Miss Xara has been trying to find out just how much she can get away with around here.

When I am sitting in the chair at night and she is laying with me and Dave comes over to pick her up to take her outside for the last time of the night she's taken to growling at him. No she does not win! She gets corrected immediately and removed from the chair and not allowed back on it again for the rest of the night.

Today she snapped at Sniper over what she thought was food on the floor (it was a penny that fell out of Dave's pocket). Sniper backed down  immediately and she realized it was nothing to protect. I let that one play out between them two.

She went under one of the bird cages and was chewing something. I called her out and she didn't come, so I got down and proceeded to get her out. She growled at me, and once out snapped at me, for taking a piece of wood from her she was chewing on ( I didn't know what she had and wanted to make sure it was nothing to hurt her). She got reprimanded big time for that one with a scruff shake and a very firm NO! and promptly put in her crate for a time out.

I know it's testing the waters to see what she can and can't get away with but she sure is trying our patience right now with her tests!

Sounds like you are doing everything right. Depending on her personality get a little ruff with her. When she growl in 1 motion grab her by the scruff and flip her on her back hard. Then grab her muzzle with the other hand as soon as you let go of her scruff, get in her face, look her right in the eyes and growl your scolding.

Same with growling I find getting in their face and grabbing their nose so they cant look away is what really gives them that little shock of what isnt allowed around here.

As for between the 2 dogs let them sort it out.

** disclaimer**
By rough I dont mean throw the puppy around and beat on her but dont be gentle give her a heave that puts her on her back hard (without hurting her) and give her crap. Also dont be afraid or leary of grabbing her. If she growls or snaps at you grab that collar and give her a heave right out from under that bird cage putting her on her back in the open. Tower over her this is what a dominant pack member would do.

 Hmmmm, from some of your previous post, it seems she is setting up a pattern of dominant aggressiveness..... Doesn't play well with other dogs and now your current dilemma... How is she with the Grandkids? How old is she now? More details please, as I fear you may be in the beginning stages of a more serious problem.

I "might" agree with the "Alpha Roll", but be very careful to control her muzzle in doing so, as she may try to strike out and bite when you get in her face. Redirection is more the preferred method of Canine Behaviorist these days though.

Here is just one article from a Google Search that explains why the Alpha Roll is no longer the preferred method and may give some alternative ideas:

Article

IF you do choose to roll her, grab the offside legs and pull them underneath her and off balance SWIFTLY, control the muzzle and pin her with your weight. She will struggle to regain footing, DO NOT allow her up until she submits 100% and stops struggling. Again though, this is not the preferred method to deal with this anymore and is actually questionable if it ever should have been a preferred method.....

Michigan growls at me from time to time.

Acting domninant through physical agressiveness only makes the situation worse, this includes alpha rolling and the like. It's best to send her "where the bad dogs go" (this is one command I have in the repitoire).

For me it got a bit out of control as when it first began I found it hilariously funny, now Michers probably thinks I want her to growl at me. A lot of times it is just excitement now, she is still finding her voice so there are subtleties in the noises she makes.

this is unexcitable behavior it should not be allowed to continue they are animals not children and can not be treated as so time outs dont work for kids so how can you think it will work for an animal

Simples. They want something, you ensure they no longer get what they want and actively keep them from it unless they exhibit the desired behaviour.

double post

Francine,

Would you rather I beat it out of her?

Dwayners.

Bo does this to, mostly when I try moving his butt from where it is currently planted (like in the car). I say "no!" and continue doing what I was doing ... I don't know if this is recommended by he certainly realizes that his little grumbles aren't going to get his own way.

Dearest Francine,

She is ejected from where she is showing agression. We send her to a designated area to avoid the usual dog action of getting down, turing around and attempting to get back up again and also to avoid any uncertainty in her mind which can make things worse for her. Perhaps it's because we also have a Border Collie that I prefer this method as he tends to lose his decision making skills when stressed. I may have been less than forthcoming about the details but there you go. Once she calms down she is generally invited back, albeit with a bit of grumbling, as GSPs will do.

For other incidents of unwanted behaviour I will make her adopt a submissive position, but it's been my experience that this doesn't work so well on furniture, because they are primarily interested in being on the furniture. Maybe this isn't the most effective but what else can be done to discourage the behaviour? Meeting agression with agression only serves to create further agression. At no time does she receive a lecture on the merits of good behaviour while on furniture, it's a quick "get down and go where the bad dogs go".

If it's of any interest, on occasion she'll growl at me when I sit down next to her and, without any direction from me, get down and go to her bad dog place. Obviously she knows it's not what we want, and with more consistency on my part I don't see why it would not be effective.

Any chance you can tell me why if I sit on the sofa next to Michigan and she starts growling at me, one of the most effective things to stop the behaviour is to tell her to stay (usually twice) and then tell her "good girl, good stay"? Does this offer any indication as to why she's growling?

Regards,

Dwayners.