JohnFreeman1310 Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 ok i have a serious problem my pups beginning to get very defensive of his food and chews and i really dont no how to fix this to the point of he growls and barks when we walk past to close at one point he ****** whilst stood there because he was so upset now any tips on this would be great he is a 20 week ESS he is a little timid but this is becoming a big problem as he is defensive of his chews aswell and tried to guard the foot of the couch when we sit there and he is really starting to stress the mrs out. thanks john Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bi9johnny Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 Whenever I had a dog like that and it is rare I believe you need to show him who is boss, do not let him carry on with this behaviour my lab knows exactly who is who and what is what and I purposely stroke and talk to him whilst he eats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnFreeman1310 Posted February 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 thats what im trying to do at the minuet im sitting on the floor and feeding him with his chews if he growls then i take the chew away but im worried i have a 2 yr old nephew who i want to come and meet him but if he decides he will growl and bark i dont want him becoming scared of dogs thanks for the advice tho. john Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bi9johnny Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 Play the game with him and also have a rolled up newspaper in the other hand and don't take any aggression at all. Now folks will be along to say never try and correct with force but I am only saying what I have done and ask anyone who has met any of my dogs and they will never have experienced aggression from them , it works and its quick to the point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siberian Tiger Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 If you keep taking the food away when he growls, you are reinforcing his need to growl and protect his food (after all the reason he is growling is because he's worried you may take it away and therefore he's guarding it). I had the exact same problem with my youngest when my partner at the time decided he should be able to take my pups food away without him protesting whilst he was mid-eat! It took a fair bit of work re-training his association with food after that as no one could go hear him without him growling and snarling. We did this by dropping bits of high value food (ham etc) into his bowl as we passed, to build a positive association between people and food. He learnt he was getting nice treats when people approached his bowl rather than being worried that we were going to take it away. I can now take his food from him whilst eating if I chose to however I don't see the point in disturbing him whilst he is eating. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnFreeman1310 Posted February 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 We don't take his food when he eats but if we walk in the kitchen for anything he growls he started this of his own accord. We didn't take his food from his but he brings chew stick to our feet when watching tele then growls if we move so he gets them taken away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sp3k3y Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 the dog peeing whilst stood there is not because he is annoyed, it is a defense mechanism of a scared dog ( if he was cocking his leg to mark it would be different). a bit more information is needed on feeding ie. do you take it in turns to feed, do you stand over him while he eats, have you ever took food off him, it all makes a difference to him. do you feed him the chews whilst you are sat on the couch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted February 16, 2013 Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 The dog is timid.... showing him who's boss will do nothing other than frighten him into becoming more aggressive. Google "resource guarding" and do some reading. Siberian Tiger sounds like he has been there and the advice is most relevant. What are you feeding him on? For the moment, and to stop things getting any worse, I would take his chews away from him altogether and if you are feeding him dry food don't feed it in his bowl but feed his daily allowance in very small portions throughout the day scattered on the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bi9johnny Posted February 16, 2013 Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 The dog is timid.... showing him who's boss will do nothing other than frighten him into becoming more aggressive. Google "resource guarding" and do some reading. Siberian Tiger sounds like he has been there and the advice is most relevant. What are you feeding him on? For the moment, and to stop things getting any worse, I would take his chews away from him altogether and if you are feeding him dry food don't feed it in his bowl but feed his daily allowance in very small portions throughout the day scattered on the floor. May I ask what is the idea of feeding scattered food off the floor. Personally I would never allow my dog to eat anything I have not put in his bowl or given him from my hand. Stops them from eating rubbish when out walking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted February 16, 2013 Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 (edited) He's defensive over his bowl, taking the bowl out of the equation may help. Edited February 16, 2013 by WGD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted February 16, 2013 Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 The dog is timid.... showing him who's boss will do nothing other than frighten him into becoming more aggressive. Google "resource guarding" and do some reading. Siberian Tiger sounds like he has been there and the advice is most relevant. What are you feeding him on? For the moment, and to stop things getting any worse, I would take his chews away from him altogether and if you are feeding him dry food don't feed it in his bowl but feed his daily allowance in very small portions throughout the day scattered on the floor. Like he says- DONT AND SHOW HIM WHO IS BOSS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES IT WILL MAKE IT WORSE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted February 16, 2013 Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 May I ask what is the idea of feeding scattered food off the floor. Personally I would never allow my dog to eat anything I have not put in his bowl or given him from my hand. Stops them from eating rubbish when out walking I bet you cannot stop him eating a fresh sausage roll picked up off the ground at any real distance though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bi9johnny Posted February 16, 2013 Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 I bet you cannot stop him eating a fresh sausage roll picked up off the ground at any real distance though Hehe don't know where you walk or shoot but greggs the bakers don't have a shop on my shoot........... He'd have to beat me to it first lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocker boy Posted February 16, 2013 Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 Feed him his daily ration a piece at a time out of your hand whilst sat on the floor talking to him. You need to be his mate first . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnFreeman1310 Posted February 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 We feed him at set time we fill his bowl he waits and we say go and he eats we leave him to it after that but if say we go back to the kitchen for something for our self he becomes defensive he is fed burns puppy bites at the moment. We don't give him his chews on the couch no there given in the kitchen he isn't defensive of the bowl as he doesn't mind us moving it if its empty and he doesn't rush in for it either unroll we release him . John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ETO Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 (edited) Oh my lord! Have a rolled up newspaper handy!! He's a frigging puppy! There are two ways to handle resource guarding. 1 - hand feed. 2 - leave the dog alone. The first method you start by giving him his food in your hand - don't look at him or attempt to touch him do this for a week or so then say "Good boy" extend your vowels when doing so it's soothing and rewarding. Then gently stroke the dogs head - if he grumbles - you've moved on too quick. Continue on until you can then put the food in his bowl. Only put little bits in his bowl at a time and when he's done with that bit, walk past again and drop some more in. He will then look to you as a good thing - you bring more food! More on this method here: http://ahimsadogtrai...ource-guarding/ The second one - get a crate and feed him in there. That way - he has somewhere to eat in peace and no one gets bitten or hurt. But I'd only use this method with an older dog - try the first one since he's only 20 weeks - following the writing on the blog he should be fine within weeks ETA: Just realised I said more or less the same as Siberian Tiger.. Edited February 17, 2013 by ETO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee-kinsman Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 (edited) Puppies should be scruffed, stroked and nose doinked by all and sundry when they are eating. Sounds like you've allowed him to believe that everything is his. You'll have more problems than this later on, I'd suggest to get to some gundog training classes. With regards to his food and chews, take all his chews away he shouldn't be given any more in my opinion. And with regards to his feeding get all your family to sit on the floor (small children are an exception) put his food bowl in the middle of you so that he has to be physically touching/climbing on you to eat. Stroke him round his ears while he eats. If he growls push him well away from the food with the scruff of his neck. Leaving the food on the floor don't let him eat of it for 5 mins then call him over and repeat the stroking exercise. If he growls push him away by the scruff of his neck then wait 5 mins etc etc. He'll soon chill out but this will be something that you will have to stick to. The more interfering you and others can do while he eats the more polite he will be. The worst thing you can do is leave him alone. He has to trust you, interact with you and be submissive to you. If you watch older dogs with puppies and food they will rarely show teeth but they will physically push a pup away from food or at least thats what my dogs are like with my pup who is a similar age to yours. I stand over my dogs when they are feeding otherwise my big black lab muscles in on every others as soon as he's finished his by way of shoving them out of the way. Interestingly none of my other dogs growl at him for doing this. Dogs communicate mostly by physical communication. ATB, Lee Edited February 17, 2013 by lee-kinsman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.