Can I ask how you have done this before I make assumptions?

Hi sarabe. Just simple stuff people have mentioned like not letting him go through a door first, or sleeping in the bed with us (although we've not been so good with this one) and normally he'll have to wait untill we're finished before he gets his food.
It doesn't sound like much actually 

I probably not the best person for advice about this type of behaviour in dogs because i have never experienced it, you need to make your mark as the pack leader as soon as you get your dog, when i got my dog i started straight away. i pretend to eat her food before i give it to her (pack leaders always eat first) i walk through doors first ect ect.
When your dog gets aggresive have you tried leaving the room and giving your dog time out, normally people would put the dog in a other room but obviously you should not pick up a dog thats growling at you so i would try saying no in a stern voice and then just walk out the room he will eventually get the message.
good luck

Okay, that's good then. You've not been alpha rolling him or anything like that.


Here is your first problem. How do you feel about someone handling your food or touching you when you are eating?  You probably haven't actually stolen his food from him but I bet someone else has.

If everytime you sat down to your meal one of your family came over and nicked a yorkshire pudding off of your plate how would you react to their approach after a few repetitions. If however they approached you to add another roast potato would you feel differently. Me, personally, I wouldn't bother either way but do it to my daughter and you'd get her fork in the back of your hand. There is an absolutely brilliant advert on the telly at the moment for Quorn. "Touch my food, feel my fork" That is my daughter to a tee

Same applies to when dogs are sleeping. If you feel that you should be able to do what you want, whenever you want to your dog then be prepared for him to tell you otherwise. Some dogs, just like some people do not like to be disturbed when they are sleeping, especially if they are dreaming.

Don't put too much store by the dominance stuff. Firstly, if you don't want him on the bed then don't let him but if, as you say, you have broken that rule then it is a stupid rule to have and a bit unfair on him if sometimes it applies and sometimes it doesn't.

If feeding him after you have eaten suits your routine then fine but it won't mean anything to your dog. If he was a wolf living in the wild then as a youngster his mum would ensure that he had his fill, even going without herself, if food was in short supply. If food was plentiful then they would all tuck in together.

Not going through doors unless told is an excellent thing to teach and all dogs should know this one for their own safety. You don't necessarily have to go through first though. In fact I would find it very difficult to close the door behind me if I insisted on all of my dogs following me out. 

Some links on the subject of 'dominance' for you.  http://www.barry.eaton.clara.net/pack_leader.htm  http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2001/macho.htm  http://www.dogwhispererdvd.com/article-domin-myth.html

The first thing you need to do now is to get him thoroughly checked by a vet to make sure that there is no medical reason for him feeling so defensive.  Then seek professional help. You need someone to see him with you to give you the best advice. Shop around and avoid anyone who suggests any form of punishment or aversives.

Give him opportunities but don't force him please. I was forced to take swimming lessons as a child and I am terrified of water, still to this day.

At 5 months old he is still a baby and like all babies they do test the water but there seems to be more issues here so you really need to have someone come and see what is happening.

With going through doors first, that is more for safety than to dominate, a dog rushing through a door can cause an accident, get your dog to sit first, then it is more difficult to rush through the door.



I wouldn't put this down to dominance and why do you want to show him who is boss, I have never done that with my dogs but they are all obedient.  2 came as biters but that didn't last long, if I had tried to show them who was boss, I would have made this problem worse.  That doesn't mean that the dog gets away with this, but get my way by other means.  If I accept a challenge that a dog gives, I will loose every time so I have to use my brain instead.


We are not part of a dog's pack because we are not dogs so we cannot become the pack leader, we can be a leader though.  Pretending to eat before feeding your dogs is old fashioned now, it doesn't make any difference to the dog if they eat before or after us.  I have always fed my dogs before me because it is more convenient, and never had any problems.



This sounds as if it could be fear and by forcing him to more interdoggy contact will make this worse which could be why he is growling.  Never force your dog to do this, but keep him at a distance where he doesn't react.   He will start to think that other dogs are not frightening things and that distance will get shorter and shorter until he will meet other dogs.

Dogs use growling as communication, not all growling is aggressive, it can be many things.   If he steals anything never try to take it off him, try and do a swop.  He is guarding what he has stolen so it must be highly prized, you need to have something even higher to swop with him.  This works, done it many times.


When he starts this, all play stops, once he is quiet and settled you can start to play again.  He will soon realise that this behaviour ends his fun.  If you stop all play when he starts, he shouldn't get to the clothes.



He is still a baby and you need to be very consistant, there is no point in letting him get away with something one time, then not another.  Work out what is acceptable and what isn't then keep to it.  You said he seems confused, he probably is and only by being consistant will he understand what you want of him.

Please let us know how you get on.

If you were frightened of spiders, would you become less so if someone forced you to approach and hold them?

If you were eating at a cafe and someone tried to nick your Death by Chocolate, would you let them?

The dog is behaving in a perfectly normal way, for a dog.

I think you are right when you say your dog is confused; it is because you do not have the skills, experience and knowledge to handle the inappropriate behaviour.

That is why you need a skilled, knowledgeable, experienced trainer/behaviourist.