Okay, something really, really strange just happened for the second time.
My male, Jonah, is 3 years old. I have always fed my dogs in their crates.
I took his food out, put it in his crate, waited for him to sit, then he waited for me to release him to eat (this is our routine). My son got home a few minutes later and we walked out that direction. He started growling...and wouldn't stop. Even when I scolded him...he finally stopped then finished his food. My son let him out and he was fine...tail wagging and happy. He has never shown any aggression at all.
He did this one other time, about a month ago...he was eating in his crate and my friend came over (who he doesn't really know) and approached his crate and he gave a warning growl, and then was fine.
Any thoughts on this very strange and out of line behavior? He is a very mellow, happy go lucky boy.
Thanks so much!
Oh, one other thing I just thought of...my daughters yorkie, who we have to keep separate from him (because the yorkie is a little creep), will sometimes go out and taunt him when he is in the crate...if I am home it doesn't happen...because Max (the yorkie) knows I don't tollerate it...but if my daughter lets him out and I'm not out there, I have heard it happen and I go out and put a stop to it...
Could this have something to do with it?
I hear people speak of feeding in the crate to avoid problems, and it sounds like the problem which people intend to avoid is currently and successfully being avoided (a bite).
Well, I have never seen him growl at any human being. So it really just seemed very out of his character. The fact he would growl at me...the one who feeds him and he sits so nicely for before I put it down...and waits for me to release him...then he growls???
We have never taken food away from him...so why the sudden food protection behavior? If he has always eaten in his crate, where would this behavior come from?
I am wondering if I need to do some sort of work with him to show him there is no reason to growl when I walk by his crate and he is eating...or if our 6 or 8 year old walk by.
I guess I am also wondering if this is normal canine behavior, or an issue with Pack Structure?
Thanks!
He wouldn't be the first dog to show some annoyance when confined in a crate, but is otherwise ok. Perhaps it's a matter of having nowhere to go if he's feeling possessive of what's rightly his. If he were out and about, he might otherwise simply be inclined to pick up his food and relocate rather than growl.
I don't have enough experience to comment on the general themes of pack structure and other implications, but my dog first growled over food when he was under 16 weeks. Then I just implemented at NILIF policy, with hand feeding every meal for obedience.
Now at 2, he eats wherever, and I can call him off the food mid-meal if needed.
Never had the makings of a complete bad-ass, but nonetheless...never dealt with another growl since then.
Well, I did a test this morning and fed him some food outside the crate and he gowled at me again when I approached him! So, I left and then went out with some yummy treats. While he was eating his kibble (and didn't growl)...I dropped a few. Then, of course, he wanted more...so I made him sit and eat some from my hand...then he was fine.
Just very odd.
He loves his crate...only goes in to eat, and sleep...
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Sudden Food Aggression???? Help Please!!!
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