crate guarding

[Falon's Mom]

To start off a little info: Star is 16 weeks old, is fed in her crate ( a plastic sided airplane style) and we have reinforced that it is her refuge for peace when she needs a break and a place to sleep at night.

 

The problem: Star has started to growl and snap at hands when my husband or two boys try to close the crate door at any time. No contact between teeth and skin. Has been happening for the last 4 days.

 

Things I have tried: I have tried saying a stern, deep "No" when she has done this to the boys. Taken her out then have them crate her again, I always stand there next to them. Taken the food away and waited about 10 minutes to have them try again. I have had my husband do a low, growlish "No" at her while also closing the door again. I have also tried having them be the only ones to give her treats and playtime with.

 

Could this be a fear period and I am just making it worse? I do not have this issue with her, she will give me anything she has in her crate, bowl, or mouth without growling or snapping.

[Alchemist]

Is her food in the crate when your husband and the boys are closing the crate door? (trying to figure out whether it's food guarding or crate guarding). If it's food guarding, have you tried having everyone feed her by hand, a tiny bit at a time? NILF - she should lie down (or present some other desired behavior) before being allowed ANY bit of food if it's food guarding. Then she needs to take the food - gently! - from your hands. So what if it takes a while until she's finished her dinner? She needs to learn that all good things come from YOU (or your husband, or your children).

 

Doesn't sound like a fear period issue to me, sounds like a resource guarding issue. You just need to figure out whether the resource that's being guarded is the food vs the crate. And be aware that everything is situational; she could be fine with one person with respect to the "resource", but have issues with the next person.

 

I don't put up with resource guarding of any sort. We tend to have "come to Jesus" moments - "what the HECK do you think you're doing?!?!" - let the dog know this is not acceptable, don't let them get away with it.

 

I still bear scars on my hand from a dog we had when I was ~ 10 years old, who we allowed to develop food guarding issues (as well as issues with defiance when we told him off - any scolding at all and you were at risk of getting bitten).

[Falon's Mom]

It seems to be at both times. So now I will make sure to have the males of the household feed her by hand starting with her dinner tonight. Though what should I do in regards to her guarding the crate?

 

Thank you so much for your quick reply!

[Alchemist]

It seems to be at both times. So now I will make sure to have the males of the household feed her by hand starting with her dinner tonight. Though what should I do in regards to her guarding the crate?

 

Thank you so much for your quick reply!

 

It's complicated (if it's the crate)... but this might be a start?

 

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

[RichardH]

I'd suggest stop feeding her in the crate - it might just be pushing her over threshold. If food makes the crate easier to train, use treats and deliver them calmly by hand. Try just making her food bowls and placement totally random and break this cycle ASAP. Even better, as suggested, get everyone to hand feed her her entire meal. It's a bit annoying to hand feed, but there's a much better feedback loop there - you can teach the dog to go softer on food and improve her relationship/posessiveness response with food. Eventually food will become boring and normal.

 

-Rich

[Falon's Mom]

That was an excellent article, thank you.

 

She did great with the two boys sitting on the floor feeding her a few kibbles each time she came to them when called. Even wagged her tail in a relaxed manner each time. I had them sit on oposit sides of the kitchen. Her crate is in the living room at this point. She also added in a new behavior of laying down before getting her "treat" about half way through her cup of food.

 

I am going to see if I can find any good behavioral trainers from my area to do a consult. Thank you so much Alchemist.

[Falon's Mom]

Her food bowls are the kind that hang on the door of the crate. The metal bowls we had gotten scare her every time the tags hit it.

 

 

ETA: My husband just pointed out to me that it started the day after we began letting the cats sleep in the house again since it is getting to cold for them in the catio.