Growls when eating raw.

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by RIN TIN TIN on 31 May 2009 - 04:05

Hi guys,I have a 3 month old GSD pup.

When I feed this pup dog food(kibbles),he is ok,I can even put my hand in his bowl but if I feed him raw..chicken backs,necks,ground beef...he instantly changes,he growls if I come near him.

I have dogs that are ok when eating dog food and raw,I have one Mal before that has the same attitude with my GSD pup now.

Do you guys ever experienced this?Can you share me your thoughts about it?

..and I saw on the Tiekerhook website that they have dogs that are growling when they are feeding them and they somehow think that it is a good trait,is it?

Thanks.

by darylehret on 31 May 2009 - 04:05

It shows "possessiveness", and I prefer to see it, but I don't allow it to continue. My dogs all eat their raw in the kitchen at the same time, but they only look to me for their serving, and don't molest the others. So eventually, they don't feel they have to protect their meal anyway.

by yellowrose of Texas on 31 May 2009 - 06:05

YES , perfectly normal and a good sign...but you have to know how to handle this....Do you lie down in kitchen floor while pup is eating.....try it...sit on floor and feed raw out of your hand...do not correct just dont let growl become a control issue...You dog is delightfully enjoying nature at its best.

I have baby pups that moan, cry low growls while nursing...very vocals...

by Two Moons on 31 May 2009 - 06:05

Some things are worth growling over...LOL
You can have some chips but leave my burger alone....
You might lose a finger or two.

At any rate meat brings out more of that particular instinct than kibble in my opinion.

by RIN TIN TIN on 31 May 2009 - 07:05

daryl: As pups,do you correct them or you just let them be so they won't feel the need to protect their food?...btw,I saw the female littermate of your dog Hutch,she is very fiery

..i like her very much.

yellowrose: I will try to feed him with my hands.

Two Moons: I totally agree with you about the burger :-)

by darylehret on 31 May 2009 - 09:05

I pretty much let them be, and only correct them if, when I hand feed (i.e., chicken) if they're not careful and snatch my fingers. It has to be more of a "give" from me, than a "take" by them.

What I meant by 'not allowing', was that I verbally warn or block another dog's attempts to move on someone else's dish. They quickly learn proper etiquette within a few feeding's time, and no one feels like their food is in danger of being taken, so any growling would then cease.

But I don't correct a growling dog if another dog gets too close, IMO it's justified. I correct the intruder.

Hutch was never a growler, he just eats faster than anyone else. Whoever finishes the fastest, waits and looks at me for what's next, or if we're done, and doesn't pay the other dogs any mind.

by RIN TIN TIN on 31 May 2009 - 09:05

Thanks Daryl,I get the drift.

by joonbug on 31 May 2009 - 10:05

My puppy would growl over her raw meals at first. My dogs are fed in crates so they don't ever have pressure from another dog when eating. It's important to me to keep the dogs as unpressured as possible so they chew up the bony items as well as possible.

When my pup growled, I just ignored her until she got used to the raw food being a regular, common occurance. She quit growling on her own, and I can get into her food bowl or take it if I want but I don't do it all that often, more when I need to add something to her meal.

Jackie

by duke1965 on 31 May 2009 - 10:05

agression , dominance ,possessiveness,and agression towards handler are often misstaken for courage

unfortunately its not the same

I dont see it as qualities , and if you want to get your dog trained for exams and possible competitions those things make it harder instead of easyer

so if my dog would growl at me when feeding he would have a direct frontal confrontation with the feeding pan , twice

or as many times as it takes to stop this behaviour

if you tolerate this behaviour now , where will it end

everytime he growls and you back off , he wil be rewarded in his belief that he is calling the shots , and not you

by Red Sable on 31 May 2009 - 12:05

I agree with duke, I don't see this as good. He doesn't growl over kibble, cause well, it ain't that great, raw, he is willing to fight you for.

I should clarify: best dog I ever had was a dominant dog, and would fight me for food at that age, but I didn't let him. I do like a dominant dog, much prefer them to the soft licky type, JMO.

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