# Aggression/Play in Dog - Please help



## ksj123 (Jun 17, 2009)

I have been allowing Harley Boy to sleep in our bed for about 2-3 months. Harley and I always go to bed before my husband. When my husband comes in the room, Harley get's very fiesty. He acts like he doesn't want my husband in the bed. He actually barks and growls at him. Otherwise they are best buddies. What is causing this? Can someone please give me some advice. Thanks so much!


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## The Fussy Puppy Gang (May 21, 2007)

Is he serious about the growling and stuff or is he just excited that DH has joined you two? How is he once DH has gotten into bed?

If he's serious, then you need to correct that behavior by either putting him off the bed, not letting him up there until DH gets in, or not letting him up at all.

If he's doing mock wrestling, you guys need to shush and settle him down. Let him know it's bedtime, not playtime.

I'm probably explaining this in a clumsy manner. Dave will have better explanations than I.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

hmm, that is strange for him to be possessive of you with your husband. The only time I've had anything remotely like that, is sometimes Gucci will let out this grumble if she thinks someone is about to lay on her/sit on her/ not see her, etc. She used to growl when she was a puppy and she thought someone would sit on her, move her etc. (like when someone comes up to sit next to her) but she got in trouble for the growling and replaced it with a grumble or this loud sigh she does, like a huffy pissed off sigh (hard to explain) since she couldn't get away with the warning growl, which I think that is what it was.

She's always been a grumpy sleeper and wants to be left alone, not sure if that is the same as what you are describing or it is more of a territorial thing and she doesn't want your dh in the bed at all, but you should start reprimanding, taking him off the bed when he does it, etc. 

If he's anything like my girl, he'll learn how to express himself in the sigh or huffy grumble like mine does, lol...which is a bit more comical..

Kara


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Your dog is most probably reasource guarding. There are a lot of places on the net that will explain different ways of dealing with it. Yogi is a resource guarder with the other dogs, it has been a long road changeing this. If you start early it can end quickly. We have had to use a spray bottle, you may be lucky and need only to tell yours no firmly a few times the minute he starts the growl. Timing is important.


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## ksj123 (Jun 17, 2009)

Thank you all for your responses. He stops as soon as DH get's in the bed. They really are big buddies. As soon as DH get's in the bed, he snuggles next to him. I just don't want him to think he is King of the bed. I think I might put a spray bottle next to the bed and see if I can train him not to exhibit that behavior. Also, I will start telling him "no" in a voice that he knows I'm serious. If nothing works, then he goes back to his crate.


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## kudo2u (Mar 7, 2009)

Does your DH wake Harley up when he comes into the room?

I had this issue with one of my dogs for a while. But in my case, it didn't matter if I was in bed first or if DH was in bed first. The dogs go with whoever is in bed earlier.

But one of my dogs is a VERY sound sleeper (strange for a dog, I know). When DH or I would come to bed, this girl would become very upset, barking, growling, acting rather vicious. 

Our normal routine: One of us would be in bed. The other would come in very quietly, all lights out, so as not to disturb whoever was already asleep. Inevitably, something would wake my girl up. So here she was, sound asleep, and something wakes her up in the middle of the night, in pitch black. As soon as we would crawl into bed, she realized who it was, and would settle back in for the night.

Our solution was to leave a little lamp on in the bedroom. She still wakes up, but now is startled, wakes up, looks around in the soft glow (that is gentle on eyes that are just opened), sees that all is OK, and goes straight back to sleep. Occasionally a bark when she first wakes up, but not the all out bark/growl/etc that she used to do.

Not sure if that makes sense. And not sure if it would help you. But there could be a number of reasons Harley is barking/growling at DH when he comes to bed. I wouldn't jump straight to resource guarding until you've really examined the situation to eliminate other factors.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Definitely resource guarding. Forget the spray bottle. That gives your dog an association of something unpleasant with the arrival of your hubby. Don't punish the growl. I 'll be back with an article on this. Here' s Jean Donaldson's article. http://www.4pawsu.com/Donaldson.pdf And here's a step process to desensitize. Scroll down to the couch article , (same as bed). http://canineconcepts.co.za/articles/its-mine-a-k-a-resource-guarding/ Be careful of anyone else approaching the bed as well. The biggest thing to prevent this is to train off command ,before granting unrestricted access to beds or couches.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Dave, I am so glad you chimed in. I hoped you would. I mentioned the net because my boy Yogi had some special problems all with the resource guarding, that being the older blind frail dog, so we finally had to go to the bottle, as his growl would lead to attack but in a blink of an eye. It was soooo hard to get the timing right. Today he will still growl but, he will not jump on or attack Boo Boo, if Boo Boo walks up to the couch he will growl but look away or get off the couch, after Boo Boo gets up Yogi gets back up and is fine. I knew you would know just the article. I love Jean Donaldson and have most of her book.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

The Laughing Magpie said:


> Dave, I am so glad you chimed in. I hoped you would. I mentioned the net because my boy Yogi had some special problems all with the resource guarding, that being the older blind frail dog, so we finally had to go to the bottle, as his growl would lead to attack but in a blink of an eye. It was soooo hard to get the timing right. Today he will still growl but, he will not jump on or attack Boo Boo, if Boo Boo walks up to the couch he will growl but look away or get off the couch, after Boo Boo gets up Yogi gets back up and is fine. I knew you would know just the article. I love Jean Donaldson and have most of her book.


Yeah Robbie, the best book on resource guarding is hers ,in my opinion. It's called MINE. When this becomes a problem ie. serious growling , air snap and worse yet a bite, then it's time to get a professional in. Yeah blind dogs are definitely and justifiably more touchy. But with this problem ,we want to avoid aversives. You want the dog to associate good things happening when you approach them. But quite often we miss their little "grumblings" and eventually they growl distinctly, as we ignore their warnings. But the worst thing we can do is punish in any way their warnings. Great book , it you don't have it. Cheap too. LOL


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

I have it, it is one of her small ones. We did have someone in and it was real important to squirt not at the first growl but before the leap so you have to really watch their signs. Except for this night time couch thing, they are best buddies. We don't have the problem anymore, but I still need to watch out.


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