How to Deal with Labrador Puppy's Territorial Behavior?

Q: The problem of territorial puppy behavior?
I have 2 black Labrador puppies, brother, and sister, that are 4 months. Only recently the boy has gotten territorial over things and gets extremely jealous. It scared the girl.

If he is chewing on a toy he will snap at her if she comes close and when they are eating their food he goes and eats out of her bowl then when she tries to eat out of his he snaps at her so she just sits and whines.

Also, when I am petting her he gets jealous and pushes her out of the way to get petted. I intervene constantly but his behavior is unacceptable and is becoming more common.

Any tricks to get him to cool out? I am nervous that he will do this around kids.
Also, they are black labs and mostly super sweet and well-behaved.

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Answers and Views:

Answer by amethyst_dragon69
This is the beginning of Resource Aggression. You're really going to have to look into some intensive training.

Answer by micea
all you have to do is give him attention for his good actions and when he... let's say pushes his sister out of the way put in time out but not to hash
in the begging start off with 5 minutes then just add 2 to 4 minutes each time but try not to give the girl more attention than the boy but give them both an equal amount. and for feeding make sure they are not close because boys tend to act more or become competitive.

Answer by Michael Jackson Fan
If your dog has a growling problem, here are some "rules to live by" that may be of help to you.

1. Never tolerate growling. This is a threat and it means your dog sees you as a subordinate meant to be dominated by him. Tell him No! Let him know it is not acceptable to EVER growl at you or your children. Make it clear that your children are the offspring of his Alpha leader (you) and that they are to be treated as Alpha "pups."

2. Do not let your dog walk through the door first. If your dog always goes ahead of you, you need to get your leash and open the door. When he rushes ahead you pull him back and tell him "No. Wait. " You walk in and then give him permission to come in. This will be easier and faster if you have someone to help you.

3. Do not let your dog sleep in the same bed as you. This is a definite Alpha position. If you just can't be without your dog in the bed, at the very least you need to make sure he sleeps at the foot of the bed. A doggie bed on the floor beside you is your best bet for maintaining the Alpha position. (this rule is for aggressive dogs or dogs showing signs they are forgetting their place... A pet that is well-behaved and obedient can sleep next to you or your child).

4. Socialize, socialize, socialize. I cannot stress enough the importance of introducing your dog to different places and people. Find something to do with your dog. Join an agility or obedience class. Take your dog to the park. If you have a laid-back dog or puppy share your time with the local nursing home. Volunteer with disability groups so children and adults with special needs can enjoy the non-judgmental love a dog or puppy can provide.

5. Do not let your dog ride in your lap in the car. Make him sit in his own seat or on the floor. It is unsafe for you and your dog. Buy him his own seat belt or safety booster or use a kennel. Some states will give you a ticket for being a distracted driver.

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6. Do not baby your dog too much. He needs to learn to be a dog. Do not over-protect him. He needs to explore and learn to be independent. You do not want to raise a flighty, paranoid dog. When he acts afraid of something that he should not be afraid of, do not pick him up and ooh and ahh over him. Simply tell him it is okay, and show him the object, person, etc. Your confidence will make him a confident and dependable dog. If you feed his imaginary fears, he will become a snappy and untrustworthy dog.

He may develop a fear of aggression. An example of fear of aggression could be a dog that sits in its owner's lap and growls at people or other animals. If you pet him and tell him "It's okay." You are really telling him this is the type of behavior you expect of him, and he will continue to do it because there is a reward attached to it.

Tell him no and put him down off your lap. While some owners think it is sweet that their little lap dog is "protecting them," it is not. When a child reaches to pet the dog or hugs Grandma it could bite them if it is allowed to get away with this antisocial behavior.

This is a dog that has taken on Alpha position and you are a subordinate. I have seen so many children chastised when they get bitten when it's the owner that is responsible. You will often hear people say "Now, you know Granny's dog doesn't like you to go near her. She is jealous and protective. We have told you over and over not to do that." What a shame. And it could all be avoided if we would just take the time to learn canine behavior. As much as we would like to believe that they think like us, they do not.

If you have a problem with your dog growling at you or another family member, you may want to try having the person your dog growls at the most be the only one to feed him. You want to make him sit to reinforce your position as the leader. He is learning that he depends on you and he must obey in order to eat. And if he growls after you set down the food, tell him no and take the food away. Tell him to sit again. This is how you will reinforce the "no growling rule.''

You must never tolerate growling because this will usually lead to biting. Not always, but it usually does. So you need to nip it in the bud as soon as possible. I want to make it clear we are not talking about puppy play growling. Only growling that is geared towards aggression growling. Puppies need to be able to be puppies.

Do not play tug of war with your Labrador puppy. Play fetch and tell them to release the ball. Never be overly harsh with your dog. Use common sense.

When a dog is constantly leaning on you, putting his paw on you, or touching you in some way, this is not your dog who loves you, it is your dog displaying dominant behaviors. In the dog world, space is respect. A dog who is constantly nudging you and leaning on you is not only disrespecting you, they are being the alpha dog. You are the one who must start and end touching and affection.
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