Joined
·
10,203 Posts
Okay, your dog doesn't think your boyfriend is a dog, he thinks, quite rightly, that your boyfriend is the one who spends the most time with him, trains him, feeds him, etc. (All that alpha theory is bunk.)
Your dog isn't "turning" on you or playing a game. He's resource guarding your boyfriend. Your boyfriend is a fantastic resource, the provider of food, fun and attention and he doesn't want to lose all that, so he guards the resource. If you'd like to know more, Mine! by Jean Donaldson is a great book on the subject.
Note: all dogs will bite given the right provocation or situation. Don't ever forget that. Dogs who are resource guarding will bite if pushed too far. A growl is a warning, pay attention to it.
Fortunately, resource guarding isn't that hard to deal with. First of all, you need to start taking on all of the dog responsibilities, walking, feeding (I would switch to hand feeding him for a while), training, etc. The dog needs to see that good things come from you, too. Secondly, when the dog is guarding your boyfriend, throw some delicious treats at him. Whatever the dog particularly likes, cheese, chicken, hamburger, whatever it is that your dog finds amazing. Do that until you can get a little closer. (All this occurs over a period of days or weeks, not minutes.) Eventually, you want to be able to hug your boyfriend or sit with him on the couch without the dog guarding your boyfriend.
Your dog isn't "turning" on you or playing a game. He's resource guarding your boyfriend. Your boyfriend is a fantastic resource, the provider of food, fun and attention and he doesn't want to lose all that, so he guards the resource. If you'd like to know more, Mine! by Jean Donaldson is a great book on the subject.
Note: all dogs will bite given the right provocation or situation. Don't ever forget that. Dogs who are resource guarding will bite if pushed too far. A growl is a warning, pay attention to it.
Fortunately, resource guarding isn't that hard to deal with. First of all, you need to start taking on all of the dog responsibilities, walking, feeding (I would switch to hand feeding him for a while), training, etc. The dog needs to see that good things come from you, too. Secondly, when the dog is guarding your boyfriend, throw some delicious treats at him. Whatever the dog particularly likes, cheese, chicken, hamburger, whatever it is that your dog finds amazing. Do that until you can get a little closer. (All this occurs over a period of days or weeks, not minutes.) Eventually, you want to be able to hug your boyfriend or sit with him on the couch without the dog guarding your boyfriend.
