Over the past two months Lucky has become quite aggressive. Not to me but toward Brenda, my partner, and to our other dog Happi. At first I thought she was protecting me.
Now after speaking to a professional, it has become clear that Happi is under stress. She is fighting for survival. She is resource guarding. That is when a pet thinks something is valuable and thinks something is going to take it away. In this case Lucky is resource guarding me. She thinks I am valuable and considers anything that comes between she and I to be a threat. Brenda is a threat. Happi is a threat. She growls and has started to attack Brenda when I am at home. She occasionally thinks Happi is a threat if a show Happi attention and not her.
Lucky also resource guards space. Beds, pillows, couches, chairs, my lap. If she is laying somewhere she will not move if she doesn't want to. She will growl and snarl at anyone who goes near her. If you persist she will attack. She also has gotten into it with Happi when they fought over space on a bed.
I have to work with her to fix this issue. We overcame her resource guarding with food. I feel we can do this.
Until tomorrow...
Wow--that's tough, Adrienne. Poor Lucky. She's really had a time of it lately! I hope you can figure out a way to resolve her issues before she bites someone.
ReplyDeleteHave a very happy Thanksgiving!
Yup. I don't think it will get that far. She gives more of a warning shot than a bite. It is a week since I wrote this and she is already doing better with some behavior modification. Thanks.
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