Resource Guarding?

[hendrixpujols11]

Hi all. I have an adorable cockapoo who is always really well behaved and an all around great dog. However, occasionly, he picks up something small in his mouth like a small piece of plastic or a coin. He holds his head down and avoids eye contact. If we try to get the object he wil bite down on the finger and potentially break the skin.

[emc]

Trade it for something he likes, for example show him some cheese or some other treat that he really likes, encourage him to give you what he's holding in his mouth and once he does, give him the treat. Also when you are taking it from him use a command such as "let go" so that he will come to know what's expected of him and when he knows he will be rewarded for it he will be happy to comply.
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[hendrixpujols11]

thats exactly what we have been doing. saying "drop it" and then trading it for cheese, but then it seems he picks it up to get the cheese.

[emc]

Once he let goes just take it away so he doesn't get it anymore. Give him the cheese, tell him what a good dog he is for letting you have it and walk away. Whenever he gets a hold on something he shouldn't, trade something for it and then walk away with it and that's that.
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http://waterart.50webs.com

[Giselle]

Sounds a bit like dominance issues. I would first start out by initiating "Nothing in Life is Free" (NILIF). All NILIF is saying is that in order to receive something, your dog needs to do something in return. Before you give your dog his dinner, ask him to Sit. Before you walk out the door to go for a walk, ask him to sit and wait patiently for you to leave the house first. Dog wants treat? Dog needs to sit. Dog wants toy? Dog needs to Down. Dog wants dinner? Dog needs to spin around 5 times (kidding). Anything dog wants, dog needs to *earn*. Hence, the name, Nothing in Life is Free. Additionally, because you are the sole keeper of all things good, you get to do everything first. You exit the house first. You eat first. You are leader. By initiating this golden rule, you are setting down the rules that you are alpha. Dogs instinctively respect their alpha and will never display aggression/resource guarding unless they're trying for the position of top dog.

Secondly, I would really assert myself about the "Drop It"/"Leave It" command. Treats are nice training tools, but it sounds like they've become a crutch. Instead of waiting for moments when your dog has a toy and is becoming aggressive, teach your commands every day. Remember, this is a new command like "Sit" or "Stay" and you need to start from Square 1.
http://www.dog-obedience-training-review.com/leave-it.html

Also, prevention is key. Whenever you see your dog heading for a small object, command a firm "LEAVE IT" and the situation will be avoided. Good luck! I have a dog with resource aggression and it can be difficult to manage at times.

[angelchampy]

Wow, Giselle makes alot of sense. I know that's the way to do it, I've seen and heard about it. I never did because I never had a problem like that with my dogs, thankfully. But she is right, they have to earn things. And believe it or not, it's not mean, they like and need discipline. They like earning things, they like having a job to do. Makes them feel useful and we all know that dogs love to please their masters. :)