A few times, the puppy that I’m caring for (six month old mastiff) has snapped and growled at the other dogs for getting too close to him while he’s eating. He never does it with people. So far, I’ve been trading things back and forth with him (have him drop his toy for a piece of food, then giving it back etc.) and teaching him to drop and leave things.
The dogs all eat in their crates, in part because if the puppy gets a chance, he’ll shove the other two out of the way, and eat their food. Most of the time he’s fine, but every once in awhile, something sets him off. He does not keep it up once a person steps in. I know people will mention neutering and hiring someone, but this isn’t my pet, and this isn’t supposed to be a long term arrangement. Originally, he was to be gone a month ago, but plans changed. What else can I do here, to keep things going smoothly?
Ever watch “The Dog Whisperer” on Nat’l Geographic? I think I’ve seen Cesarwork with dogs on the show that are very possessive of food or sometimes a particular toy.
IIRC he works with the dog by taking the food/toy and physically standing over it, demonstrating to the dog that the food/toy belongs to him, the alpha, now. On the edited footage of the show, at least, the dog eventually cedes possession to him. (Then the dog rolls over to show submission, learns to speak fluent Portuguese, and files the family’s taxes while walking calmly on a leash at their heels. Like I said, it’s edited.)
You might try watching some episodes where he deals with dogs that act similarly to your mastiff pup and see if you can replicate his techniques.
Thanks for the good wishes. The puppy seems to get that it’s not okay to snap at people. I’ve never seen him guard things when any of us get close. It’s the two animals that get him going. I haven’t seen that show in a very long time. Maybe he will have some tips.
I’m definitely not a dog expert, but since the pup gives way to people, I’d be tempted to let it go, not try to correct it. If he relinquished food in the wild, he’d starve. Dogs are piggish, from what I’ve seen. They’ll eat even if they’re full, to keep another dog from getting their food.
Did you have this issue with your other dogs? Do they eat side by side without any problems? I’ve never had more than one dog at a time, and I can’t imagine how I’d get them not to eat out of each other’s dishes.
Good on ya for caring for an extra dog. It can’t be easy on you or on the other dogs.
Up until the puppy got here, the other two would eat in their open crates. Really early on, the younger dog would try to eat all the older dog’s food but she eventually grew out of it. My two dogs were given more leeway to work things out, because the size difference between them wasn’t that large when the younger dog was a puppy. The older dog likes to pick at his food, and it wasn’t uncommon for his bowl to have food in it all day long.
My main concern is making sure things don’t spiral out of hand. The oldest dog (four years old) is less than thirty pounds, and and could easily be hurt by the eighty or so pound mastiff, even if though he is only six months old. I can keep up feeding them in their locked crates, but if they happen to be in the kitchen and food falls on the floor, I don’t want the puppy thinking it’s okay to claim it by any means necessary. Plus, since he’s so young, I’d really rather see him grow to have the personality that my dogs do, if possible, instead of getting upset when one of them walks by his crate as he eats. Or just breaking down and keeping him locked away while food is out. Of course, if it gets to that point, though, then it does - I wouldn’t put any of them in danger.
Thanks. We’ve settled in now, for the most part. He really is a good puppy, so things are okay.
I have a pack of 7 and we always go through this with a new pup. Personally, I think feeding in the crates is best. I wouldn’t do too much with taking his food away (do it enough to know you can but not so much that he thinks his food is temporary and must be guarded at all costs ). If he bolts food, you might try getting one of those bowls (I think they are raised in the middle) or putting rocks that are too big to swallow in his bowl so he has to concentrate more on his own dish. That being said- we correct ANY posturing (that means staring, growling, hackles raised) etc with whatever correction is appropriate for that dog or puppy. If he’s pretty tough minded, you might have to give a stronger one, if he wilts like a flower, a strong “NO” might be enough. The key is to get to the dog BEFORE he acts on his guarding. Correct him for thinking about it- you get all kinds of alpha points for that :).
). If he bolts food, you might try getting one of those bowls (I think they are raised in the middle) or putting rocks that are too big to swallow in his bowl so he has to concentrate more on his own dish. That being said- we correct ANY posturing (that means staring, growling, hackles raised) etc with whatever correction is appropriate for that dog or puppy. If he’s pretty tough minded, you might have to give a stronger one, if he wilts like a flower, a strong “NO” might be enough. The key is to get to the dog BEFORE he acts on his guarding. Correct him for thinking about it- you get all kinds of alpha points for that :).