5 replies to this topic

[Pingber]

Hi, Maggie is 4 1/2 months old now and is doing well.....sort of. She is completely housebroken, gets along well with other dogs and in general, her other bad habits are either tolerable, workeable, or she can be trained out of them. HOWEVER, when she is on my lap, and my wife tries to take her (by lifting her), she snarls, then growls, then snaps at my wife. She (Maggie) hasn't bitten yet, but we see it coming.

When this happens, , she is pinned down and told NO !, and then crated for a few minutes. Is there something else we should be doing?

Phil

[Idaho Cairns]

No, just be consistent. In my experience many Cairns will growl, in Bonnie's case quite fiercly, when picked up but the attempt to bite should be immediately and firmly discouraged. If you continue to use a pin and stern command with Maggie, the biting should stop--the growl may well continue but that's fine--it is the defensive/aggressive behavior that has to be dealt with. Maggie will make the connection between your dominance move and her behavior. Now, at five months, is a great time to teach her that teeth are for eating only.

[pindrop]

Just so you know you are not alone with this behavior. Layla is not quite the same but when she is sleeping she does not like to be moved as she reacts much the same way with that snarl/growl. Idaho has always given great advice and has been extremely helpful when our little girl was growing up. Perhaps, when on your lap, knowing your wife wants to hold her, it might be advantageous to remove her first to avoid this reaction. However this manifests itself, it is not acceptable and needs to be addressed. Hopefully she will grow out of it by the steps advised upon. Good luck.

[Meggie]

I'm spit-balling here, but the next time she exhibits this behavior I would make sure you (being the one whose lap she's on) make sure your wife doesn't react but you do. 100% dissatisfaction shown to her. Next time she tries to get on your lap, either don't allow her or have your wife take her off immediately so she learns: 1. the lap is yours, not hers and is a privilege, not a given. 2. your wife is allowed to do whatever she wants.

And repeat it! Fake it if you have to. Think of it as exercise for her brain.

Some problematic behaviors we've had in the past with Hub (primarily barking/anxiety over metal household objects) we've mocked the scene again and again to break the reaction and desensitize him to the cause.

Good luck!!

[IGotAHome]

Cairns are very vocal dogs. Growling is part of their repertoire. Malcolm has a variety of barks and growls. He sure does use them. The other night we went to bed. I committed a terrible sin. I moved and disturbed a Cairn that had just made himself comfortable. This offence deserved more than just a growl. He got up and walked right up to the pillow. He got in my face and looked me straight in the eyes and growled. There was a time when a dog right in my face growling at me would have me scared stiff. After many growling contests with Malcolm if a mountain lion was in my face growling I would tell it "Knock it off and go lay down!" just like I told Malcolm, which he did.

Malcolm makes a strange noise when he is picked up. Its like a sheep "BAAAAAAAAAAAAA" but it is like an angry "BAAAAAAAAAAAA"

The biting is another thing. I got Malcolm at one year old from a shelter. He had a problem with biting. Whoever had Malcolm before let him get away with murder. He was a bully, which is something I learned from this forum. He thought he could get his way by biting. Idaho has some good advice and to repeat... be consistent whatever method you find that works for you. That is so important. These dogs are really smart. They learn how to play you. If they got away with biting once they figure they can get away with biting again. Once they find you are consistent about stopping the biting they are smart enough to figure ok this doesn't work anymore. They will stop the biting and find other ways of controlling you.

[BetsyNoodle]

I saw this on Cesar's show and liked the way he handled this. As soon as Maggie snarls, you -- not your wife -- should remove her from your lap and make her get her off the couch or chair you are sitting on while your wife remains on the couch/chair with you. Maggie doesn't have to be crated, just removed immediately by you from your lap and couch, and she must stay down until she seems calmer. You have to let her know YOU make the rules, not her. You are the one she is possessing, not your wife. On Cesar's program, he directed the woman to immediately put the chihuahua off her lap and the couch when the chihuahua snapped/bit her son, and the chihuahua tucked her tail as if she knew what she did was wrong. As soon as the chihuahua calmed she was allowed back on the couch with the lady and her son (it took just a few minutes) -- but the minute the chihuahua became possessive/snarling again, she was again put off the couch/lap. It took several times and consistency, but the dog eventually learned if she was going to be possessive and snap at the son, she couldn't sit in "momma's" lap while the son was around. At the end of the show, the son was sitting by the mom, and petting the dog and the dog was not snarling or snapping. I had a friend use this method on her terrier mix, and it worked.