Spin-off From Pack Leader Thread

[Aidan]

By what mechanism do you think that feeding your dogs separately might cause resource guarding?

Or flip it around, by what mechanism do you think that feeding dogs together might cause resource guarding?

Most dogs can be taught to eat together, but feeding them apart is fool-proof.

See my understanding of resource guarding is pretty limited. I would say that feeding separately may cause resource guarding because if a dog has never had to share that particular resource before (food) and all of a sudden their housemate is in their space, they may feel the need to guard...

That's a good line of thought. Resource guarding happens when a dog learns that aggressive or threatening behaviours prevent others from taking a resource. The "overt" behaviours don't keep happening (unchanged) unless it works.

But what we also need to consider is what causes him to feel that someone else is going to attempt to take the resource. Certainly, having another dog in your face while you are eating would be one driver. I would think that you are right, if two dogs never learn to share resources and are suddenly faced with a situation where they are put together with food (particularly at a time of scarcity) you might see them quickly learn the overt behaviours of aggression or threat that are characteristic of resource guarding.

So teaching dogs that they don't need to guard resources is very good preventative behaviour management. But I wouldn't say that feeding them separately actually causes resource guarding. If the owner isn't confident that they can manage two dogs with highly desirable resources under their noses they should feed separately. Start any resource guarding preventative exercises with less desirable resources that are more easily managed and work your way up.

[Henrietta]

I have kept a close eye on guarding of other resources (bedding) but it doesn't seem an issue in this particular household. I feel food may have been an issue if anything as it is really high value here.

We can take training treats together here as well.

Toys are interesting, I play separately with the dogs and they play together without toys. One cannot play fetch at all safely (an old injury with all that sharp stopping is not good) so we play more 'find the treat' type games and hide and seek. The other girl is queen of the toys... loves tug, will chase anything. But I put them all away when they are together because they are such high value to her.

They will however sometimes find a big leaf and chase eachother over that. :D

Edit - spelling and to add something

Edited April 13, 2010 by Emm

[Cosmolo]

I know a lead guarding dog too- also guards anything belonging to the owner.. bags, clothes- everything!

[poodlefan]

I know a lead guarding dog too- also guards anything belonging to the owner.. bags, clothes- everything!

Nope, just leads here.. and none of the other dogs give a damn about them. Suffice it to say I do not leave them lying around but occasionally she'll snag one and put it in her nest of the moment.

The interesting thing is when I got her at 8 months, she didn't seem to know what one was. :D

[Henrietta]

^ For her it must be her favourite thing... her ticket to endless fun outings/walks.

I can imagine another dog being perplexed about that though... :D

[Henrietta]

Aidan, thanks for that explanation.

[poodlefan]

^ For her it must be her favourite thing... her ticket to endless fun outings/walks.

I can imagine another dog being perplexed about that though... :D

Taking Cosmolo's point, my scent would be strongly impregnated on them too.

[ninahartland]

Have always fed my guys together...maybe a metre apart. As soon as I bring the bowls out they'll hover until its their turn to sit and be told ok. As each one finishes I pick up the bowl and they'll go off for a drink or whatever. I'm usually keeping an eye on them but I'm pretty sure that even if I wasn't in sight they wouldn't go to each others bowls until finished (just to have a last minute lick to see whats left) :D

[Henrietta]

^ For her it must be her favourite thing... her ticket to endless fun outings/walks.

I can imagine another dog being perplexed about that though... :D

Taking Cosmolo's point, my scent would be strongly impregnated on them too.

True. It must be the combination that makes it such a high value resource.

[Baileys mum]

I think alot depends on the dogs AND the owners general leadership ability. What i do below is not what i would recommend to all my clients.

I have 5 dogs and they all eat together- treats, dry food and bones. They are supervised indirectly- i may watch from inside or the next room just to ensure the 2 cattle dog x's don't eat the big guys food that he leaves- as he can be fussy and will walk off from dry food.

No one is allowed to steal from each other and i will step in if anyone tries- not that the older guys do but the new puppy thinks it might be worth a shot. :D One of the dogs used to have mild resource guarding behaviour with the other dogs but since ensuring no one tries to steal from her, she is much more relaxed and i haven't seen any guarding behaviour for probably 3 years, even when the others walk close to her or eat their own food close to her.

This is what I do too, & I have never had any problems. I don't allow stealing from each other, & will always supervise especially with treats.

I gave them all a pigs ear this morning, & 1 finished before the other 2. I knew she wanted to try & steal from the other 2 but she also knew I was watching, so she wouldn't dare. :p

I would never give them treats unsupervised in the back yard unsupervised, unless I'm asking for trouble.

I do sometimes fill up a bowl full of kibble, & they all happily eat out bowl at the same time & share the food with no problems.

[Monah]

I've only had one resource guarder.She LOVES food, and has been known to even guard sticks, holes that are in the digging process, anything at all that my other dog is even interested in. I have had multidog households and cats, my whole life ( a LOOOOOONG time ) and this is the very first dog I;ve had hwo behaves this way.

I dont think feeding together or sep would make any diference to her. They are fed separately and I used to have to be very careful treating but she will even wait for the other dog to have a treat first these days. I don't put up with any resource rubbish from her, It's not allowed. she has learnt and improved greatly, but not enough for me to trust her.

I worry a bit ATM as I am alone most of the time now (grown up kids and OH works away) and i have to be very careful not to let her resource guard me, so I am always aware of what I'm doing.

I know a dog who I babysit very often, a BC, and he guards everything of his owners, even the window of a room he may be in! He also knows we wont put up with any nonsense, but if someone unaware goes near something it is a worry. So I dont have anything at all of his owners around, it's all put out of reach. He is also protective of his lead and even if I give him one of the dogs toys, blankets etc. A growl sorts him out and the item is removed.

I have a devon rex who guards my kids bedrooms ;) she weighs 2 kg and will chase any other animal, including the dogs, away from the rooms :D they RUN!! she is a little spitfire.

[huski]

I always feed my separately because I use feeding time as an opportunity to do some one on one training. None of my dogs have problems with resource guarding.

Edited April 13, 2010 by huski

[Bubitty]

I feed mine together next to each other. Neither are resource guarders. Bubby will go and hit me up for stuff if he wants it and Bitty is just too cheerful to get squiffy with anyone about anything!

[idigadog]

We have 10 dogs, 9 of which are entire males. All can be fed together in the same yard with little to no resource guarding. They know better than to annoy each other!

Most mornings and nights I am the one to feed them by myself so I prefer to do that in their runs where they are two by two. I never have any issues and most will hoover their meal down and then go outside into the yard. Maybe we're just lucky with our guys

I can also throw a cup or two of dry biscuits out into the yards for them to have a scavange hunt. It keeps them occupied for hours :D

[poodlefan]

We have 10 dogs, 9 of which are entire males. All can be fed together in the same yard with little to no resource guarding. They know better than to annoy each other!

Most mornings and nights I am the one to feed them by myself so I prefer to do that in their runs where they are two by two. I never have any issues and most will hoover their meal down and then go outside into the yard. Maybe we're just lucky with our guys

I can also throw a cup or two of dry biscuits out into the yards for them to have a scavange hunt. It keeps them occupied for hours

Or maybe resource guarding was not an acceptable trait in a dog bred to work and live in a team. Of course the further any breed gets from its original function, the more undesireable behaviours are likely to be tolerated. :D

[tdierikx]

My girls don't resource guard as such - but one of them is a Labrahoover... she scoffs whatever she has and will look for more every time. Zeddy is more sedate when she eats - preferring to chew every mouthful...

I can feed and give treats like biscuits together (supervised) and we have no issues. Things like bones and pigs ears are given in separate rooms because I'll be darned if I'm sitting there waiting for Zeddy to finish...

T.

[idigadog]

Or maybe resource guarding was not an acceptable trait in a dog bred to work and live in a team. Of course the further any breed gets from its original function, the more undesireable behaviours are likely to be tolerated.

Good point! Maybe because our guys live and work as a team the respect for each other is higher? One of our boys Jonty will walk away from his food and allow his son Roary to eat it. Is that his way of trying to secure that his offspring has a future in our pack? Roary is now 16 months old and Jonty will still leave food for him, however, we don't let him eat it.

Makes you wonder doesn't it :D

[poodlefan]

Or maybe resource guarding was not an acceptable trait in a dog bred to work and live in a team. Of course the further any breed gets from its original function, the more undesireable behaviours are likely to be tolerated.

Good point! Maybe because our guys live and work as a team the respect for each other is higher? One of our boys Jonty will walk away from his food and allow his son Roary to eat it. Is that his way of trying to secure that his offspring has a future in our pack? Roary is now 16 months old and Jonty will still leave food for him, however, we don't let him eat it.

Makes you wonder doesn't it :D

Or their social confidence means they don't fear losing resources?

[idigadog]

Or their social confidence means they don't fear losing resources?

Could well be as it doesn't matter which dogs I put together to feed, they just get on with it without harassing each other.

[SkySoaringMagpie]

We have 6 dogs, of those two are resource guarders and one is an opportunist who needs his weight controlled. So we feed separately - mixture of crates and rooms/the deck.

I figure training them all to eat nicely in a nice little line would be lovely if we had the time and didn't have other more pressing training priorities. As that's not the case, it's management for us, and really, it's a pretty safe option.