Good Dog Trainer (Non-Hunting) in LA

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(2) resource guarding - this is the one I need a fix for. It's become a problem. If he gets a hold of something he perceives to be of value, particularly if it's something he knows we don't want him to have, he goes into wolf mode and will actually try to snap at any hands who come near him. Typically, we have to trade him a piece of chicken in order for him to turn it over. We had been hoping he'd grow out of this, but he has not.

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When you put food down for him to eat, does he automatically go after it or does he wait for you to give the command to eat?

Same question for toys, treats and chews ... is it "his" right away or do you make it wait until you allow him to have it?

Thanks. That trainer does look good.

To your second post, yes, he typically tries to go after the food before you can even place his bowl on the ground. Same way with toys. If he gets one, it is "his." We have begun trying to correct that behavior by picking up a second toy and making a big deal about it, at which point he drops toy one and will sit in an attempt to please you into giving him toy two. However, with everyday toys, this "mine" behavior never becomes aggressive apart from the occasional round of playful tug of war. When he gets aggressive, it's with things like paper towels or a sock that falls out of the laundry basket.

Have you tried using a shock collar?

No.

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(Non-Hunting)

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1yr old goldendoodle

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1st - both of those breeds are working dogs, who in their genetic code want to hunt/work

2nd - I would highly recommend a retriever training school over any non-working dog training. The retrieving training foundation is built on obedience, ie the dog will gain all of the obedience you desire plus be versed in an activity that runs in his/her blood.

The added benefit is that you will be able to take the dog outside and run retrieving drills with him for fun. The dog will love you for this, burn energy in a healthy/constructive way, and it will reinforce the obedience in him. The dog wants to retrieve (it doesn't have to be a dead animal, it can easily be a bumper, the dog doesn't care. It's mental and physical stimulation for him.)

Resource guarding will be trained out of him through deliver to hand training (retriever trianed only)

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Professional trainer is a good idea...but, you need to do some things at home as well. First don't hit the dog - just don't do it. Being physical isn't a bad thing, but a better way is to make yourself "large" over the dog, and grab the scruff of the neck or the skin over the throat (not the throat, just the skin). You can even take the dog down by the scruff if he is particularly willful, but I would very strongly suggest you avoid hitting the dog. Be very alpha, very authoritative.

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I could probably be more authoritative with him. The problem is that the only time he is really out of line is during this resource guarding mode, which is exactly when you don't want to be aggressive with him. Maybe if we are more authoritative about things like when and under which conditions he gets food or toys, as you've suggested, that would have positive spillover effects. The only times I've ever hit him were the two or three times I used the magazine to stop him from jumping. Haven't had to do this again since as that nipped it in the bud almost immediately. We do use "off" vs "down," but again don't really need to use it anymore as the jumping has all but stopped.

I'm really trying to avoid the shock collar thing, and definitely wouldn't administer without profesional guidance. I feel it's a lazy solution to the problem unless you've first explored other, more humane ways of dealing with the problem behaviors. I'd feel like a failure if I had to shock my dog into submission without first using other means of behavioral modification. I can look at the prong collar, but this issue of him not behaving when guests come over has really become less and less of a problem since we fixed the jumping.

Other undesirable behaviors, such as puppy mouthing, we've been able to fix simply by "saying no" and refusing to engage him via petting or playing when he wants to be mouthy. It took time, but eventually he stopped. I was hoping we'd eventually have the same success with the resource guarding, but he is showing no signs of improvement.

We have no kids, but I can't help but think that he would be just as aggressive with a small child who dropped a bow or something and tried to take it back from him.

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Put him on a leash when you are about to feed him or provide him with a toy, treat or chew.

You can keep control of him when you give him the "leave it" command or "okay." Work on this repeatedly with him and appropriately reward him. Keep it positive. Always end on "fun" note. And don't do it for more than 10 minutes at a time.

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This is good advice. We will start doing this. I think it will help enforce the notion that things that are "his" are not his without boundary.

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How often are you exercising him? Be honest here.

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He is absolutely better behaved on days in which he gets ample exercise. Typically, that involves 2-3 miles of walking or jogging with one of us. However, the resource guarding trait is present irrespective of whether or not he has gotten enough exercise.

I like the idea of consolidating all negative commands into "off."

I second Larry Benoit!