# 14 week old puppy growling aggressively while guarding



## Cookieniss (Mar 27, 2014)

Help!! We have a beautiful 14 week old cockapoo pup who has been "diagnosed" by our trainer as having a "short fuse". He has recently gotten aggressive at the vet (had to be put in a submissive hold) and has guarded aggressively (tissues, a piece of food found on the street). We are new and inexperienced puppy owners and have two children. Should we consider going back to the breeder for a new pup? Can we train a pup like this? He is absolutely gorgeous and such a love with other dogs and new people...but we have an aggressive incident about once a day. Any advice would be so greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

Personally I'd get a new trainer. I can sense how anxious you are about this in your post and being new to puppy, well, the trainer did not help at all. Training is more for your benefit so that you feel calm and in control. Your puppy senses your emotions and responds accordingly. I thought my two were these crazy vicious dogs. But they just sound like it. You mentioned that he guards food on the street - does this happen on walks? If so ask yourself does he walk you or do you walk him. When I want better control, I keep the leash shorter and I walk faster, they don't have time to pick things up. Also when he's calm and you are cuddling also gently massage his mouth too. I actually would go inside their mouths too. The key is for you to be comfortable handling near his mouth (I totally understand it's scary the first time). Do lots of training throughout the day so he. Knows your in charge of giving him awesome things. Feed him from your hand so he know you are the source of awesome things. Also, interesting that the vet had to hold him down. What happened to agitate him? Were you anticipating him acting out? A kid throwing a tantrum flailing about isn't aggressive, just tired, hungry, etc. think the same way with your little guy. He's not aggressive, just tired or not tired enough, hungry, scared, confused, etc. This forum helps a lot. Take a deep breath and know you will be fine. 


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

Oh and pictures please. 


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Welcome.
I agree with Lexi and Beemer's mum.
Have some chocolate and keep breathing. You are definitely not the only one who has thought that they have a dangerous dog, but honestly he is just a pup.
Remember calm, kind, consistant. Keep treats handy in your pockets, in your bag, on the side in a dish. Reward your pup for coming to you, sitting, being calm, giving his toy to you. Hold the treat inside a closed fist and only open it when he sits back,if he nibbles at your hand ignore him and wait for him to back off. Reward him for being gentle.
If he has something you want, offer him something better. Don't be intimidated by him, he is a baby, be calm and firm and completely unimpressed by any histrionics. Think toddler tantrum rather than teenage thug with a knife.
Just for the record I don't agree with using submissive holds on pups, it could frighten an already frightened pup and is not appropriate. Always better to train with kindness and reward goodness.
Do talk to your pup's breeder, hopefully they will also reassure you, I don't think a different pup would be different - all pups try out being crocadogs, they learn to be gentle because you teach them.


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## bbeau78 (Jan 10, 2014)

I love reading all these reassuring replies!! We are also first time puppy owners with two young children and are going through the same thing with our 20 week old puppy. All of the friendly tips and reassurances are so helpful, especially on the bad days when you wonder if bringing that puppy into your home was the right decision. It's nice knowing you're not the only one going through this and it helps to know that all the hard work put into puppy ownership is going to pay off down the road!


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Hi, play trading games with him where he has something and you offer something of higher value in exchange, he should then start thinking its good when you want something from him, what Marzi described is similar to my 'leave it' training, have treats/kibble in an open hand but be ready to close your fingers fast when he goes to get it, after a few attempts he should back off or hesitate, at that moment pick one up with you other hand and give it to him, keep doing it, he will soon learn that he gets rewarded for waiting then you can start giving the leave it command when first opening your hand. It is harder when they find something on walks that they don't want to give up. if he is doing this often at home it maybe worth keeping a house line (cheap lead, cut the handle loop off) on him so you can have a bit more control, especially if he tends to take things into corners. My boy was hard work (although never protective of anything)and we got a trainer in who said he was particularly cocky but never called him aggressive, I think it maybe worth looking up trainers who use positive reward based training methods. Good luck.


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## vickie (Jan 8, 2013)

I felt the same about Oscar and it took me a long time for me to realise that he is not aggressive but just a little bad tempered at times and very mischievous.
The best thing I did for Oscar was time out every time he showed any aggression. Keeping up the training and using lots of treats as rewards when he was good really helps and I can honestly say he is slowly turning into a sweet natured lovely dog. Oscar is 16 months now so its taken quite a while and there were lots of times when I felt we had made a mistake getting a dog but now I couldn't imagine life without him. I got lots of advice from everyone on here and it really helped


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

The best thing in the world for your pup is for the whole family to practise being calm and consistent with him. If he grabs something he shouldn't, don't shout or scream or chase after him. Calmly call him to you and offer a treat a lovely tasty piece of cheese or chicken. He will be happy to swap. The children in particular need to be taught this method of calm. I would also suggest you take him back to the vets so he can interact with the nurses and have a better experience than the last one. Poor little guy must have been so stressed. Offer him peanut butter on your finger. Also use your finger to clean his teeth. My two love the chicken flavour toothpaste and cannot wait to leap onto my lap to have their eyes, ears and teeth cleaned. Make sure he gets plenty of rest. They are much worse if they are over tired or over excited. Hope this helps. Calm and gentle is the mantra. . Good luck


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

He's just a baby! Keep positive and consistent. Agree with all of the above. I would be put off that trainer.


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

bbeau78 said:


> I love reading all these reassuring replies!! We are also first time puppy owners with two young children and are going through the same thing with our 20 week old puppy. All of the friendly tips and reassurances are so helpful, especially on the bad days when you wonder if bringing that puppy into your home was the right decision. It's nice knowing you're not the only one going through this and it helps to know that all the hard work put into puppy ownership is going to pay off down the road!


Your poo looks like Shelby. Are they related?

I'm an idiot... Ignore me !


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

I also changed my language to help keep me calm. Whenever I say "no" it's much harsher and gets me agitated in a way I realized was startling them. So I say the phrases "no thank you" and "I don't think so". Also it really helps to think you are responsible as the way to change his behavior is to change yours. This way you don't feel as powerless. 


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

Lexi&Beemer said:


> I also changed my language to help keep me calm. Whenever I say "no" it's much harsher and gets me agitated in a way I realized was startling them. So I say the phrases "no thank you" and "I don't think so". Also it really helps to think you are responsible as the way to change his behavior is to change yours. This way you don't feel as powerless.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Maureen you are dead right here, thinking of them like very silly toddlers having a temper tantrum will help you keep your humour. Talking to them and explaining things is a good idea too. "In this house we don't bite people." "No, you may not chew up the couch." "Please stop chasing the cat." And a redirecting them is the way to go. Rufus seemed to be possessed by a demon when he was a pup, so much so that I, an experienced dog owner, seriously considered rehoming him. Keep calm and keep your sense of humour, calling them lots of good natured names also helps. Rufus has been called silly, goofy, idiotic, monster, rascal and much, much worse.

They are not aggressive it's just all bluff and bluster, laughing at them is the best treatment. Use baby gates to keep them away from your young children and leads to keep them from jumping up. Catch them doing good things and give them a ton of affection and loving when they do. Before too long they'll realize that you are on their side and start to work to please you. Rufus is still active but I would trust him anywhere with anybody, he is as gentle as a lamb.


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

I always wonder why people think they are so aggressive. I think some people (vets and trainers) don't understand the crockapoo phase of these dogs. 


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## Cookieniss (Mar 27, 2014)

wow! you guys are amazing! so comforting. thank you for all of your support and suggestions. we did "trade up" a small piece of cheese for a piece of plastic that our little guy was guarding and it was an easy trade. i think we are the ones that need to learn and be trained, and then we can properly speak dog. there is so much good there, we really want this to work. and, reading your replies is so encouraging that it could. any more suggestions are completely welcome...i will be checking the thread. meanwhile, here's a photo of this cutie pie


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

He is such a sweetie.....no way can this little guy be aggressive. He is way to young.


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

Lexi&Beemer said:


> I also changed my language to help keep me calm. Whenever I say "no" it's much harsher and gets me agitated in a way I realized was startling them. So I say the phrases "no thank you" and "I don't think so". Also it really helps to think you are responsible as the way to change his behavior is to change yours. This way you don't feel as powerless.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I will say 'hey, or sing 'no, no, no or just go uh, uh'. Rather than just No. It's much gentler and yet if always used they soon realise what they are doing is unwanted behaviour.


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

Cat 53 said:


> He is such a sweetie.....no way can this little guy be aggressive. He is way to young.



My thoughts exactly. He is adorable. As for training it worked out because no other puppies signed up. So it was these two and trainer. And they would get it right away so a lot of the time was spent playing with them in between shorts spurts of training. These guys are too smart so get bored easily. 


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## Tinman (Apr 23, 2013)

Cookiness - that is one sweet little poo you have there - adorable x


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Adorable little pup!


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

It cracks me up that a trainer would have issues with that little mite.  He is just a baby.  Don't belittle him but call him a goof ball when he's bad and pop him in a safe place for a time out when he gets over the top. You need to meet him in the middle with language because both of you are learning a new language.


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