Puppy growling

[LynByn]

I just had a question re: my six month old rat terrier. She is growling at my daughter and showing her teeth. This happens when she is either being moved off of something or chewing her toy. I am worried that she will nip we tell her no but then she shows her teeth. I need advice..HELP!!!!!:

[samaria]

I'm surprised your trainer didn't address this. Anyway, good book for you is Jean Donaldson's "Mine! A Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs". Do not take things from his mouth - only makes him want it more. And, don't chase - makes him think his treasure is even more valuable. For now, do not give him "special" stuff like rawhide to have on his own. Instead, you hold one end and let him chew on the other. Have some really good stuff handy, such as roast beef or liver, to "trade" back and forth for the object (you will still hold one end the whole time - and don't try to trade a Milk bone for rawhide - use something he never gets any other time. Tripe, liverwurst, salmon brownies...). As you feed the roast beef, say "trade", and as you give the rawhide back, say "take it". Keeping one end of the object teaches the dog that YOU control the resources (therefore you are in charge, not him). This is not a behavior you can punish away - and you can make him really aggressive by doing that. Get the book, and never have him, a child, and food in the same room.