Dog growling only at feeding time.

Archeron

This seems a bit strange to me.
I have two dogs, a red setter and a springer spaniel. Red setter is about 6, the other fella is about 3.

Usually, we would feed them in the garden, but if its raining or cold, or just nasty out, we would always bring them into the conservatory for their food. As soon as you open the door, the setter comes bounding in, munches his dinner. However, if the spaniel sees his food inside, he just goes into his kennel and refuses to come out.
Strangely, if you bring his food to him, he gets very confrontational and starts growling. Even when the other dog is finished and goes back out to the garden, the spaniel will start growling at him.
Both dogs get on very well, and normally eat all their meals together without hassle. Likewise, both of them are very affable dogs and the ONLY time this seems to happen is with the combination of bad weather, feeding time, and his kennel. Strangely, if the spaniel doesnt see his food in the conservatory, he's more than happy to come in, and actually runs in uninvited a lot of the time if you're not looking, so he has no problem with being in the house.
Anyone ever experience this type of things before?

KTRIC

Could be just a hunch , maybe he doesn't like eating in the conservatory

Archeron

KTRIC wrote: »

Could be just a hunch , maybe he doesn't like eating in the conservatory

And after we paid nearly twenty grand to get him a new feeding room. The little.......

cowzerp

Make them wait for there food and take control by having them sit and wait,let them have it when they have done as you asked, this way they are not challenging you for the food and realise your the owner of the food and its on your terms, i get my dogs to do different things every day-all simple but gets the point across, they never touch the food till i say its o'k, and i can put my hand in the dish as there eating, and thats even with my big rotty!!

peasant

As they normally happily eat together, and the Springer has no problem with the conservatory as long as there is no food about, I would suspect that on one occassion there was a bit of a fight over food and preference rights in the enclosed space of the conservatory, which the Springer lost.

So, as long as the other dog is having its food in the conservatory, the Springer won't touch his ...for fear of losing another fight.

hadook

Sounds like a fight lost inside alright. Poor little monster. Maybe try bringing the springer inside first, then take out the food & feed him and while he's eating bring in d'other lad without a fuss?

Failing that you should rehome the conservatory Can I have it?