Wotan the Terrible

[WOTANSMUTTI]

A couple of days ago I brought home a new toy. It squeaks great, and Wo hasn't been able to kill it yet. He's really in love.

Here's the problem- I went to pick him up, and he had Monkey in his mouth. He still had that toy in his mouth as I picked him up while he growled nastily at Moi! I let him go and scolded him briefly. He ran over and squiggled around as if to excuse his lack of good manners...<IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm13.gif" border=0>

Last night though, I went to pick him up on the couch and tuck him into his little "bed" there and the devil growled nastily a few times! I'm sure he'd have bitten (albeit lightly) if I would have continued shoving him...

In a low tone I scolded him again, telling him what a bad boy he was and how rotten he acted,,etc. He wiggled over again with his tummy flipped up showing submission...

My question is- what's going on in his little mind? He's never been spanked and usually very even tempered. Are dachsies just moody sometimes?<IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm31.gif" border=0>

[Penny's Aunt]

This is called "Possession Guarding", & is very close to "Food Guarding".

Don't let him get away with it! If you're reasonably sure he will bite, use gloves, but take the item away from him. Look at it, then give it back. Do this over & over so he realizes that no matter how many times you take this wonderful toy away, you will always give it back.

EXCEPT for the times you "trade" for it, which is within the rules. If you want to take it away from him, trade him something good for it: a stuffed toy or bone, a chunk of cheese, etc.

If he continues, I would take it away & put it out of sight (& smell) for a week or so, then try it again. If he remains truly objectionable, you may decide that it isn't worth the chance of being bitten. After all, which is supposed to be more important to him, you or this toy?

[Wienergal]

Sonja, for what my experience is worth, Wotan is simply letting you know that, when he has something he likes in his possession, HE is in charge and you are not to touch.

This is not OK. Remember: You=alpha, Wo=beta. No compromises! Time to teach the "Drop!" command. This might work: When he has his favorite toy in his little jaws, go get some food thing he really loves. Don't let him know you have it. Tell him to drop the toy and show him the food bit. When he drops the toy, praise him and give him the treat. Continue, many times a day, until he drops the toy on command without a treat. Praise lavishly. Serious problem averted.

My little surrendered dog, Angel, does exactly the same thing. She has been ignored, but not abused. She will let you do ANYthing to her without complaint. She is sweet, affectionate, and lovable. But when she has her rawhide, she growls if your hand goes near her. I've been working with her, and now, when I say, "Drop it!" she is curious instead of threatened.

Best o'luck with the adorable Wo monster!

Pamela

[Mark]

Well said Pamela! Great suggestions Sue!

Hi Sonja,

There's not much anyone could add to what's been said. If Wotan gets away with being alpha about this one thing, he "will" try to expand to other areas until there's a more serious problem.

Good luck and let us know how it goes,

Mark

[Mrs.F]

Hey Sonja,
It sounds like Wotan has been taking private lessons from my Maggie.http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/afraid.gif
Did he have 'Monkey" when you lifted him off the couch last night or was he just complaining about being moved? We've had Maggie for almost 6 months now, and she's gotten so much better in so many ways, but she still gets ugly from time to time when she "doesn't want to be disturbed".
We act shocked, pretend that we aren't scared of being bitten and move her to another spot (just to show her that we can) and put her in a "sit - stay". (I've been told that a "down-stay" would be better in such instances, but I've not taught that to either of my girls.) Anyway, afterwards Maggie's apologetic and behaves herself for a few weeks (or a few days - there's no real pattern with her). Until she learned "stay" pretty well, we put her in her pen when she growled/snapped. The 'stay' seems to more effective though, and she has to participate in the correction by giving in and obeying the command.
I've started to wonder if this will be an "always" thing with Maggie. I've resigned myself to the fact that she probably won't ever join Penny and I on our nursing home visits or at school, but I'm still hoping she'll get over the nastiness at home.
Good Luck - and try to monitor Wo's email. I'll speak to Maggie about that DWD stuff and forbid her from sending Wotan anymore of her tricks, but you know how dachsies are....
Heidi

[Roxane]

Hi Sonja:
Could it be because the last show closed before it opened and Wo never got to "star"? http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/huh.gif
This seems so out of character for him. Have to ask the same question:
Did he have the toy when he was on the couch?
Roxane

[Oscar's Mom]

Everyone has great advice here.
Oscar will act like that with toys or bones sometimes. You do have to correct it immediately. First I'll try to coax him with a treat, to show him I can take it but do give it back. He does know the Out command but it never works in this kind of situation. Other times I have to hold him down on his back until he calms down, but we have not had to that in a long time.
We have actually thrown away a couple of toys because he was extremely obsessive with them.

<FONT COLOR="#00FFFF" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Oscar's Mom on October 14, 2000 at 11:39 AM</font>

[WOTANSMUTTI]

<IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm3.gif" border=0>Thanks guys,

No, Wotan the Terrible wasn't holding Monkey on the couch, but that end is "his" spot- if you know what I mean.

He's more relaxed about Monkey now- having slobbered on it so much and wanting us to play, he now presents it to us to throw etc.

I just don't understand the part about being moved. It does sound like Maggie,huh?
At that point do I just pick him up anyway and cart him off, toss him off the couch completely or diffuse the situation with a treat or ball toss?

Sounds like Alpha Stuff for sure. As of now, alls quiet on the Couch Front... <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm13.gif" border=0>

[Mrs.F]

I must confess that right or wrong, I often do whatever I can to AVOID a confrontation with Maggie. If she starts it I NEVER back down because I'm afraid of undoing all the progress we've made, but when she's curled up in the laundry basket, lulled to sleep by the hum of the washer and dryer, I KNOW she doesn't want to be disturbed and can pretty much expect some ugliness. It's just as easy for me to offer her a treat or to squeak her ball so that she cheerfully hops down to play. Once she's had her little treat or chased the ball for a minute she's quite content to be carried upstairs or popped into the pen so that we can leave the house, etc.
I don't believe that she is clever enough to realize what's going on, so I don't really think it encourages the grumpy, nasty behavior. I would prefer that she be well mannered and cheerful about obeying me all the time, and we may get to that point someday, but for now life is so much nicer when we're BOTH happy.

Actually, I a use similar technique with a few of my kindergarten students, too, for pretty much the same reasons! http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/wink.gif

<FONT COLOR="#00FFFF" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Mrs.F on October 15, 2000 at 07:19 AM</font>

[LisaH]

My mother's dachshund, Molly, is the sweetest-tempered dog I've ever met, but my mother did make the mistake of giving her a real chicken bone once. When she realized Molly was splintering it, she went to take it away, and Molly growled very nastily. She had NEVER growled at my mother before, and Mom was really afraid she was going to bite, but took the bone anyway (Molly didn't bite). As I say, Molly is very sweet-tempered, but I'm sure she thinks of herself and my Mom as equals, since my Mom lets Molly boss her around. If Molly weren't as nice, I'm sure she'd be one of those dogs who refuse to let their owners on the bed!

I'd take away any toy that makes Wo nasty like this, and practice some basic alpha stuff like making him sit for dinner, going through doors before he does, etc.