Dog snapped at me when eating

Neilw

Hi all,

I gave my dog a few bit's of chicken on a plate today, she was licking the plate clean when I went to pick it up and she made a snap at my hand. She barely nipped me

Straight away she was chastised by way of a spray of water in the face.

Is there anything I can do to stop this.
The dog is very driven by food, she is two years old and has no other behavior problems.

Thanks,
Neil.

Ger the man

She thinks your taking her food away from her - wait until she walks away from it, then pick the plate up.

Neilw

Ger the man wrote: »

She thinks your taking her food away from her - wait until she walks away from it, then pick the plate up.

I understand that, there was nothing left on the plate when I went to pick it up. It's my own fault but I would like to know if there is any training I could do to stop this.

ronbyrne2005

Ger the man wrote: »

She thinks your taking her food away from her - wait until she walks away from it, then pick the plate up.

No, dog was obviously rehomed and such behaviour should have been tested for. My pup is very food driven but would never do that even if i took food from his mouth.

Neilw

ronbyrne2005 wrote: »

No, dog was obviously rehomed and such behaviour should have been tested for. My pup is very food driven but would never do that even if i took food from his mouth.

She was not a rescue or rehomed, have her from an 8 week old pup. I have taken bones out of her mouth that have been cought in her teeth before with no problems. She takes treats from my hand no problem.

Huggles

Is it possible that she thought you might have been giving her more food from your hand and she snapped for that reason?

My dogs are often over zealous in that instance...

Neilw

Huggles wrote: »

Is it possible that she thought you might have been giving her more food from your hand and she snapped for that reason?

My dogs are often over zealous in that instance...

I doubt it, she is very gentle taking food from my hand and she made a slight growl and snapped when I went to pick up the plate.

Xennon

She snapped at you because she is your superior in the pack and she did not give you permission to take the plate. You need to take charge of the feeding process and only allow her to eat when you wish it, otherwise this will become more of an issue as she ages.

IKOS

Neilw wrote: »

I doubt it, she is very gentle taking food from my hand and she made a slight growl and snapped when I went to pick up the plate.

Hi Neliw,

hope this gets sorted out for you. Maybe you can contact the IKC? www.ikc.ie or here is a link i seen today http://ikc.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=23&Itemid=38

Seems to be a few obedience training places listed there.

Hope it helps!

The Sweeper

It's a dominance issue. Food aggression can be a big problem with dogs just because if it becomes a regular thing, you risk injury interfering with the dog when it's eating. This could include you absent mindedly going to put another piece of food in the dog's dish while it's eating and suddenly it takes the fingers off you.

There is a training method to do with distracting the dog and adding more food to the bowl, so it associates your interference with a reward and looks forward to you coming over at feeding time, instead of becoming aggressive in case you take food away. However, it's difficult to explain it here, and you'd be better off spending some time with a trainer to show you properly, in person, how you do it.

Neilw

Xennon wrote: »

She snapped at you because she is your superior in the pack and she did not give you permission to take the plate. You need to take charge of the feeding process and only allow her to eat when you wish it, otherwise this will become more of an issue as she ages.

I thought I was on top of that. She only gets fed after we eat and only when we decide.

What would you recommend to do?

Sleipnir

Xennon wrote: »

She snapped at you because she is your superior in the pack and she did not give you permission to take the plate. You need to take charge of the feeding process and only allow her to eat when you wish it, otherwise this will become more of an issue as she ages.

I don't think it's quite that simple though. What about their natural instinct to defend their food? Dogs were animals long before they were pets.

As already suggested, just let the dog finish; it's just good manners. I'd be annoyed if a waiter took my plate away before I was finished. Granted, I wouldn't try to bite him but then, I'm not a dog.

My dog was absolutely obedient in every way but give him a bone and he's take it and go down to the end of the garden and would growl if anyone went near him. So we just left him be till he was done. He didn't require training just for that.

Neilw

Sleipnir wrote: »

I don't think it's quite that simple though. What about their natural instinct to defend their food? Dogs were animals long before they were pets.

As already suggested, just let the dog finish; it's just good manners. I'd be annoyed if a waiter took my plate away before I was finished. Granted, I wouldn't try to bite him but then, I'm not a dog.

My dog was absolutely obedient in every way but give him a bone and he's take it and go down to the end of the garden and would growl if anyone went near him. So we just left him be till he was done. He didn't require training just for that.

I totally understand it was my fault. It was the first time she has done anything like this and is very well behaved otherwise. I posted as I don't want it to escalate into a bigger problem. I have a 7year old nephew who plays with her and I don't want him harmed.
As you mentioned, she gets the odd bone and disappears down the garden with it and is left to her own devices.

Sleipnir

Neilw wrote: »

I totally understand it was my fault. It was the first time she has done anything like this and is very well behaved otherwise. I posted as I don't want it to escalate into a bigger problem. I have a 7year old nephew who plays with her and I don't want him harmed.
As you mentioned, she gets the odd bone and disappears down the garden with it and is left to her own devices.

I wouldn't worry about it unless there are other behavioral problems. I'd say you just unknowingly snuck up on her and she just did it instinctively.

I got the odd snap from all my dogs. Even Chippy with who I could balance a biscuit on his nose, leave the room, come back a minute or two later and it would still be there. A puddle of slobber forming on the floor but still.
Couldn't go near him when he had a bone though.

Neilw

Sleipnir wrote: »

I wouldn't worry about it unless there are other behavioral problems. I'd say you just unknowingly snuck up on her and she just did it instinctively.

I got the odd snap from all my dogs. Even Chippy with who I could balance a biscuit on his nose, leave the room, come back a minute or two later and it would still be there. A puddle of slobber forming on the floor but still.
Couldn't go near him when he had a bone though.

I could be making a mountain out of a molehill but I don't want her to end up ruling the roost.

Thanks for the help btw

bushy...

As well as she possibly thinking she is your superior , she may also be have been thinking ( licking plate = not finished = unhappy with the waiter ) she would never see it again.
Next time you give her a bone to chew , leave her have it for an hour say , go down and take it off her for a few minutes , then give it back to her.

SmellySockies

I think maybe you could build up trust a bit with your dog and food. My dog was the same but hes fine now. I never needed gloves to do this but maybe you should wear some gardening gloves and just feed him from your hand and say good boy in a calm reasuring voice. Keep doing this to build up the trust with the dog so he understands you are the giver of food not the taker.
Goodluck

Xennon

Dogs live in packs, that's where they are happiest, you and your family are part of her pack. If the pack leader comes over to a member dogs food the "weaker" dog will walk away leaving their food to the leader. If however the "weaker" dog tries to take the pack leaders food they will first get snarled at, then if they persist they will get a quick reminder who the boss is, if still they persist you end up with a fight for the position of pack leader (very messy).

To feed her I would suggest putting the food on the floor, but do not allow her to eat it until you want her to. You must OWN the food as such, and make her aware that YOU own it. If she goes for you, you MUST quickly let her know who the boss is or else she will assume the position, and she will own you basically.

Dogs aren't that hard to understand, as long as you realise they are dogs and not humans, we have different mechanisms to them, theirs is a far simpler world based on hierarchy and boundaries, give them that and they are content.

sorella

It may be also the heat?

There is another thread re dogs being off their food.

I know I am and am a bit cranky also

kildara

Hi OP,

My lad was had an protective issue when eating, he'd occasionally growl when you went near him. I used to be under the impression (and still am to some extent) that if I wanted, I should be able to go near the dog if he was eating something, and he should never growl or have issues with it.

My thinking was that if he had something in his mouth that he shouldnt have (eg, chicken bone, rat poison) that I should be able to go and take it out without losing a few digits!
I also respect that he should be left alone while eating - as Sleipnir said, I wouldn't be too happy with someone taking my food away from me.


I mentioned this to the dog trainer, who said I should leave the dog alone until he is finished. Nice in theory, but what about the rat poison scenario?
She suggested feeding the dog in stages: i.e.
- Get two bowls for the dog.
- Put a bit of his food into first dish and let him eat it
- When he is finished that much, give him another little bit in the second dish and remove the first, finished dish.
- When he is finished this, give him more in the first dish, and remove the other empty one... Continue until its all gone.
Do this for a while, then gradually, while the dog is eating from the first dish, put the second dish down and he will go to the while leaving a bit in the first one. Remove and put in more food and again put on the floor and remove the other.
(hope that all makes sense!)

Over time, the dog associates you taking the dish away as being a good thing - ie, he gets more food, you're not taking it away from him.


I still wont go near our boy when he has a bone though!
Its still funny watching the young pup trying to take it! She constantly pushes him, even after he pins her by the throat. I used to jump in and stop it but he just holds here there, she stops, and then he goes back to the bone - after 15 minutes she goes for it again, he pins her...



Hope this helps.

Neilw

Thanks for all the help and advice, lot's to think about there. I will give the two bowl feeding a try.

Interceptor

I'm with Xennon on this one - I don't know you or your dog and this os only one opinion. Does your dog do what you tell it? I put down food bowls and give a 'Stay' command - neither dog moves until I give a 'Good dog' command even though they are sitting three feet from the bowls.

This is easy to train but you must be consistent about making the dog 'Sit', then 'Stay' and put the food down while keeping a hand on the dog. Release your grip but keep the 'Stay' active with eye contact or an open hand. Then let the dog eat with a 'Good dog' and a pat on the head.

This gives a clear 'I provide the food, you must get my permission to eat it' message and has worked well for me for years on different dogs.

Showing a child how to be dominant is a little more tricky and requires your supervision for the first while. Show the child how to give 'Sit', Stay' and 'Come here' commands - back it up yourself and show the dog that it is at the bottom of the pecking order.

I introduced chickens into my back garden and had to spend a day with the dogs, showing them that they were to protect the chickens and not eat them - the chickens now sleep curled with my Labrador.

Don't assume your dog knows anything - show it what you expect and reward good behaviour. Good luck!

'cptr

peasant

OP
How often/regularly does your dog get bits of chicken?

Ours are the most mild mannered dogs you could think of, even around their bowls. I could stick my hand in there while they're eating, no problem ...UNLESS ...there is something "special" in there.

Any food out of the ordinary, particularly left-over bits that came from our plates and they will not tolerate any interference until they're well and truly done licking the bowl (including the underside if needs be ) and walk away.

So I don't interfere ...problem solved.

Generally speaking, I'm not a fan over this "dominance and food" discussion that's going on here.
Why would anyone want or need to interfere with a dog that's feeding? Training them not pick up stuff outside or rlaese stuff they're not supposed to have is one thing ...but when they're feeding just leave the dog well alone.
We're controlling every minute of a dogs life ...at least let them eat in peace.

And as for the children argument ...kids have to leearn to leave dogs alone sometimes ...especially when they are eating.

Whispered

OP it's not your fault at all. You should be able to take any food from your dog. This idea of leaving them until they are good and ready is silly and dangerous IMO.

What if you HAD to take food, if in the instance a bone you gave him splintered, or you allowed someone absently mindedly throw meat to the dog only to notice it still as that string on it. You can't leave the dog with it, so for the dogs protection you have to be able to take food from his mouth if you want to. For us it has noting to do with dominance at all.

I don't know how to train an older dog to do it because we always, from the time Harley was tiny, would take food from him, then swap it with something else, usually more tasty so I think he associates it with a good thing when we take food from him.

calex71

Our dog wouldn't growl or snap if we tried to take food away but would grab what he could and leg it with it.

Plain and simple OP only feed the dog from HER dish so you don't need to take it away.

Some good advice given on feeding on your terms there too i think.

We got our lad into the habbit of sitting and staying before he's allowed to go near the dish when it's but down, as you say your dog is motivated by food, and food is a GREAT motivator for training dogs and people

Best of luck with her.

gillo_100

Have to agree with the re-instate your dominance idea.

Dogs are pack creatures and the dog doing this is him making a threat to your leadership. You need to let him know you are boss. If it happened again I'd say give the dog a slap, just a little one on the nose to get the message across.

We used to be able to take a bone from our dog no hassle, he'd just follow you around with a funny look, but no agressiveness, he knew who was boss.

IvySlayer

It should not be tolerated at any stage. You are the owner, if you want to take food from it's mouth, the dog should submit. End of. I hope you punished her by sending her to bed and grounding her for several hours.

helimachoptor

With my own dog, a GSD I could take the food from his mouth and he wouldn't do a thing.

It really depends on the dog.

Call me Socket

helimachoptor wrote: »

With my own dog, a GSD I could take the food from his mouth and he wouldn't do a thing.

Same here...I have 4 dogs and could stick my head into their dishes and help myself if I wanted...they'd back off.

helimachoptor wrote: »

It really depends on the dog.

I think it really depends on the owner.....

IvySlayer

helimachoptor wrote: »

With my own dog, a GSD I could take the food from his mouth and he wouldn't do a thing.

It really depends on the dog.

Most likely because he knows what would happen if he crossed the line. I don't agree with the OP spraying water on her. The dog growls at him, so he runs away to fetch some water, yep real good strength there.

OP, I don't think you should change the routine of how to feed your dog, the dog should adjust to your routine. If she does get aggressive again, show her it's not acceptable. It will be a harsh lesson for her, but one that will benefit you both.

bushy...

helimachoptor wrote: »

With my own dog, a GSD I could take the food from his mouth and he wouldn't do a thing.

It really depends on the dog.

It'd be more you know what your doing , its cr@p like this :

peasant wrote: »

OP
Any food out of the ordinary, particularly left-over bits that came from our plates and they will not tolerate any interference until they're well and truly done licking the bowl (including the underside if needs be ) and walk away.

So I don't interfere ...problem solved.

Generally speaking, I'm not a fan over this "dominance and food" discussion that's going on here.

---

Why would anyone want or need to interfere with a dog that's feeding?

---

We're controlling every minute of a dogs life ...at least let them eat in peace.

---

And as for the children argument ...kids have to leearn to leave dogs alone sometimes ...especially when they are eating.

that causes neighbours/visitors kids to get attacked by

peasant wrote: »

Ours are the most mild mannered dogs you could think of, even around their