice comfy dog beds. Start practicing some NILF (Nothing in life is free) Make her work for everything. Lots of obedience training to establish that you are in charge. Maybe in a few more months she will be allowed the privilege again.

[Figma]

Well, I think she would lose couch and bed priviledges here!!!! Maybe try keeping a lead on her and use that to get her moving when giving a command then reward.

[Guest RobinAZ]

Thanks! I never thought about the leash..duh! I will try that. Probably right about couch and bed privileges being taken away but dang she looks so cute. Okay..I need to harden up a bit. She has 2 dog beds, one in the livingroom and one in the bedroom.

[JAJ2010]

I do want to add that Rainy is smart enough to know that guests get first couch rights. But is not above looking pitiful and convincing our guests to invite her up

 

Thanks! I never thought about the leash..duh! I will try that. Probably right about couch and bed privileges being taken away but dang she looks so cute. Okay..I need to harden up a bit. She has 2 dog beds, one in the livingroom and one in the bedroom.

 

It won't be forever! Maybe some clicker training/obedience classes might be fun for you to go attend? She just needs a bit of a tude adjustment.

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

As others have said, no more bed/couch privileges. If you read any posts that I do, you will see my "typical" response when it comes to resource guarding: obedience class and hand-feed your hound. The two in conjunction teach your hound that you provide life-sustaining food, and the obedience reinforces the bond between you and your hound. I know its a pain in the butt to do this, and some people may think it strange, but think about it, in a pack, the leader eats first, then allows the others to eat, by handing the food to your hound, you are in essence providing the kill and eating first (otherwise you wouldn't be giving the hound any food). I believe this works on an instinctual level that alleviates the need for correction or punishment. This is not a fix-all, but it rapidly creates a bond and establishes hierarchy that the hound instantly recognizes. I have used this technique for a very shy girl as well with wonderful results. The obedience class with help with manners, mental stimulation and bonding as well. Win-win situation.

 

Chad

Edited March 18, 2010 by Greyt_dog_lover

[Guest Bang_o_rama]

and some people may think it strange, but think about it, in a pack, the leader eats first, then allows the others to eat, by handing the food to your hound, you are in essence providing the kill and eating first (otherwise you wouldn't be giving the hound any food).

 

We always hand-feed Bang, and she eats after the cat as well. I also pretend to eat some of her food before I give it to her to reinforce her (secondary) pack status.

 

Once we got over the smell of the deer carcass, this was no problem at all....

~D~

[Guest BostonDan]

I think the lease may be a good way to handle the situation when it happens right now and she learns the way needs to be. Usee your "Firm tone" voice (If you use one) so they know you are not asking, you are telling. I have a voice tone that i use which seems to tell Bella the difference between playing and serious, the Alpha voice. I use this with my macaw as well. It is the "Pack/Flock leader is speaking" tone (Not yelling).

 

I also like the idea a lot of the hand feeding and the handling of the food. I never thought of it on that level. We take turns feeding our GH so she knows we both provide her with food, water, care etc.

 

Bella has her "Go Limp" moments when she is comfy and does not want to move, she did bark at me once in the middle of the night when I had to push her over a bit for being a bed hog, which I said "too bad move over" and she huffed/sighed at me defeated and moved.

[Guest sheila]

well I will tell you what I did with the first hound I had who decided to get growly about sharing the human spaces. Folks won't like it, but it worked like a charm. I didn't mind Kiowa sharing the bed or couch until he started getting snarky about it. The first time it happened I used the VOG and told him to GET DOWN NOW! and when he balked I took his collar and led him off and to his bed. After that and for a few weeks he was denied all furniture privleges. When I did allow him back up I made sure to jostle him and other things and I think he might have kinda snarked once more which resulted in more VOG and another banishment. From then on he was perfectly behaved when he got on furniture and a mere quiet, 'OK move' was sufficient to get him to give up the spot w/o a sound

[NevadasMom]

NO couch or bed & look into NILIF....it works.

[JAJ2010]

well I will tell you what I did with the first hound I had who decided to get growly about sharing the human spaces. Folks won't like it, but it worked like a charm. I didn't mind Kiowa sharing the bed or couch until he started getting snarky about it. The first time it happened I used the VOG and told him to GET DOWN NOW! and when he balked I took his collar and led him off and to his bed. After that and for a few weeks he was denied all furniture privleges. When I did allow him back up I made sure to jostle him and other things and I think he might have kinda snarked once more which resulted in more VOG and another banishment. From then on he was perfectly behaved when he got on furniture and a mere quiet, 'OK move' was sufficient to get him to give up the spot w/o a sound

 

 

I think that is awesome! Some people just don't have a good VOG and might get bit. I don;t even have to give the VOG, I have an evil look that makes our hounds quake!

[Guest RobinAZ]

You guys are great:) Gonna take your advice. I have to remind GreyCee who is in charge. Thank you all

[Guest Mom2Shiloh]

I really like the hand feeding and loss of privileges for now (both positive training); I would suggest using a leash to get her to move when necessary however rather than grabbing the collar as that's a good way to get bitten. You need to be kind, firm, consistent .. and you don't want to set them up to fail -- which is what collar grabbing can do.

 

Other than that, you've got a plan. I don't view it so much as a Dominance thing as a Leader thing -- there is a difference

[ivon]

Yeah, I would not dare be a snarky hound at Sheila's house

[Guest BostonDan]

Silly Question, but what is VOG?

[rallyp]

"Voice of God."

[Guest BostonDan]

haha, ok. Thanks. I am new, so I was trying to figure it out. Yeah, my VOG works on Greyhounds, Macaws, employees, but not my spouse

 

I love the comment about the evil stare that does it haha. If anything I GET the evil stare from Bella when I use the VOG

[Jackandgrey]

I would also like to suggest that actually teaching your dog to get off when asked might be helpful, given that she is not a mind reader and doesn't come programmed with this information. Logically why should she want to give up a couch or bed when she is perfectly comfy and content. Of course she can't challenge you for your stuff but a reliable off command is a very useful tool.

 

To remove her from places she doesn't want to off from in the mean time, just clip her leash on and turn in the direction you want go and well go, cheerfully. She will follow.

 

Jilly has a tendancy to be very grumpy - not snappy - just grumbly - if disturbed. But she also now knows off, very reliably. If she is not prepared to share my space nicely then she can go lie in her own. She gets it. But it did require me teaching her what I expected of her.

[rallyp]

I would also like to suggest that actually teaching your dog to get off when asked might be helpful, given that she is not a mind reader and doesn't come programmed with this information. Logically why should she want to give up a couch or bed when she is perfectly comfy and content. Of course she can't challenge you for your stuff but a reliable off command is a very useful tool.

 

To remove her from places she doesn't want to off from in the mean time, just clip her leash on and turn in the direction you want go and well go, cheerfully. She will follow.

 

Jilly has a tendancy to be very grumpy - not snappy - just grumbly - if disturbed. But she also now knows off, very reliably. If she is not prepared to share my space nicely then she can go lie in her own. She gets it. But it did require me teaching her what I expected of her.

^^^^

THIS is VERY good advice.

[Guest TBSFlame]

I would clip her leash onto her collar and lead her off. THEN she would loose all furniture privileges! That is my couch and bed. If I choose to share it I better not get backtalk or snapped at. I'm sure she has some nice comfy dog beds. Start practicing some NILF (Nothing in life is free) Make her work for everything. Lots of obedience training to establish that you are in charge. Maybe in a few more months she will be allowed the privilege again.

 

I must agree. My sofa and my bed. My hounds are allowed on the sofa and bed but they know what MOVE means. Never try to move them by holding the collar use a leash then say MOVE or DOWN. Most of the time I don't allow new hounds on the furniture until they have figured out their place in the pack.

[Sighthounds4me]

well I will tell you what I did with the first hound I had who decided to get growly about sharing the human spaces. Folks won't like it, but it worked like a charm. I didn't mind Kiowa sharing the bed or couch until he started getting snarky about it. The first time it happened I used the VOG and told him to GET DOWN NOW! and when he balked I took his collar and led him off and to his bed. After that and for a few weeks he was denied all furniture privleges. When I did allow him back up I made sure to jostle him and other things and I think he might have kinda snarked once more which resulted in more VOG and another banishment. From then on he was perfectly behaved when he got on furniture and a mere quiet, 'OK move' was sufficient to get him to give up the spot w/o a sound

 

I don't see a problem AT ALL with that! Sometimes we pussyfoot a little too much with sighthounds, thinking they are sensitive creatures. They are, but they are also dogs. We need to remember to treat them as such.

[Guest Bang_o_rama]

Hey, that works as well as the TASER I have been using.

JUST KIDDING!

Our pup is very correctable by the VOG. Hher only trace of aggression is that she sometimes goes bitey-neck on dogs when competing for the tossed ball at the dog park. Has NEVER even elicited even a yelp from one of them, so she clearly is not trying to hurt them, but we don't think it to be good dog-park manners, esp with the smaller pups. When she does it we call her name and give her an uh-uh. She did it twice this AM and never repeated it.

 

BTW, we took Bang to Chicago's Wiggly Field this morning and found it quite nice, with responsible and alert owners. I have walked by it on weekends, though, and seen it VERY crowded.

 

~D~

[Batmom]

If you tried to push me off the couch, I wouldn't bite but I'd growl and smack you one.

 

Assuming she doesn't know a "Come" or "Off" command yet, when you want her to move, clip the leash on, "<insert suitable command here>", turn around and march off. Work on your suitable "off" command. Most dogs pick it up quickly.

[Guest SusanP]

I don't have a problem using a food reward when a dog gets off the couch for me. Use a command along with the food and tell her she's a good girl when she gets off.

[Guest gecko_foot]

well I will tell you what I did with the first hound I had who decided to get growly about sharing the human spaces. Folks won't like it, but it worked like a charm. I didn't mind Kiowa sharing the bed or couch until he started getting snarky about it. The first time it happened I used the VOG and told him to GET DOWN NOW! and when he balked I took his collar and led him off and to his bed. After that and for a few weeks he was denied all furniture privleges. When I did allow him back up I made sure to jostle him and other things and I think he might have kinda snarked once more which resulted in more VOG and another banishment. From then on he was perfectly behaved when he got on furniture and a mere quiet, 'OK move' was sufficient to get him to give up the spot w/o a sound

 

I don't see a problem AT ALL with that! Sometimes we pussyfoot a little too much with sighthounds, thinking they are sensitive creatures. They are, but they are also dogs. We need to remember to treat them as such.