Aggression And Alpha Behavior

[Guest Thall447]

Ive read through a lot of the posts, but hadnt really found anything quite like my situation. So I figured Id post a new one

 

I got my boy Kota last thursday, and before I picked him up I was warned that he is protective over toys. By warned i mean the agency told me that he just really loved his toys and didnt like giving them up. So I didnt think it would be an issuem and it is possible that it wasnt an issue for them.

The first night I brought home home I gave him a plush squeaky toy, which he attacked and tore up within minutes. His tail was not wagging, he just chomped it until it stopped squeaking. When I approached him, he growled at me, and after another step he barked, so I backed off.

 

At the dog park, I was throwing a ball to him, and he would come back, and I would pick up another ball and throw that one. He would drop the first and chase the second, which worked great. But when it came time to leave, and I wanted to take the ball from him, he would not drop it. It was not my ball so I attempted to take it from his mouth, and when I did he lunged for the ball, but caught my hand. I was in crowded dog park so I did not want to yell at the dog, but he just would not let go. Finally he let go when I enticed him with the tennis ball again. This wasnt aggression, but he would not let go of my hand, and thats a problem.

 

Last night Kota, my girlfriend amanda, and I were all on the couch, he was laying down being petted by her for close to a half hour. Suddenly for no reason he growled and barked at her, which obviously scared her (hes huge at 75 lbs), and I yelled at him and took him off the couch, which he will not be allowed back on. Ive heard of this happening with a lot of other hounds.

 

Finally this morning, he got into my closet and found a stuffed animal he shouldnt have. When I approached him to get it back, he avoided me at first, then laid down. When I stepped towards him he growled. Then I coaxed him over with a treat, and after he ate it I took him collar and attempted to crate him. He saw through it, barked and growled aggressively, stood his ground until I backed off, then ran back to the toy and would growl if I enetered the room. After I let him alone with it for a couple minutes he lost interest and proceeded to follow me around, tail down and head down like nothing had happened.

 

He is so good otherwise. He is well house broken, walks perfectly on a leash, does not lunge for squirrels, is polite and well behaved with other dogs/people at the park, and will listen to a sharp NO or clap with everything else, such as pawing at the door or counter surfing. It is literally only with toys, and once with the couch but he wont be allowed back on now.

 

I have heard about the trading method, giving him something better in exchange for the thing he has. I will try this, and I have hidden everything plush/soft/interesting that he could get a hold of, but until the time that he is relaxed, I am afraid that there will be an incident where he finds one of Amandas soft boots and be aggressive with her if she tries to get it back. If anyone has had experience with this, please help. I love the dog very much, but it is extremely frustrating, especially when he is so good on all other occasions.

[a_daerr]

Keep in mind that greyhounds at the track have never had belongings of their own before, so guarding and space aggression are typical. Definitely work on "trading up" and NILF training (there are several threads here that detail these things extensively). Also, no furniture privileges yet. It's far too soon, as your dog doesn't yet understand the concept of "my space" and "your space." It's my two cents that it's also probably too early to be taking Kota to the dog park. He does not have impulse control or recall skills yet, which is very dangerous for dogs who are off leash and unmuzzled in a group of other dogs. You don't want to be liable if he chomps down on another human or dog, like he does with his toys.

 

 

ETA: This behavior likely has nothing to do with being "alpha" or pack order. Don't buy into the harsh, Cesar Milan training methods to make your dog more "submissive" to you. Aggression only begets aggression. Greyhounds do much better with positive reinforcement training.

Edited March 11, 2013 by a_daerr

[Guest IrskasMom]

What Alicia said . To your Boy everything is all New to him and Greyhounds to you to . First of all , Count to ten and give it some time to adjust . Time and Patience is everything. I personally avoid Dogparks .

[Guest Thall447]

Thanks for the advice, this is my first greyhound, so I know very little. The books Ive read give a lot of info but not as much as experience. I am very patient, and am prepared to take the time, but I definitely gave him too many priveleges to begin with.

Edited March 11, 2013 by Thall447

[GeorgeofNE]

Thanks for the advice, this is my first greyhound, so I know very little. The books Ive read give a lot of info but not as much as experience. I am very patient, and am prepared to take the time, but I definitely gave him too many priveleges to begin with.

 

 

You're yelling at a dog you've had a week. I don't think most of us would consider that "very patient."

 

Please contact your adoption group. They need to review MANY aspects of Greyhounds with you.

[greytpups]

First of all, the alpha dog is a myth...you can google it to find out the concept is based on a flawed study of wolves.

 

Secondly, this article by Kathleen Gilley may provide some insight. You need to start with NILF (nothing in life is free) training. A search here on GT will provide a lot of information. I also recommend reading "The Other end of the Leash" for starters. Contact your group as well and let them know what's going on. They should be able to provide a wealth of information.

 

Here's the article. Good Luck and hope you find it helpful!

 

This breed has never been asked to do anything for itself, make any decisions or answer any questions. It has been waited on, paw and tail. The only prohibition in a racing Greyhound's life is not to get into a fight----------------or eat certain stuff in the turn out pen.

Let us review a little. From weaning until you go away for schooling, at probably a year and a half, you eat, grow and run around with your siblings. When you go away to begin your racing career, you get your own "apartment," in a large housing development. No one is allowed in your bed but you, and when you are in there, no one can touch you, without plenty of warning.

Someone hears a vehicle drive up, or the kennel door being unlocked. The light switches are flipped on. The loud mouths in residence, and there always are some, begin to bark or howl. You are wide awake by the time the human opens your door to turn you out. A Greyhound has never been touched while he was asleep. You eat when you are fed, usually on a strict schedule. No one asks if you are hungry or what you want to eat. You are never told not to eat any food within your reach. No one ever touches your bowl while you are eating. You are not to be disturbed because it is important you clean your plate.

You are not asked if you have to "go outside." You are placed in turn out pen and it isn't long before you get the idea of what you are supposed to do while you are out there. Unless you really get out of hand, you may chase, rough house and put your feet on everyone and everything else. The only humans you know are the "waiters" who feed you, and the "restroom attendants" who turn you out to go to the bathroom. Respect people? Surely you jest.

No one comes into or goes out of your kennel without your knowledge. You are all seeing; all knowing. There are no surprises, day in and day out. The only thing it is ever hoped you will do is win, place or show, and that you don't have much control over. It is in your blood, it is in your heart, it is in your fate-- or it is not.

And when it is not, then suddenly you are expected to be a civilized person in a fur coat. But people don't realize you may not even speak English. Some of you don't even know your names, because you didn't need to. You were not asked or told to do anything as an individual; you were always part of the "condo association?; the sorority or fraternity and everyone did everything together, as a group or pack. The only time you did anything as an individual is when you schooled or raced, and even then, You Were Not Alone.

Suddenly, he is expected to behave himself in places he's never been taught how to act. He is expected to take responsibility for saying when he needs to go outside, to come when he is called, not to get on some or all of the furniture, and to not eat food off counters and tables. He is dropped in a world that is not his, and totally without warning, at that.

Almost everything he does is wrong. Suddenly he is a minority. Now he is just a pet. He is unemployed, in a place where people expect him to know the rules and the schedule, even when there aren't any. (How many times have you heard someone say, He won't tell "me when he has to go out. What kind of schedule is that?) Have you heard the joke about the dog who says "My name is No-No Bad " Dog. What's yours? To me that is not even funny. All the "protective barriers are gone. There is no more warning before something happens. There is no more strength in numbers. He wakes up with a monster human face two inches from his. (With some people's breath, this could scare Godzilla.) Why should he not, believe that this someone for lunch? (I really do have to ask you ladies to consider how you would react if someone you barely knew crawled up on you while you were asleep?) No, I will not ask for any male input.

Now he is left alone, for the first time in his life, in a strange place, with no idea of what will happen or how long it will be before someone comes to him again. If he is not crated, he may go through walls, windows or over fences, desperately seeking something familiar, something with which to reconnect his life. If he does get free, he will find the familiarity, within himself: the adrenaline high, the wind in his ears, the blood pulsing and racing though his heart once again--until he crashes into a car.

Often, the first contact with his new family is punishment, something he's never had before, something he doesn't understand now, especially in the middle of the rest of the chaos. And worst of all, what are the most common human reactions to misbehavior? We live in a violent society, where the answer to any irritation is a slap, punch, kick, whip, or rub your nose in it. Under these circumstances, sometimes I think any successful adoption is a miracle.

He is, in effect, expected to have all the manners of at least a six-year old child. But, how many of you would leave an unfamiliar six-year old human alone and loose in your home for hours at a time and not expect to find who knows what when you got back? Consider that if you did, you could be brought up on charges of child abuse, neglect and endangerment. Yet, people do this to Greyhounds and this is often the reason for so many returns.

How many dogs have been returned because they did not know how to tell the adopter when they had to go out? How many for jumping on people, getting on furniture, counter surfing, separation anxiety, or defensive actions due to being startled or hurt (aka growling or biting)? So, let's understand: Sometimes it is the dog's fault" he cannot fit in. He is not equipped "with the social skills of a six-year old human. But you can help him.

[Guest Thall447]

When I say yelled, I gave him a NO and took him off the couch. I dont mean reprimanded, spanked, screamed, put in a kennel. I would never respond to agression with more aggression, I have never hit an animal in my life, and ive had quite a few.

 

That being said, I dont think ANY dog, of any breed, should be simply allowed to show aggression, regardless of the amount of time I have had him. I do admit it was my fault for allowing him on the couch so early, that shows my ignorance, but that does not mean that I should just let something like that go. Which is why I am asking for the proper way to handle it. And I have contacted my adoption group, explained the situation, exactly as I have explained it here. They told me the same thing, I have been too generous with him in so short a period of time, and they will continue to help. So thats my fault.

 

Im not looking for criticism here, I admit that I am ignorant of the breed, and I have tried to get a hold of every resource I could before I got him, and still am now. Everything else with him is great, I was just unprepared for this specific situation, which is why I came here for help. Also I appreciate your defensiveness of the breed and Kota, but I am NOT saying there is something wrong with him.

 

Regardless, I will still try to be more patient.

 

You're yelling at a dog you've had a week. I don't think most of us would consider that "very patient."

 

Please contact your adoption group. They need to review MANY aspects of Greyhounds with you.

First of all, the alpha dog is a myth...you can google it to find out the concept is based on a flawed study of wolves.

 

Secondly, this article by Kathleen Gilley may provide some insight. You need to start with NILF (nothing in life is free) training. A search here on GT will provide a lot of information. I also recommend reading "The Other end of the Leash" for starters. Contact your group as well and let them know what's going on. They should be able to provide a wealth of information.

 

Here's the article. Good Luck and hope you find it helpful!

 

Thanks, Ill read this, and my group is helping me too.

Edited March 11, 2013 by Thall447

[TheFullHouse]

Until the two of you have bonded and he trusts you, I would keep the toys at a minimum and start teaching him the "drop it" command so that you will be able to get things that you don't want him to have away from him. Keep in mind he is going to resist what he considers "high value" objects more than something he's willing to give up so until you've taught him to drop it, I wouldn't give him something like raw meaty bones because more bites have happened from people trying to take those things from a new dog.

 

I would like you said, not let him on the furniture. He may have a little sleep startle going on there where he's fallen asleep and the person sitting next to him moves and startles him awake. He's not had to share his space with anyone all these years and needs to learn. All of these issues will get better once he trusts you and you've bonded with him.

[greysmom]

First of all, congrats on adopting your new greyhound! Once you get through this adjustment period you'll soon be looking to add another!

 

All the behaviors you mentioned are very normal. As someone pointed out, resource guarding is something that many greyhounds do - even after they have been in a home for a while. Some training and time and patience will be the answers to this.

 

Don't confuse "stuffy killing" with aggression. It looks, and can sound, really horrible as your sweet and loveable dog disembowels a nice toy, but they mostly do it because it's fun. Even my puppy will spread stuffing all over the house trying to get the squeaker out of a toy. If your dog is particularly hard on toys you will probably have to buy some VERY sturdy ones that will stand up to hard play. I buy a lot of Kong items and toys for "super chewers" and I still don't expect them to last long. If I buy a stuffy, it's going to be a cheap one since it won't be around more than a minute or two.

 

Two easy commands you can work on at home are "watch me" and "leave it." These are very useful on several behavioral levels. Recall training is also appropriate, though I still would not trust my greyhound off-leash. And dog parks can be fun for some greys with the proper supervision and mix of dogs. A greyhound-only playdate is the best.

 

If you have a fenced yard make sure you walk him at least once a day. Walking is a great bonding experience and it also tires your hound out - a tired dog is a happy dog.

 

"Trading up" is the best way to go until you and your dog have established a level of trust. Teaching him to drop items on command is good too. Never grab you greyhound by the collar to move him. Most do not respond well to this perceived insult, as you've seen. Leash him up or use a tasty treat to lure him when you need him to move.

 

Another vote here for reconsidering the whole "alpha dog" behavioral model. Most greyhounds are very stable personalities who need some leadership, but they do not respond well to overt displays of "dominance." Dogs are not wolves, and this behavioral theory has pretty much been debunked. They need a consistent schedule, clear and logical rules, just enough exercise, and lots of love!

 

Good luck.

[turbotaina]

First of all, congrats on adopting your new greyhound! Once you get through this adjustment period you'll soon be looking to add another!

 

All the behaviors you mentioned are very normal. As someone pointed out, resource guarding is something that many greyhounds do - even after they have been in a home for a while. Some training and time and patience will be the answers to this.

 

Don't confuse "stuffy killing" with aggression. It looks, and can sound, really horrible as your sweet and loveable dog disembowels a nice toy, but they mostly do it because it's fun. Even my puppy will spread stuffing all over the house trying to get the squeaker out of a toy. If your dog is particularly hard on toys you will probably have to buy some VERY sturdy ones that will stand up to hard play. I buy a lot of Kong items and toys for "super chewers" and I still don't expect them to last long. If I buy a stuffy, it's going to be a cheap one since it won't be around more than a minute or two.

 

Two easy commands you can work on at home are "watch me" and "leave it." These are very useful on several behavioral levels. Recall training is also appropriate, though I still would not trust my greyhound off-leash. And dog parks can be fun for some greys with the proper supervision and mix of dogs. A greyhound-only playdate is the best.

 

If you have a fenced yard make sure you walk him at least once a day. Walking is a great bonding experience and it also tires your hound out - a tired dog is a happy dog.

 

"Trading up" is the best way to go until you and your dog have established a level of trust. Teaching him to drop items on command is good too. Never grab you greyhound by the collar to move him. Most do not respond well to this perceived insult, as you've seen. Leash him up or use a tasty treat to lure him when you need him to move.

 

Another vote here for reconsidering the whole "alpha dog" behavioral model. Most greyhounds are very stable personalities who need some leadership, but they do not respond well to overt displays of "dominance." Dogs are not wolves, and this behavioral theory has pretty much been debunked. They need a consistent schedule, clear and logical rules, just enough exercise, and lots of love!

 

Good luck.

 

Yep, all this And note that you're not looking at a breed specific issue, it's just a dog issue - any dog can resource guard. Look into Dr. Patricia McConnell's books for really good, positive training advice.

 

When we first brought my current greyhound home, he would resource guard toys and anything else he thought was fabulous and his. He also had some very limited space guarding issues (mostly limited to when he was seriously resting, but not sleeping). We've had him not quite two years yet and he's come a long way. We had to use trading up a lot - and I still do it. In fact, he so used to trading up that now when he takes an inappropriate object, he'll immediately drop it and come looking for a treat. He has us well trained

 

Note that while this is workable in most dogs, there are some that are just life-long guarders, so you may have to limit toys or he may never be a furniture dog. That doesn't mean that he's a bad pet, it just means you'll have to manage the environment. We do it (mostly because our naughty boy will EAT inappropriate objects) and it's become second nature.

 

Congratulations on your boy

Edited March 11, 2013 by turbotaina

[Sambuca]

I agree with the other posts. I also recommend going to obedience class. I prefer clicker training/positive reinforcement. It will strengthen your bond, teach him some manners and help teach both of you to communicate with each other better.

[Guest Gemma]

As others have said, you can do the 'trade up' game. However, the level of resource guarding he is displaying might mean you need to lay some groundwork first. I would keep toys out of reach and give them to him when you have time to supervise. No more than one toy at a time to begin with. As he takes it and plays, get a few small treats and gently toss them over to him from a distance. If he seems to relax during this time, I would walk by him at a distance (don't get too close) tossing the treats. When you want to take the toy to end the play/training session, get a REALLY great treat (cheese, hotdog, etc) and 'trade up'. Once he starts showing more relaxed body language and seems more interested in you/the treats than the toy, you can gradually move closer to him as you give treats. Over time, you should be able to build up to touching the toy as you treat. Once you can touch the toy and are successful with 'trade up', you can start teaching 'leave it'.

 

Go slow, be patient, and give him time to realise that you are the source of all good things and are not trying to take his toys. Once he figures out that you near his toys = happy fun treat time, you should see an improvement. It can take a while, though, so don't be discouraged if you have any setbacks.

 

Good luck!

[Guest Thall447]

Thank you to everyone. When I posted this morning I was pretty distressed, hence my tone, but yall have made me feel a lot better about it.

[a_daerr]

Thank you to everyone. When I posted this morning I was pretty distressed, hence my tone, but yall have made me feel a lot better about it.

 

We all make mistakes. It's good that you are taking steps to work with him.

[NeylasMom]

That being said, I dont think ANY dog, of any breed, should be simply allowed to show aggression, regardless of the amount of time I have had him.

This is such a major misunderstanding and probably the root of all dog/human issues so I hope you'll reconsider your feelings on it. Dogs communicate through growling, barking, snapping, biting, etc. We get so hung up on this idea of "aggression" being unacceptable, but your dog is doing nothing more than communicating with you using doggy language. He doesn't have a choice since he can't speak English. And honestly, it's a very good thing that your dog is warning you and he's doing so in a very appropriate manner - first he tries to avoid you, but you ignore him. Then he growls. At this point, he's thinking, hey dude, can't you see this is mine? You really need to back off. You ignore him again. Then he barks at you or tries to grab the object back, getting your hand in the process. Dogs have different thresholds for moving from one warning level to another and there are a lot of dogs who wouldn't have warned so well and would have just snapped or bitten you. So be grateful your dog communicates appropriately, listen to what he's saying, and address the underlying issue (his fear of you taking high value possessions). You've gotten a lot of advice to help with the latter and if you search this particular forum for "trading" you should find a lot more.

[a_daerr]

I agree... to a point. I don't punish growling/snapping in a brand new dog because they don't know much in terms of role expectation. But for my two dogs (who have been with me a long time and have had extensive training), I don't tolerate those types of responses toward myself or any other human. And you are exactly right- humans have attached a rather "threatening" meaning toward such behaviors, when in actuality, they are just a form of communication. Ultimately, the goal is for your dog to have enough trust in your leadership that they can look to you for reassurance when they're stressed or uncomfortable. It's also important to know your particular dog's body language (like tail and ear positions) and triggers, so hopefully it never gets to that point. For example, I take my dogs to the groomer for nail trims. Of course, they don't like it, but they are still not allowed to act out. Whereas, I know one of my dogs is uncomfortable around kids. Henry has learned through desensitization to accept pets from them. But if he gives me "the look," I know he's had enough, and I will tell the children to back off. Be an advocate for your dog, and always set them up for success.

[turbotaina]

I agree... to a point. I don't punish growling/snapping in a brand new dog because they don't know much in terms of role expectation. But for my two dogs (who have been with me a long time and have had extensive training), I don't tolerate those types of responses toward myself or any other human. ...

 

So...after some time with you, a dog is not allowed give you its opinion? When hubby plays too roughly with Heyokha, Heyokha will growl to tell him to back off. I'm fine with that and so is hubby. And I think it makes for a happier dog because we are listening to him when he is telling us in the only way he knows how, that he is uncomfortable. And yeah, I'm well versed in doggie language, too. That, to me, is holding our end of the trust bargain.

[a_daerr]

So...after some time with you, a dog is not allowed give you its opinion? When hubby plays too roughly with Heyokha, Heyokha will growl to tell him to back off. I'm fine with that and so is hubby. And I think it makes for a happier dog because we are listening to him when he is telling us in the only way he knows how, that he is uncomfortable. And yeah, I'm well versed in doggie language, too. That, to me, is holding our end of the trust bargain.

 

No, they're not. Because otherwise, they'd be growling and snapping during every nail trim, vet exam, blood draw, wound cleaning, etc. They have learned to put enough trust in me that I will protect them from major harm and danger. And if something is making them uncomfortable in an unmanagable way, they know more appropriate ways to convey it (silent cues like posture, tail position, ears, eye movements, walking away). Honestly though, those situations are few and far between. We take our dogs out in public all the time, go on vacation with them, take them to therapy dog events and the like. It would be inappropriate (not to mention embarrassing) for them to show signs of aggression toward strangers.

[turbotaina]

So what do you do when one of your dogs growls?

Edited March 11, 2013 by turbotaina

[NeylasMom]

No, they're not. Because otherwise, they'd be growling and snapping during every nail trim, vet exam, blood draw, wound cleaning, etc. They have learned to put enough trust in me that I will protect them from major harm and danger. And if something is making them uncomfortable in an unmanagable way, they know more appropriate ways to convey it (silent cues like posture, tail position, ears, eye movements, walking away). Honestly though, those situations are few and far between. We take our dogs out in public all the time, go on vacation with them, take them to therapy dog events and the like. It would be inappropriate (not to mention embarrassing) for them to show signs of aggression toward strangers.

I become more and more confused with each post. I am ALL FOR teaching your dog to be tolerant of things it might encounter in public that it doesn't particularly enjoy because as hard as we try to manage sometimes things happen. But if my dog did end up encountering something it found scary or unpleasant that I wasn't able to prevent, I would MUCH prefer my dog give an obvious warning signal like a growl that would cause the person doing the scary/unpleasant thing to stop than a subtle body language signal that the offending person likely would NOT pick up on. The latter is how bites happen.

[turbotaina]

I become more and more confused with each post. I am ALL FOR teaching your dog to be tolerant of things it might encounter in public that it doesn't particularly enjoy because as hard as we try to manage sometimes things happen. But if my dog did end up encountering something it found scary or unpleasant that I wasn't able to prevent, I would MUCH prefer my dog give an obvious warning signal like a growl that would cause the person doing the scary/unpleasant thing to stop than a subtle body language signal that the offending person likely would NOT pick up on. The latter is how bites happen.

 

[a_daerr]

So what do you do when one of your dog growls?

 

Various training strategies. Henry used to have space aggression on my bed. Anytime he growled or snarked, I took him by the collar and removed him. He quickly understood that growling = getting kicked off. So now, I can touch him anyway I want to, and he's fine. He also will also jump off the bed on his own when I give him the command. Truman used to growl if someone touched his belly. I used positive reinforcement training so that I would touch his belly, then give him a treat. Touch his belly and hold my hand there, then give him a treat. Have a friend touch his belly, then give him a treat. He started to learn that having his belly touched was a good thing. Both of my dogs have also been through at least five formal obedience classes a piece, so they've been extensively desensitized with strangers, other dogs, medical equipment, noise distractions, etc. Not much phases them anymore. Growling really isn't an issue. I can't remember the last time they growled at a person.

[a_daerr]

I become more and more confused with each post. I am ALL FOR teaching your dog to be tolerant of things it might encounter in public that it doesn't particularly enjoy because as hard as we try to manage sometimes things happen. But if my dog did end up encountering something it found scary or unpleasant that I wasn't able to prevent, I would MUCH prefer my dog give an obvious warning signal like a growl that would cause the person doing the scary/unpleasant thing to stop than a subtle body language signal that the offending person likely would NOT pick up on. The latter is how bites happen.

 

I'm sure they would growl or snap if they were in imminent danger or serious pain. But I can't really think of a situation in typical, day-to-day life where I would consider it acceptable to growl at another human being. Just last week, a dog from my obedience class got an automatic fail on his CGC test because he growled at another dog during an introduction. Obviously, he was uncomfortable (and the other dog was much larger than him). But that's the difference. If they trust you to protect them AND they're well rounded and have been desensitized to most things, then they know the difference between "slightly uncomfortable" and "imminent danger" and will not resort to growling.

[Sambuca]

I'm a pet sitter and a clients pit bill recently growled at me while putting on her coat. I know this dog well and we trust each other. I had no problem with that particular growl because she has tons of tumors that are getting big and I'm sure the coat hurt her. Since I was basically hugging her to get the coat on, I really couldn't see most of her body language. The growl was short and non threatening and her way of saying that I was hurting her. Her owner was horrified that she had growled at me, but I explained that it was her way of communicating. I wasn't at all mad at her. I feel bad I hurt her.

If a dog were to growl to start getting it's way, it would be a problem for me, but as a way of communicating fear, pain or discomfort a growl can be acceptable, especially in a new situation or if the dog has an injury or medical problem.

[Guest EvanstonGrey]

There are lots of folks here with tons more experience than myself - however, I have been through a similar situation with my boy, Ferris. Please try to take it easy on yourself (and him) - go slow and try to get to know each other before you even start to worry about "trading up" or anything like that. I know the growling can seem scary, but take a step back if you can and just try to be his friend first. It does get better and trust/bonding is so important.

 

They change SO much as they learn to be a part of your family, be patient - and congrats!