# 7 Month Old Hav Growling and Snapping



## JWEX (Dec 13, 2010)

Hi All,

I'm getting a bit concerned about my seven month old puppy. She was spayed 2 weeks ago. About a few days after she was spayed she became sick, throwing up and diarrhea. Our vet took x-rays and saw a blockage and referred us to the doggie 24 hour emergency room. The drs. at the emergency room saw the same blockage but were hesitant to put her under again to scope out whatever was in her stomach. They kept her overnight and when they took new xrays in the morning the blockage disappeared. They called this a "doggie mystery". Needless to say I was very skeptical about the whole diagnosis and am considering changing vets. 

My puppy has always been a bit mouthy and growls during play, but when she got home I noticed she was snapping a bit more than usual. BUT...today she scared me with her behavior. She bit off part of the bottom off our toilet (a little cap to a screw) and I saw her chewing it. I was scared she would swallow it so I went to take it out of her mouth (i routinely take stuff out of her mouth that she shouldn't be chewing with no problem). She immediately growled at me, snapped at me, and tried to bite me. I was able to get the cap out but I was very shaken. Later that night she did the same exact thing to my husband. We both told her no and put her in a time out but I am very worried. 

Does anyone have advice on how to handle? I feel like her personality changed overnight. 

Thanks in advance...


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

A bit of resource guarding for sure. Generally you should train her to give items to you. I never recommend taking anything out of their mouth unless an emergency. This definitely needs to be addressed. Don't reprimand any of her actions. here are a couple of articles and another http://www.4pawsu.com/Donaldson.pdf and here http://canineconcepts.co.za/articles/its-mine-a-k-a-resource-guarding/ She could be entering adolescence.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

My first thought at reading she was eating the toilet is maybe a vitamin deficiency / my vet believes that vitamin supplements help curb eating non-food objects in non-teething dogs, and they are more apt to get sick just like humans are, I"ve always given Gucci one so I don't know what she'd be like otherwise, but she never destroys anything, coincidence, maybe.

My other thought would be she is in pain of some sort, that maybe whatever infection she had last week is still going on somewhere in her body OR maybe the vet screwed up during the surgery and nicked her somewhere where its making her hurt, but that's a hard one to prove if it did happen.

The actual loss of hormones shouldn't make that big of a difference in her personality..
but i'm not a vet, just throwing ideas out there.

Kara


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## JWEX (Dec 13, 2010)

Thanks for these responses! I meant to write earlier but our puppy has generally been ok...until last night. We've been exchanging treats for whatever object she's been guarding and it's been working great. But last night she got a hold of a rubber band and my husband was nervous she would swallow it. We didn't have a treat readily available so he grabbed it out of her mouth and she bit him! She actually drew blood. I was shocked and so upset. Before she was spayed we could literally reach into her mouth and grab things with no problem whatsoever.

Should we continue training her to exchange objects for treats? Or is there anything else we should do? Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance...


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

keep practicing with her. When it's a dangerous object, try not to simply go for it. Distract her with something else. You have to make the trade something more interesting than what she's got. Practice makes perfect. This is something to always work with , don't give up. Lifetime project.


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## JWEX (Dec 13, 2010)

Thanks Dave! That's very helpful. I think in this situation my husband just didn't want to take the time to get the treat for fear of her swallowing the rubber band. I think we'll have treats more readily available for the future.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

you don't have to always have treats. When practicing "give". as soon as she gives up the object, go nuts and play with her and vocally reward as well.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

email me at [email protected] I have an article on playing tug of war. It's good for teaching give .


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## JWEX (Dec 13, 2010)

Thanks Dave!! We'll definitely try it...


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

When McGee is showing any kind of unwanted behavior I usually just throw a toy for him and that distracts him. So far we have been able to take things out of his mouth but sounds like we need to keep some treats on hand, too.


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