 Dog growling while eating.
#353674 - 01/16/2012 11:39 AM |
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A person on another forum I am a member of posted this so I am cross-posting asking for help.
“Well...where to start? Maddux is 8 months old now. He has completed 4 weeks of obedience school with lots of follow up on our part as well: regular walks, leash training, constructive play and good socializing. 2 months ago, my friends got divorced and their 3.5 year old Greater Swiss Mountain Dog female got displaced to our house. Ruby is a good girl but has had no training. She is very submissive to Maddux and us and is amenable to training and is coming along. We had been free-feeding Maddux but could not continue to do so since Ruby wanted to eat anything and everything. So, we took to feeding Maddux 3-4 times a day after she arrived.
About a week or two after Ruby arrived, Maddux decided to growl at me when I was prepping his food. I got medieval on him (takedown, growl, hold his neck...) and he shaped up for a few minutes. He then focused his anger at Ruby then back at me. Then every eating session became growl-time. I separated the two of them right away but he didn't stop growling at me or my husband. I called his trainer pretty quick and she came over and recommended some exercises. I or my husband have been hand-feeding him for a month and a half now. I can feed him without him growling but I cannot pet him or talk to him while he is eating or he growls. I can even put my hand IN HIS BOWL (on the rare occasion I let him eat out of his bowl now) and play with his food and he won't growl but if I pet him...GRRRRRRRR.
I am a pretty strong leader. I have begun employing NILIF (last week or so---would have sooner but didn't know about it). I know in my heart that having Ruby come to live with us triggered it. Now, HOW DO I STOP IT? Will it pass? I have him scheduled for some more training (in house) in a couple of weeks. Sometimes I almost think his growling is more of a moan. His health is fine, of that I'm sure. Did I do the wrong thing early on? I picked up his food when he first growled and I think that just pissed him off more. Should I be more physical with him or less? I like and trust my trainer but was hoping for more progress than this. Help! I am very frustrated. He now outweighs me by almost 10 pounds
Any thoughts or suggestions for what she can/should do would be greatly appreciated. The dogs are now in separate rooms/crates while eating and she is continuing with NILF for both dogs. As of right now, they will be keeping Ruby but if they can't work things out they will start looking for a home for her.
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Re: Dog growling while eating.
[Re: Debbie Martin ]
#353676 - 01/16/2012 11:49 AM |
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I'm on the opposite side of this from the trainer and even some members here. Leave the dog alone while he's eating.Feed him in his crate, but just give it to him and then leave him alone. I think all the different things like reaching into his bowl just makes him insecure about his food. If he's acting up while you're getting the food ready, put him in a crate while your getting it ready.
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Re: Dog growling while eating.
[Re: steve strom ]
#353677 - 01/16/2012 11:55 AM |
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Leave the dog alone while he's eating.Feed him in his crate, but just give it to him and then leave him alone.
Ditto
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Re: Dog growling while eating.
[Re: Debbie Martin ]
#353678 - 01/16/2012 11:59 AM |
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Debbie, she needs to stop messing with the dog while he's eating (petting,talking to it, etc.) and stop messing with its food (hand feeding and putting her hand in his dish). It's likely that all her efforts to 'train' the dog not to growl when he eats have made the dog more anxious about his food, which is why he's still growling.
She should feed the dog where he can eat in peace, whether that's a crate or a room with no one in it. 
ETA, I'm a slow typer.  Ditto to the above posts!
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Re: Dog growling while eating.
[Re: Debbie Martin ]
#353680 - 01/16/2012 12:02 PM |
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I'm with Steve on leaving a dog alone when they eat. If someone kept reaching on my plate and grabbing my food or messing with it it would only be a matter of time before their wrist got forked.....
There are a lot of things going on also. At 8 months old he can kind of be feeling his oats so to speak and adding another dog at that time could bring out some behaviors.....
I would feed him where he feels secure, crate, different room and continue to work on the ob ect.
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Re: Dog growling while eating.
[Re: Debbie Martin ]
#353685 - 01/16/2012 12:35 PM |
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I would also make him sit or something for it...and leave him alone totally while eating...like they said.
Logan was a food guarder when I first got him, he was emaciated though. All I did was make him sit and then leave him in his kennel. He was at the kennel I worked at for a week or 2 before I could take him home. I just kept him in a run away from the others when I fed him and I never bothered him. Now days he has to sit and wait or I tell him "kennel" and he runs to the back of the yard and sits in the kennel. Once given to him its his but he doesn't ever seem concerned by me, I've gone in and scooped a poop I missed, he just kept eating, no speeding up, no stiffening, nothing. Other people would be a different story but he trusts me.
A tired dog is a good dog, a trained dog is a better dog. |
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Re: Dog growling while eating.
[Re: Debbie Martin ]
#353686 - 01/16/2012 01:43 PM |
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I agree with everyone, and see a lot that I would address and correct in that poster's protocol.
I would urge that person to join here and post. Second-hand info with no ability here to ask questions and get details and feedback is kind of a disservice to both sides, I think.
I'd really like the poster to join the board and speak directly. Is that doable?
eta
"I cannot pet him or talk to him while he is eating or he growls. "
Well, DUH! That's my strong response: I give the food, and then allow him to perceive that what I, the pack leader, has given, is safe.
All that stuff around food ..... I disagree so strongly with messing around after having handed the food over and walked away. Whatever anxiety a dog had around his food is exacerbated.
JMO!
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Re: Dog growling while eating.
[Re: Debbie Martin ]
#353703 - 01/16/2012 04:04 PM |
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I agree with everything you guys are saying and will try and get her to sign up here. If nothing else, I will send her the link to this thread.
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Re: Dog growling while eating.
[Re: Debbie Martin ]
#353708 - 01/16/2012 05:07 PM |
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It may be too late but I started hand feeding my pups right away, one of the things I've done while they are pups is to take the bowl from them and put a higher value treat in the bowl. They learn that your not trying to take food from them. I did this because my kids feed my dogs often. I didn't want the nightmare of my kid getting bit after they put a bowl down then reach for the water bowl or toy next to them.
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Re: Dog growling while eating.
[Re: Debbie Martin ]
#353756 - 01/17/2012 11:12 AM |
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I'm also one to leave the dog alone when it's eating BUT I will proof my dogs simply because my house is often filled with grand kids. Obviously the dogs are taught to respect the kids and the kids are taught to respect the dogs but life occurs and $#~!+ happens.
Similar to Dennis above I have the g kids feed the dogs. In the beginning only half the food is put in the bowl. When that's finished then more is put in by hand. The dog learns that a hand coming towards the food bowl is a good thing. I did this with my own kids also so they were big supporters of it when I started. their husbands...not so much but they trusted me.
Obviously you wouldn't do this with this dog right off the bat and for sure you wouldn't let kids do it.
With all that the kids AND myself don't bother the dog when they are eating but I do want it proofed for the chance that kids will be kids and dogs will be dogs.
As a disclaimer, you REALLY need to know your dog and be a pack leader for this.
old dogs LOVE to learn new tricks |
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