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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I agree with 17:00.  My dog has snapped at me in two situations:  when I try to pick him up while he's sleeping and if I try to take away a high-value treat (like a bully stick).

I used to think this meant he [b]"didn't respect my authority,[/b]" and we'd get in these power struggles over it.  But then I realized we could just avoid these situations -- which was confirmed by an animal behaviorist I heard a lecture by.  So I nudge him awake first, and he never gets bully sticks.  Voila -- no problems since.[/quote]

I really hate that phrase.  A lot of people who insist they are good with dogs harp on about the authority thing.

But what they don't understand is that dogs became dogs because they learned they could get food from humans with less effort than hunting it if only they did things pleasing to the human.

That "respect my authority" comes from people confusing dogs with wolves.  But dogs are not wolves, and in fact, the evolution from wolf to dog has a lot to do with this very thing -- learning to read humans, figure out how to please them and get food.

I don't think that dogs "respect authority" in the way that people think.  And in fact, I think that a lot of biting and aggression isn't because a dog doesn't respect authority; it's because the dog feels insecure and defensive.   That is part of why food is a hot-button issue with some dogs.  I hate the term "food aggressive" because it really is "food defensive."

A dog might bite when you startle the dog (i.e. try to pick the dog up while it is asleep).

Of course dogs who were bred and/or trained to fight other dogs are a different issue entirely.[/quote]

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