Growling Pup Continued - Page 1

Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 1:18 pm Post subject: Food Growling -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have a 17 week old female shepherd who has developed a growl when touched while eating her food. I can hand feed with no problem, I can take toys at will, shows possessiveness towards toys, but no growling. Only growls when I touch her during eating. I've corrected for this action(obviously not good enough), but a day later it happens again. To what extent should I correct and solve this behavior? I do plan on competing in obedience and Schutzhund events, so I’m concerned for harsh corrections at this age!

Do not correct or solve. Just continue to hand feed her.

Is there any chance the puppy is just plain hungry? If so, food has become an issue. What some people find adequate nourishment, could seem like starvation to others. As long as she has appropriate exercise, try feeding her more. Even throw extra in her bowl as she is eating. It's worth a try. To all of a sudden start this behavior seems odd to me. Also, is there another animal--dog or cat---that could be putting pressure on her? Even a child, who has innocently tormented her? All I know is that if I fed as little as some feed their dogs, my boy would eat me---and rightly so. She's a family pet, yes? Smells steaks and chops being broiled night after night? She might be reacting to all the smells. Before I would start thinking psychological problems, dominance issues, etc., I would first try some basic logic. First, take her for a long walk on a short lead. Walk quickly, no stopping. She sees who's boss without using any force. Then, at mealtime, give her more food. Feed her from different bowls for a few days, adding food from time to time. I wouldn't fight with her right now. I'd change her eating routine somewhat before the growling becomes a habit. You can touch her all you want later when she's past this phase. If this isn't a phase, a week or so of more food isn't going to make too much dif- ference. I just wouldn't overreact and cause a bigger problem. Yes, you can get tough--show her who's boss; but then, what happens to your relationship?

Is there any chance the puppy is just plain hungry? If so, food has become an issue. What some people find adequate nourishment, could seem like starvation to others. ***********She's fed correct amounts and body fat is average Also, is there another animal--dog or cat---that could be putting pressure on her? Even a child, who has innocently tormented her? **********No dogs or children..Just me and her...She may have been this way for awhile, it wasn't until a few weeks ago I decided to pet her during her eating I wouldn't fight with her right now. I'd change her eating routine somewhat before the growling becomes a habit. You can touch her all you want later when she's past this phase. If this isn't a phase, a week or so of more food isn't going to make too much dif- ference. I just wouldn't overreact and cause a bigger problem. Yes, you can get tough--show her who's boss; but then, what happens to your relationship?*************Thanks for the info

Let her eat her food. Don't put conflict in the relationship by getting yourself in between her and her food. You have absolutely nothing to gain by messing with her while she's eating. It's good that she has a mind strong enough to want to keep what's hers. Don't discipline that out of her. There's plenty of opportunity to address the possessiveness in a training situation that doesn't create conflict.

why do we think this is a dominance issue -- has nothing to do with dominance -- it has to do with the dog's outlook to it's resource -- dogs think survival and best interest/ what is to their advantage and well being and what is not -- you could avoid the conflict -- that is one way to deal with the problem -- but IMO teaches the dog nothing --- IMO if it were my dog -- i would work on changing the outlook of the dog - and you need not correct --- you can pit yopur will against the dog but it will impact yopur relationship with the dog and also is very difficult for the dog in it's own mind to learn to make anopther correct decision -- yopu may think yopu are teach via correcting -- but the difficulty is that you may only get copmliance and to me that is not obedience[reliability] - in short !. don't make the dog famished hwere it is put into a situation that it needs to worry about it's resource -- at least for now feed in smaller portion and more often -- secondly in the initial stages of changing the dog's perception i would feed a small regular amount of kibble and as the dog nears the END of the portion i would offer some ood tasting meat to supplement the portion as i am touching the dog / repeat the step again at the same mealtiome feeding .. three or four times -- after several sessions/days next step ..-- next stage is to slowly incorporate the touching and offering of better food/ hamburger During the act of eating the small portions again repeating with several more portion -- in time the dog will begin to understanf and feel that it is the greatest thing for you to touch and be near it's food for when you are it will expect even better things -- -this is not dogmatic --watch yopur dog's responses and adjut the interaction to change you dog's feeling as you see fit -- i used the same tech when i had a touch sensitive dog and she wouldn't stack for show -- by the time we finished she couldn't wait to stand for exam --- lastly -- i think you we be alot more important to your dog -- the problem with dominance is it mis misnamed/ and dogs can harbor feelings of resentment -- carerful what you think a correction is justified for -- don't know the tempermant of your dog -- hope it is not a protest biter - you get more bees with honey --yes ??

Food is a valuable resource to the dog and it is protecting it. If you ever had a litter of puppies, after they are weaned you put the food bowl down and they turn into wild animals, growling at each other. one sitting in the food bowl trying to keep the others out, it is not like they are starving or there is not enough for everyone it is just natural to gaurd a valuable resource. My one female while she was nursing, food became a valuable comodity. Though there was plenty of food always around, one full bowl upstairs near her puppies, one down stairs in the kitchen, she started growling and snapping at the other dogs if they even walked by the food. This subsided after the puppies where weaned. People put way too much of an emphasis on screwing with there dogs when they are eating. If you have control over your dog why is it a big issue to mess with them when they are eating. In the wild, an alpha wolf doesn't take back food it has given to a lower pack member or pester them when they are eating. I would not worry about it as long as your dog knows the food comes from you and it has tyo come to you to get the food, let them eat in peace.

EDD you make a good comment -- but that is fine with the owner -- but hwat if the dog is someday eating -- and another person comes by -- better for a dog to have the outlook -- when i am eating i welcome a human near me .. it is ok ...

It's one thing to be near the dog, another to try to take it's food. I can walk by all my dogs, put their bowls down, pat their side and I walk away and let them eat. Only one would be agressive if I tried to come back and take their food or bother them while eating. I just let them eat in peace, walk by them, whatever, but I don't go bothering their food. Now I did have one that got possessive over an empty bowl when I reached in to get it out of his crate years ago. He learned quickly not to do it again.

I agree, you should be able to walk around them when they are eating. I have even bumped into them while they are eating with no problem. What I disagree with is alot of emphasis I have seen people place on this as a dominance issue and the constant screwing around with the dog when it is eating that I read about on this site. I believe in letting a dog eat. As a child I was taught not to bother a dog when it was eating. Vomlandholz- Possesiveness over an empty bowl, I had the same expierience with an extra dog I was taking care of in one of the kennels overseas, bent down to pickup the bowl and the dog tried to nail me, luckily I move fast as the dog only got a mouthful of pants. Yes he got big time corrected for this.