Dogs Feeding Together Any Suggestions?

[BlitznBear]

I have got 2 staffy pups, 1 has only been with us for 2-3 months he's 13 months old and the other Saturday just gone who's 3 months old.

Im concerned about feeding time, we feed them seperate, one inside the alfresco, and one outside which is seperated by a pool fence, but when we bring pup in after feeding, the older one will sniff him and show his teeth and growl, and has bit a couple of times which makes the young pup cry and cower down.

We also do this with feeding them raw bones or pig ears, just before when I let the older pup out the back after eating bones he went straight for the young pup,grabbed him on the neck, (he had already finished his bone)

As soon as I yelled out NO he let go and sat straight away, so I brought him away from the back and have now seperated them.

They play really well together, sleep together and are good when left under the afresco out by the sun, yada yada, but feeding seems to be a problem, any suggestions, as Im worried this may become a bigger issue later when they are alot bigger..

Thank you in advance...

[Guest Pandii]

So the older one is biting/growling at the younger one directly after feeding when they are let back together?

[BlitznBear]

So the older one is biting/growling at the younger one directly after feeding when they are let back together?

YEP and the older one Bear becomes aggressive, I dont know if its a territorial issue, or Bear the older one, is just jealous that mum and dad are feeding another pup...???

They bloody crack me up, they are playing together now, just lying on top of each other mucking around!

Edited August 14, 2007 by rangitoto

[Rascalmyshadow]

My standard girl will do the same to 3 of my other dogs if they are separated to eat but if I feed them all in the same room (which is usual) she doesn't do it.

[dogdogdog]

I have always fed my dogs together. Within a couple of meters. Never had any problems. You just need to watch over them really well.

[Teebs]

If i feed bones i will seperate my dogs, and have noticed the same thing, the BT will growl at the Staffy when they are put back together. But when i feed them normally, they are a few meters apart and are fine. I ALWAYS stand there till they finish, or Atlas will steal Kaos's food. But they dont growl at each other.

[Dogsfevr]

Where is the older one feed??Inside or out??

[BlitznBear]

Where is the older one feed??Inside or out??

They are both feed outside, within a couple of metres of each other, a pool fence is seperating them..

[BlitznBear]

Thanks for your stories and advise guys, I really appreciate every one, last night we tried feeding them together, me and my OH standing right next to them, Bear was great, just licked his lips and walked inside when he was finshed.

I dont know why I didnt think to feed them together in the first place but it was suggested by the RSPCA to do that for a couple of weeks as Blitz was protective of his food..

Thanks again..

[poodlefan]

I feed my dogs in a strict order with each dog fed in exactly the same place.. they know the routine and I think its less stress this way. I feed them in pack order of dominance.

I stand and wait until they are finished and pick the bowls up straight away. Outside it's much the same but I feed the Omega dog first - she gets less, finishes first and comes back inside.

Edited August 14, 2007 by poodlefan

[Kavik]

I feed mine separate, in their crates, and haven't had an issue when I let them back out together.

[Miranda]

I feed mine separate, in their crates, and haven't had an issue when I let them back out together.

Me too.

[Ons]

"We also do this with feeding them raw bones or pig ears, just before when I let the older pup out the back after eating bones he went straight for the young pup,grabbed him on the neck, (he had already finished his bone)

As soon as I yelled out NO he let go and sat straight away, so I brought him away from the back and have now seperated them."

This was happening with my Onslow towards my Tilly, amongst other things. Basically Onslow thought he was the boss of everything and everyone. I sought professional help from Steve at K9 Force who retrained me! Best thing i ever did.

So that's my recommendation, go and have a lesson with a professional trainer and learn how to nip any of this behaviour right from the start. Interestingly Onslow never did it towards Tilly about food bowls, only bones, pig ears etc.

[Red Mal]

I feed my dogs in a strict order with each dog fed in exactly the same place.. they know the routine and I think its less stress this way. I feed them in pack order of dominance.

I stand and wait until they are finished and pick the bowls up straight away. Outside it's much the same but I feed the Omega dog first - she gets less, finishes first and comes back inside.

Me too, exactly the same :rolleyes:

My dogs have never had an issue, and they are made to wait to eat, until given the signal, and until then they must sit and drool ;)

[BlitznBear]

Where is K9 force, is that in perth?