Puppy Hides Things Once Given To Him

[Oscar (AmBull)]

My 13 week old puppy gets chicken necks, wings, legs, carcasses etc for lunch daily. Obviously not all in the one day. But he takes them and hides them in a part of our garden like behind the creeper and eats them there. If I walk inside he will eat it in the open but if I approach him he goes and hides it. I have never taken them away from him or anything like that. I gave him a milk carton before to play with, something he hasn't had before. He had it inside and as I walked passed him he took it out to the garden and to his favourite spot. Is this normal? Should I do something to correct this? Is this ok behaviour? Opinions are greatly appreciated.

[muddles]

I don't know if its normal but my puppy would do the same thing. Her 'pool room' was behind her kennel - many things went 'straight to the pool room'

She grew out of it, though will still go there sometimes - usually if we give her a new toy

[W Sibs]

my pup does that too. but, only with his food.

My theory is Charlie watches me take food out of the cupboard/fridge and then put it back in there when I'm done with it. So, maybe, he thinks that's what he should do with his food. He thinks I hide food in the cupboard/fridge... therefore, he hides his bones and other food he is done with too.

i know where all his spots are around the house and yard... so if there is a bone/meat more than 24 hours old, it gets thrown out.

[luvsdogs]

Tilba did it with a chicken wing the 1st time I gave her one. She took it & raced into her crate to eat it. Warning bells went off saying 'resourse guarding'. I would put a stop to it as it could lead to growling & even a bite.

I looked on the net for a solution & the thing I found & did was to hold a raw bone while she started to eat it. The advice was that if you still have a hold of it, it still belongs to you, & nothing to guard for the dog. I only had to do it a couple of times & now she's fine with me being near her eating a bone. I was even able to move one when she was eating it on the mat & take it outside to the grass.

Everyone should practice food bowl manners. Stand with your puppy while he eats every day or so. Don't take the food away but keep some of his meal or something really tasty & while he's eating drop it into his bowl. He'll soon realise that you are not a threat to his food. I can even pat Tilba while she eats & it doesn't bother her.

Edited June 25, 2009 by luvsdogs

[Oscar (AmBull)]

I have done the food bowling thing without any issues. I often give him a chicken neck mid way through. And have pat him whilst eating ever since I have had him and he has never shown any signs of aggression. I will try holding onto the bone. I have also been told it is a good idea to take the bone and replace it with another, like a trade, is this a good idea?

[Blues and Boots]

It's just normal puppy behaviour. Only a few weeks ago it was competing with its litter mates for everything so it's still in that state of mind I'm guessing. There's nothing wrong with it and it doesn't need to be 'corrected'.

[Erny]

Yes - I think it is normal too and would begin in the litter where his litter mates would be vying for the 'valuable resource'. My boy was particularly this way (VERY fretful about it) and would rush off and away from me when he was given a bone to gnaw on. The main thing that bothered me with this is that soft small bones would be gulped down for fear he'd lose them to me. Of course, I also wanted to know that I'd eventually be able to take a bone from him should the need ever arise, so I did work on it. But slowly and in a way that would have him realise there was nothing to worry about.

So I would give him a bone and then go about my business gardening. I'd start away from him - taking the pressure off and showing I wasn't interested in it. I'd pass by him with a bit of distance and then bit by bit, closer to him. All the while busily weeding the lawn - not taking any notice of him. Over a bit of time he gradually became comfortable with the fact that I wasn't about to steal it from him. I can now take a bone from him if I want to. Although knowing this now, I generally leave him in peace to chew on his bones. But he has no qualms with me walking near him when he has one. In fact, he'll sometimes bring his bone to me for me to 'look at' .

Edited June 26, 2009 by Erny