Food Aggression Towards Other Puppy

[david99]

Hi all,

We have two pups in the family, a 5 month old male boxer and a 3 month old female doberman. We didn't plan on having two pups living together but ...that's a whole other story, but sumed up - WORK.

Anyway, they have been living together for the last month. Everything has been going well, they get along great and play well together. He has been through puppy pre school and socialised thoroughly. She hasn't had her third vacination yet, but we will be going through puppy pre school with her as well shortly.

Ok - to the problem, we usually keep them seperated at dinner time as they both have started to growl towards each other and try and swap food bowls. Ok, so tonight they both finished eating early and my sister let the doberman outside, where she ran over to the boxers food bowl - which was completely empty - but he saw this, and charged directly at the doberman and attacked her!!

My sister corrected him verbally and put him in time out.

My question is - how do we correct this behavour? They are only pups at the moment and we definately would like to iron out ANY form of aggression ASAP.

They both show posessiveness around bones as well, but only towards each other - they are fine around us.

Until we get some sound advice we will be isolating them around meal time / bone time and removing their bowls completely afterwoods etc...

It was quite upsetting to witness, so i hope there is a way to eliminate this posessiveness / agression?

[david99]

I'm also worried this experience may hurt her socialisation and create 'fear' of other dogs?

I can't see any damage done to her but she yelped a lot when he 'went for her'.

Very upsetting, especially as I have never had an experience with any of my previous dogs showing ANY signs of aggression.

[Miranda]

Food aggression and resource guarding is common amongst dogs, a lot of dogs will defend their food and/or their food bowl from others and this is natural behaviour. As long as you and any other member of your family are able to take food and/or bones from both dogs without a problem then I wouldn't worry about it. I suggest that you continue to feed both dogs separately but remove the bowls and any remaining food from the vicinity before letting them together again and then you won't have a problem. The same goes for bones, bones are an item of high value to a dog and it's natural for them to be possessive about them and to guard them. Your puppy won't have been harmed by the experience and you'll find that the two of them will sort things out.

I have five dogs and they're all fed separately and I never leave any food lying around, to do so would be asking for trouble. If they're fed bones they're also kept separate. If you have more than one dog you will always get the occasional grumble, dogs are pack animals and have to sort out their pecking order. Remember that dogs aren't humans, by nature they don't share (they wouldn't survive in the wild if they did) so to make life easy for yourself don't leave food or bones lying around. The same goes for favourite toys, if you're not there to supervise put them away.

Good luck

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

Food aggression and resource guarding is common amongst dogs, a lot of dogs will defend their food and/or their food bowl from others and this is natural behaviour. As long as you and any other member of your family are able to take food and/or bones from both dogs without a problem then I wouldn't worry about it. I suggest that you continue to feed both dogs separately but remove the bowls and any remaining food from the vicinity before letting them together again and then you won't have a problem. The same goes for bones, bones are an item of high value to a dog and it's natural for them to be possessive about them and to guard them. Your puppy won't have been harmed by the experience and you'll find that the two of them will sort things out.

I have five dogs and they're all fed separately and I never leave any food lying around, to do so would be asking for trouble. If they're fed bones they're also kept separate. If you have more than one dog you will always get the occasional grumble, dogs are pack animals and have to sort out their pecking order. Remember that dogs aren't humans, by nature they don't share (they wouldn't survive in the wild if they did) so to make life easy for yourself don't leave food or bones lying around. The same goes for favourite toys, if you're not there to supervise put them away.

Good luck

Well said!

I have three dogs and a foster ATM. They are all fed separately. They each have their own toys, no sharing.

Bowls are picked up as soon as each dog has finished eating. No dog is allowed near another dog's bowl.

When we get home from work, toys are picked up before dogs mingle together. It just saves fights and tussles that way. Dogs will be dogs after all, we just need to learn how to manage their interactions.

[Nekhbet]

If a situation like this arose between mine I put them BOTH in time out. One for having a go and the other for approaching the wrong food bowl. They both stuffed up IMO. My mastiff is of the idea that what is in the Belgians bowl must taste better so he goes in the pen and she eats near the back door or he bumps her off. Hey, he has a 30kg weight advantage

As for fresh meat, I give them both bones but the one that eats faster gets a bigger one (again the mastiff) so he is busier longer and doesnt want what the belgian has. She toddles off out of his eye shot and is happy.

It takes a little bit of juggling and control from you but dogs will be dogs. SUbordinate dogs in the pack are the ones that will scrap until they work out their pecking order. Be really consistant because once they reach adolescence, anything you havnt controlled will escalate. Just the way dogs are.

[Dogsfevr]

Yep all our dogs are feed seperate here.We dont allow a situation to occur,make sure you keep up with the taking food away (humans) but simply put all house members must learn from day one food time is serious time & if you have visitors etc ensure that the dogs are never placed in a situatuion that can get out of hand.

If your able to purchase 2 large crates you can make feedtime/bone time a crate thing where everyone is safley placed away to enjoy there meal/treat.

The crates even latter on will be a great tool for safe time etc etc especially with 2 competitive big dogs

[david99]

Thank you all for the excellent advice and input, really appreciated.

As suggested I will continue to keep them seperated during feeding, bone/meat time etc

Guess i had a unique experience with my last two boxers, where they would share bones and happily eat next to each other.

Guess my main concern was whether the aggression may have being something more, but as its only happens around meal times - i'm happy to hear - dogs will be dogs - and we now have a solution!

Thanks!

[calliech]

Thank you all for the excellent advice and input, really appreciated.

As suggested I will continue to keep them seperated during feeding, bone/meat time etc

Guess i had a unique experience with my last two boxers, where they would share bones and happily eat next to each other.

Guess my main concern was whether the aggression may have being something more, but as its only happens around meal times - i'm happy to hear - dogs will be dogs - and we now have a solution!

Thanks!

In my house the hierarchy is ME at the top followed by hubby, then 4 year old alpha female, 4.5 year old male and at the bottom of the heap is youngest but biggest 2 year old male. They all fed from the same plate/food bowls. I teach my from a very early age that I'm boss - no-one else. I control their food so I'm boss. They learn to feed with me handling their food so that if anyone comes along and tries to remove a bone or whatever, there will be NO biting or backlashes. I fully handle their food, offer bits off their plate to them with them all sitting in front of me. They are fed female, male, male then back to female. Then the plate is offered to them ALL at once with me standing there so that they know there is no fighting. I still do this perhaps once a week.

When I was very young, my next door neighbours daughter tried to take a bone from our English Bull terrier and he bit her face leaving her permanently scared. He was destroyed as my father didn't want a dog that couldn't be trusted around his 2 and 6 year old children. We learned then from obedience trainers to handle any dogs food from day 1 when they are puppies and establish the rules that food can be taken away at any time and given back when we feel like it. We control it, not the dog. Growling is punished with a stern Ah AH!!! and grabbing the collar region of the neck and holding down. Not so that it hurts but so that alpha status is established as belonging to the adult human. If one dog is gutsing more than the others, then they are pushed away under the neck across the shoulders and held back. Dogs establish amongst themselves who is the leader of the pack, but unless they are taught manners, they will not develop them. We also babysit several friends dogs and they all eat happily with our dogs from the same plate/bowl. It's all very polite and well mannered because our dogs have been taught that way.

You can separate them which will not teach them manners or you can feed them both at the same time from the same plate but OFFER the food with your hands to each dog one at a time. It's a bit gross with chicken and rice but you get used to it. Make them sit and offer to them. They'll develop manners after a time.

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

In our case, we've only had adult dogs...so while trying to train pups to respect the hierarchy and not fight over food may work for some, it won't always be practical...and I'd rather separate feeding than breaking up fights - and I've done both!

[Kaz]

I try and train each foster dog to eat in the same room with the other dogs and not touch their bowls. Usually around 4 or 5 days after they arrive they're no longer as possessive over their food. It usually though - not always - is successful.

I've never had a problem with training puppies though. I would persevere with that one as you will be nipping future problems in the bud.

[Dogsfevr]

calliech i totally disagree .We feed all ours seperate,we are the pack leaders,they now where they fit in the ranks but we feed seperate.I believe if a inexperienced owner wants safe advic then feeding sepearte is fair more responsable than letting to powerful dogs go for it.

All our dogs share treats but the fact remainst feed time they all get there own bowls & are all feed & the job is done safely,easily with no stress .

[calliech]

calliech i totally disagree .We feed all ours seperate,we are the pack leaders,they now where they fit in the ranks but we feed seperate.I believe if a inexperienced owner wants safe advic then feeding sepearte is fair more responsable than letting to powerful dogs go for it.

All our dogs share treats but the fact remainst feed time they all get there own bowls & are all feed & the job is done safely,easily with no stress .

SHOWDOG it's your choice to totally disagree. I am also entitled to share my opinion regarding what has worked with my dogs. What works for you may not work for me and vice versa or for DAVID99. It is trial and error and doesn't make either of us wrong.

It's certainly easier to teach all dogs from puppies than to have to avoid fights by separating them when they are older, especially if they are larger breeds which become more difficult to control as they get older if boundaries and rules haven't been established early on. This method has worked for the last 21 years on small and large breeds, Westies, Scotties and bitsa pig dogs. Perhaps it is more difficult to establish rules for older dogs, rescues and in a kennel situation but the dogs in question belonging to DAVID99 are 5 months and 3 months - hardly uncontrollable or too powerful and the perfect age to establish boundaries. I don't know that he would appreciate being called inexperienced. As KAZ said...nip it in the bud.

[Nekhbet]

calliech I would never reccomend to people to pin their dogs down by the scruff or to push a gutsy dog away. Jeezus put the bowl down and let the bloody thing eat.

My two were separated at first and slowly, when they learned manners around foob bowls, I could start having them together in the same yard. But I still have the mastiff in the pen because I cant always be there to supervise. I can take anything out of my dogs mouths too they know but it didnt involve me having to physically punish them. One is 55kg how the heck you gonna pin that down? Hand feeding doesn teach teh dogs to respect the others boundries it means they learn to sit for food.

I would keep feeding separately. When you have more obedience over your dogs then you can bring them closer together and as soon as they finish they sit and you take the bowls away. Some dogs will never eat out of the same food bowl, whereas some dogs are happy to share with 5 others from the same.

[calliech]

calliech I would never reccomend to people to pin their dogs down by the scruff or to push a gutsy dog away. Jeezus put the bowl down and let the bloody thing eat.

My two were separated at first and slowly, when they learned manners around foob bowls, I could start having them together in the same yard. But I still have the mastiff in the pen because I cant always be there to supervise. I can take anything out of my dogs mouths too they know but it didnt involve me having to physically punish them. One is 55kg how the heck you gonna pin that down? Hand feeding doesn teach teh dogs to respect the others boundries it means they learn to sit for food.

I would keep feeding separately. When you have more obedience over your dogs then you can bring them closer together and as soon as they finish they sit and you take the bowls away. Some dogs will never eat out of the same food bowl, whereas some dogs are happy to share with 5 others from the same.

NEKHBET, whilst I respect your opinion, this is what works for my dogs and that is how we were taught by obedience trainers many years ago. Our dogs never fight over food and don't have to be separated or supervised no matter where they are fed. I didn't give you advice on how to handle your 55kg dog and I NEVER physically punish my dogs ever. If you knew me or my dogs you would never even suggest it. Is it really that necessary to be so offensive toward me when all I am doing is telling DAVID99 what works for my dogs?

[Dogsfevr]

"Grabbing the collar region & holding the kneck down" "Push away under the kneck across the shoulders & hold back"

The 2 things i would never do nor do any trainers i now recommend this but as you say each to there own

[Nekhbet]

I never suggested it. You wrote in your post thats how you were taught. Antiquated old method that was thrown out because it causes more problems then it could ever solve.

Its only difficult to establish on older dogs because if you try and physically dominate you run the risk of terrorising, scaring or being bitten. I have taught older dogs quickly - I show them the good behaviour, if they continue to act up or try dominance on me then no dinner and a time out. A hungry dog learns faster then one grabbed by the collar.

[poodlefan]

Old methods of dog training used to confuse physical dominance with social dominance. A lot of old time trainers have the scars to prove that those methods came with risks.

Some dogs simply won't tolerate being pushed around.... why find out which dogs are of that persuasion the hard way??

K9Force gave me a wonderful piece of advice when I was dealing with an alpha wannabe in my dog pack... NEVER NEVER NEVER give a dog a reason to bite you...the lesson it will learn is that biting stops unwanted human behaviour... and dogs use what works.

If it situation calls for physical intervetion then you need to find another way.

I don't expect my dogs to share their food... it's not natural for dogs to share. I supervise all feeding to ensure that each dog gets its food unhassled by the others.

[calliech]

I never suggested it. You wrote in your post thats how you were taught. Antiquated old method that was thrown out because it causes more problems then it could ever solve.

Holding one's hand on the scruff the dogs neck (not pushing or pinning it down as you suggest) does not physical abuse make.

[Nekhbet]

"grabbing the collar region of the neck and holding down"

so whats the holding down part all about. And in preventing physical interactions between your dogs you said to push in the chest. I'm not saying its physical abuse, its simply getting one up on a weaker dog. Simply doesnt make you a leader and like Poodlefan said open you up to get bitten.