hi all
not sure if this is the right place to post this but here goes.
sorry if this is long. im really worried..and i need the help.
before this has the chance to happen again and be worse than it was.

this morning i treated my dogs to a whole rack of ribs uncut. and they loved it. after they were done it was only the hard sternum that was left.

anyways...the problem occurred while they were eating...the male was happily eating away and he ddnt care as i walked around because thats the routine as they eat by their bowls i clean up the area and pick up the poop. this all happens in there individual enclosures.

and when i entered my females enclosure and i was clearing up and i got close to her she picked the rack up in her mouth stood in a solid squared position with me and gave me a low growl as to say "stay away from me this is mine".

i kno never to mess with there bowls or there food when they are eating. and i never do and every other day of there lives i have walked past them and swept up around them as they ate with them not threatened that i would take there food away.they even let me get close enough to give them there salmon oil tablets (they take it out of my hand like treats).

i got the shock of my life and immediately stood still and just watched her...then backed off a few steps and left her be...then when she was done i went up to her and sat with her just talking to her for a while. i feel like i kinda make a connection with my dogs when we have a problem and i talk to them concerned. but anyway...i brushed her out and gave her a rub down and everything no hassles..and i havent had any hassles again today.

can any1 enlighten me as to what could cause my little girl do sumin like this. i am definitely in an alpha position with them. they dont jump up on me at all, they dont bolt thru gates or doors unless im out first and i say its safe and they can come thru. when i am bringing the food to them they wait till i say eat before eating. if i tell them wait they will wait till i say they can come or go or woteva.
i have made lots of headway with them since i started with a military dog trainer about a month ago...and i have never had any signs of aggression to myself from them.
im afraid sumthin is going on in her head that could make things very bad very quick.
Please help

Yursie,

My Bloodhound does this once in a while and he is a food guarder. I used to go and take it from him and do the whole "my food" thing.

I go in and clean the kennel while he is eating and he usually gets up and moves when I get to close. I actually just ignore (but keep my eye on him) him and go about my business. Sometimes he walks off with a low growl or at least a protest if he thinks I am too close.

I don't think your dog is "losing" it, but rather she just really liked what you gave her, so she felt a bit protective of it.

If you are not having issues with her in other areas and she does not do this all the time, then I would chalk it up as a learning experience, as in, when she has a really good thing to munch on, she will guard it.

ok...
thanx... im just glad its not a dominance issue or a sign that im losing my alpha role in her eyes...or sumin like that.

thanx Carol.
some reassurance really makes to calm the nerves...
but il keep an eye on her for the next few days to ensure nothing else happens...

and also...its a learning experience for me...if i give a rack of ribs again...leave them the hell alone until they done with it...lol

I went through this recently as well. New dog, very food driven, raw meals etc... My gut instinct told me to correct him, but the more I did the worse it got :-(

I have since backed off, let him be and make him work for everything. When he's eating I move around him but then leave him alone. Everyone is much happier :-)

strangely enuf..my female is not as much food driven as she is prey driven...my male is more food driven and if im not careful when giving him treats he will take my hand with it...usually he munches down and then a second later he realizes he got more than just the treat and then lets go...but he has never growled at me over food.

Yes she is the more aggressive out of the 2 and i can see she is the one that has the potential to be a whole lot more evil than the male..his just a gentle giant...

lol...sounds just abt right Robbin...heheheh

I agree with Carol. Bruno will sit for his food and once released, will growl the entire way to his bowl. If I interupt him at this point he will guard morso the next time. I have a chair next to his food bowl and if he starts growling I'll sit right next to him while he eats. I leave him alone, don't even talk to him, but I don't let him shy me away nor do I let my own guard down.

I have always been under the impression of growling being unacceptable. I have a "problem" dog I took in that has aggression issues with people and dogs (I know, I question that decision a lot, too!). He has growled around food, especially high value items before. I always corrected him for this behavior because I am top dog and all resources are mine if I want them. After some tough love he has assimilated into my house with me as #1. We have a water cooler near his food bowls; When I walk into the kitchen to get a drink of water while he is eating, he immediately walks away from his food, surrendering his meal.

Am I wrong in my understanding? If the dog in question was mine, I would correct her or at least take the item away.

 Quote: lesya zaichenko

I have always been under the impression of growling being unacceptable.

Absolutely! But keep in mind that even the lowest dog on the totem pole will growl to protect food. Feedign your dog in it's crate will prevent the dog from thinking it is about to lose it's food, and it will not feel the need to growl at you. Therefore, you have no growling to correct.

 Quote: lesya zaichenko

He has growled around food, especially high value items before. I always corrected him for this behavior because I am top dog and all resources are mine if I want them. After some tough love he has assimilated into my house with me as #1. We have a water cooler near his food bowls; When I walk into the kitchen to get a drink of water while he is eating, he immediately walks away from his food, surrendering his meal.

Am I wrong in my understanding? If the dog in question was mine, I would correct her or at least take the item away.

Here is my problem with this.
When a high dog has eaten it's fill and walks away, it is done. This means the rest of the pack can, in order of rank, go in and eat. The high dog does NOT go back and "bully" the others around just to prove that it is in the top position. The fact that it eats first "proves" that on it's own.
I think of it as a police officer walking into a crowded restaurant with a gun drawn and making every face the wall simply because someone has a car with unpaid parking tickets in the parking lot.
Sure, a police officer CAN draw the weapon when they feel the need, but it doesn't always mean that they SHOULD.
Same with your dog. The fact that you provide the food, put it down, etc means that you control it. THere is no other reason to "prove" that you are in charge of it. Put the dog in it's crate, give it the food, and leave it alone until it is done eating. More dogs DEVELOP food aggression because they are afraid their handlers/owners are going to bully them out of it once given.
Bullying the dog away from the food does nothing to strengthen the bond of trust with your dog - it makes them fear you because you are not a dependable and fair leader.
If there are other aggression issues with aparticular dog, address THEM. Trying to establish leadership by taking food will only, IMHO make the dog have ADDITIONAL aggression issues (with food aggression now as well) and it will make the other aggression issues worse because you are destroying your bond with the dog.