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Thanks Art for your reply it is hard keep the text succinct and yet give enough detail. I have had the dog since he was 12 weeks old. I understand growling is communication and not a sign of dominance. I have been implementing a leadership plan and controlling all the valuable resources.
The ownership zone I am referring to is mostly things between the dogs front legs or in its mouth. While I control the toys, food, resting places, play, love and attention and provide them to meet the dogs needs. I live on a ranch and when we are out walking he is always on the hunt for a stick to guard or cow patties to eat and or defend. I call him away from them and do not pull them away from him and that works quite well. I am also desensitizing and counterconditioning by with high value treats like cheese. Sometimes he has something that I didn’t see him pick up and then he will go through the first parts of the aggression cycle (though sometimes very quickly): gets stiff, walleyed, growls, bares teeth, and snaps some times causing bruising or bleeding. That is the part that I diagnose as resource guarding.
The part that I think is dominance aggression is the example I gave of the same behavior cycle but usually when he doesn’t want to go to his kennel for the night. When I go to take off his leash or collar. I have tried building value and positive associations with the kennel and leash and collar with food and praise and am providing for all his needs.
I am confident in the Phase 2 of the commands he responds appropriately to the corrections and demonstrates his understanding. You are right about his teeth he now has all his adult teeth while not as sharp as the puppy teeth they are sharp enough to draw a little blood.
He is great 98% of the time but just want to make sure I am following best FSDT practice.
