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Lab growled and nipped for 1st time

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  • 03-07-2012 10:29pm
    #1
    phili01
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭


    Hi, this is my 1st post on this forum and really need some advice. I have a 3 year old lab since he was 6 weeks. Until today he has been a gentle and affectionate dog. I have 4 kids and he has never even jumped on them as he has been thought from a pup not to.
    Well,this evening he was given his food,and my 3 year old was sitting beside him as she has done most evenings. She put her hand in his bowl to give him some food(also not unusual for her to do) and he growled at her and nipped her finger. He didn't break skin or anything,but there was a red mark on her finger. I am sick at the thoughts of it.
    Anyway,my question is,should we keep him and hope it doesn't happen again or get a new home with no kids????? It would break our hearts having to get rid of him as he is well loved,but I'm terrified he will do it again and next time we won't be as close by. Can he be trusted now?????
    Thanks.


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    #2
    antocann
    Registered Users Posts: 1,346 ✭✭✭antocann


    all im gona say is , dont go near a dog and its food , even if she was only putting it in the dish , he may have taught she was taking his food


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    #3
    SillyMangoX
    Registered Users Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭SillyMangoX


    Simple, don't let your kid put their hand into your dog's bowl while he's eating. That dog wasn't being aggressive, he was being protective.
    ''Piss off, I'm hungry, this is mine''.
    If you continue to leave your child to play with the dog's food, it's an accident waiting to happen. This was a warning, I'd advise you to heed it! Even if the child does this before, they shouldn't. A dog is a dog is a dog, and only has so much patience!


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    #4
    The Sweeper
    Registered Users Posts: 10,658 ✭✭✭✭The Sweeper


    1. Keep your child away from your dog while he's eating.
    2. Keep your dog.
    3. Keep trusting your dog. If a 30kg labrador really wanted to hurt your three year old child, she'd have a stump where her finger was. As it stands, he was extremely put out at her interfering in his food bowl, so he gave her a warning shot to get her to go away. It's your responsibility to make sure your dog doesn't feel like he needs to take matters into his own paws.

    You need to supervise meal times more closely and give the dog space when he eats his dinner. In parallel to that, you can do some 'leave it' training with the dog with treats and value items, but NOT with his dinner - don't ever mess with a dog's meal by taking it from him after you've given it to him. That does nothing but enforce his belief that people will take his food off him, and how he reacts to that will depend on the person he thinks is a threat (e.g. he'll back off his dinner if it's you, but may go for one of your children because if you mess with his dinner all you teach him is that he's at risk of losing his dinner).

    Unless your three year old is old enough to understand how to interact with the dog and his dinner, the only two things you should be teaching her are never to touch the dog's food while he's eating, and if the dog has something she owns and she wants it back, she calls a grown up (and never tries to take it herself).

    You probably feel very betrayed and upset right now - that'll pass. Your dog is still the same dog. He was just very frustrated and agitated and was probably giving off all sorts of signals that your child plain missed and eventually he felt he had no other open than to send her away from his food. He really didn't mean to hurt her - if he'd meant to hurt her, this would be a whole other thread. Try reading up on some dog body language yourself so you understand more of what your dog is trying to tell you and your kids.


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    #5
    kylith
    Registered Users Posts: 17,736 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    Your dog is not dangerous, it's tired of being pestered when eating! You wouldn't want your kids sticking their hand in your dinner, would you? Teach your kids that the dog's bowl is off limits and the problem will all fixed. Dogs are not toys, and they will only take so much, a 3year old is old enough to be taught better.


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    #6
    phili01
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭phili01


    I knew I was going to get replies about not letting anyone near his food. But this dog has always had kids beside him while eating for the past 3 years and never had a problem. And the kids have always taken food out of his bowl while hes eating and he takes it from their hands.


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    #7
    antocann
    Registered Users Posts: 1,346 ✭✭✭antocann


    phili01 wrote: »
    I knew I was going to get replies about not letting anyone near his food. But this dog has always had kids beside him while eating for the past 3 years and never had a problem. And the kids have always taken food out of his bowl while hes eating and he takes it from their hands.

    but thats the problem


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    #8
    SillyMangoX
    Registered Users Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭SillyMangoX


    But they shouldn't, it's asking for trouble. You want to set your dog up for success, not get rid of him when he's pushed to the limit. Dog's are very protective of their food, even if he never snapped before, he obviously got sick of it. He warned your child, if he wanted to hurt your kid, they would be in hospital. Take his warning, your dog is now sick of being tormented while eating, keep the kids away.


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    #9
    phili01
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭phili01


    I understand what you're all saying and thanks for the replies. I suppose I am still in shock by it, and feel if he did this could he do the same if the kids have something he wants in their hands?????


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    #10
    SillyMangoX
    Registered Users Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭SillyMangoX


    It's a possibility with any dog that it might happen, but train train train and you shouldn't have a problem.


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    #11
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,636 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    phili01 wrote: »
    I knew I was going to get replies about not letting anyone near his food. But this dog has always had kids beside him while eating for the past 3 years and never had a problem. And the kids have always taken food out of his bowl while hes eating and he takes it from their hands.

    Its in a dogs instinct to protect his food and this get stronger as they get older - I would never allow a child to approach my lot while they are being fed., even though they often play with my young nieces and nephews outside of feeding time.


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    #12
    phili01
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭phili01


    This is why I'm so confused by it. He is so well trained,even with the kids. He sits on command,comes back when called,walks on lead no problem for us and kids,waits for his food ect.
    Its so out of character.


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    #13
    SillyMangoX
    Registered Users Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭SillyMangoX


    Is he trained to leave it and drop what he has?


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    #14
    barbiegirl
    Registered Users Posts: 1,846 ✭✭✭barbiegirl


    Phil we grew up with lots of dogs and no matter what there were two rules 1 let sleeping dogs lie and 2 leave their food alone. Times have changed but dogs haven't. Your dog is still your dog he's just all grown up and fed up with youngsters at his food. He gave her a warning, an ah ah, nothing more, but take it for the warning it is and respect the dogs space.


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    #15
    phili01
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭phili01


    SillyMangox-yeah he drops when hes told.


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    #16
    Patrick2010
    Registered Users Posts: 3,018 ✭✭✭Patrick2010


    phili01 wrote: »
    I knew I was going to get replies about not letting anyone near his food. But this dog has always had kids beside him while eating for the past 3 years and never had a problem. And the kids have always taken food out of his bowl while hes eating and he takes it from their hands.
    Stop them doing that, its really testing your dogs patience unnecceserily. Just leave it eat its dinner in peace.


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    #17
    fatmammycat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,208 ✭✭✭fatmammycat


    barbiegirl wrote: »
    Phil we grew up with lots of dogs and no matter what there were two rules 1 let sleeping dogs lie and 2 leave their food alone. Times have changed but dogs haven't. Your dog is still your dog he's just all grown up and fed up with youngsters at his food. He gave her a warning, an ah ah, nothing more, but take it for the warning it is and respect the dogs space.

    This x1000 let the dog eat in peace, and this is also why I don't have dogs on furniture trying to rest.


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    #18
    SingItOut
    Registered Users Posts: 1,009 ✭✭✭SingItOut


    I have a 4 year old labrador who was VERY food aggressive as a puppy, I stopped that very quickly. Whether or not your child puts her hand in the dogs bowl does NOT justify your dog growling or snapping/nipping at her. You need to *nip* it in the bud immediately. The way I did it was anytime Frankie, my lab, got snappy around his food it was taken away from him and he never got it until the next meal time. He has never done it since then. Obviously your dog is bigger than mine was at the time but this is the method that worked for me.

    I honestly wouldn't be worried that your dog is going to maul your kids though, Labradors as you know LOVE their food so sharing is not an option for them, but snapping or growling is not acceptable no matter the situation. I often put my hands in my dogs bowls to put back in the kibbles they've knocked out on the floor, never any problems with me doing that, although if the cats went over god love them!


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    #19
    meoklmrk91
    Registered Users Posts: 4,085 ✭✭✭meoklmrk91


    I wouldn't leave your kids stick their hands in his food or be near him when he is eating, as other posters have mentioned dogs are protective of food, he is obviously getting irritated by the fact that the kids play with his food when he is eating. I don't think it was anything more than that, he was basically telling your little one to back off a bit and leave him in peace.

    If you are worried that he will take food out of their hands then teach him the leave it command, however I don't think the two are related, my guess is if he hasn't ever bothered the kids when they have something in their hands then he won't start now, I think he was just asking that they give him same courtesy, and nipping was the only way he could get that across.

    There is no reason for alarm at the moment, certainly not to think of re-homing him. Just stop the kids from bothering him when he is having his dinner and I don't think you will have any more issues.

    P.S. I would be careful about telling this to other people, some people go into hysteria when they hear a dog has shown the slightest bit of aggression and will think you have a killer dog on your hands, when from what I can tell you have a very patient, gentle, loving and loyal family pet.


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    #20
    phili01
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭phili01


    We thought we were doing good when he was a pup,teaching him not to jump up on people as we knew how big he was going to get,not let him into sitting room for the same reason,and getting him to tolerate people at meal time to avoid this......Don't think I'll be getting any awards for pet psychology:)


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    #21
    phili01
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭phili01


    P.S. I would be careful about telling this to other people, some people go into hysteria when they hear a dog has shown the slightest bit of aggression and will think you have a killer dog on your hands, when from what I can tell you have a very patient, gentle, loving and loyal family pet.[/QUOTE]


    Well,this is my fear too that people will be afraid of him. I have kids out my back all the time with him and he loves it.


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    #22
    phili01
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭phili01


    SingItOut wrote: »
    I have a 4 year old labrador who was VERY food aggressive as a puppy, I stopped that very quickly. Whether or not your child puts her hand in the dogs bowl does NOT justify your dog growling or snapping/nipping at her. You need to *nip* it in the bud immediately. The way I did it was anytime Frankie, my lab, got snappy around his food it was taken away from him and he never got it until the next meal time. He has never done it since then. Obviously your dog is bigger than mine was at the time but this is the method that worked for me.

    I honestly wouldn't be worried that your dog is going to maul your kids though, Labradors as you know LOVE their food so sharing is not an option for them, but snapping or growling is not acceptable no matter the situation. I often put my hands in my dogs bowls to put back in the kibbles they've knocked out on the floor, never any problems with me doing that, although if the cats went over god love them!
    When it happened he was put straight down to his pen without finishing his food and I haven't gone near him since.


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    #23
    Coriander
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16 ✭Coriander


    He sounds like a pretty good dog to be honest so I wouldn't be putting myself down if I were you - sounds like a one-off and leaving him eat in peace in future should do the trick.


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    #24
    Cherry Blossom
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 6,935 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cherry Blossom


    OP, you are letting your three year old seriously overstep the mark with your dog and it seems you are not reprimanding the child for it. It your job as a parent to discipline your kids, not the dogs. It's also your job as a dog owner to make sure your dog doesn't feel threatened by your kids, you are leaving the dog with no other choice than to do your job for you. Honestly . . . I am completely gob-smacked with this one.


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    #25
    Outkast_IRE
    Registered Users Posts: 7,515 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    Honestly have had dogs my entire life, and the first thing a child should be taught is to leave the dog well alone when hes eating,

    In my opinion there are very few times when a dog prefers to be alone but when eating and when sick are two of them.

    I would actually consider it a good litttle lesson for the child not to be at the dog when its eating, dogs have limits too and the sooner kids learn them the more at ease they can be with dogs.


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    #26
    phili01
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭phili01


    adrenalinjunkie wrote: »
    OP, you are letting your three year old seriously overstep the mark with your dog and it seems you are not reprimanding the child for it. It your job as a parent to discipline your kids, not the dogs. It's also your job as a dog owner to make sure your dog doesn't feel threatened by your kids, you are leaving the dog with no other choice than to do your job for you. Honestly . . . I am completely gob-smacked with this one.
    A little bit rude???? He tolerated this for years so had no reason to discipline my daughter.


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    #27
    SingItOut
    Registered Users Posts: 1,009 ✭✭✭SingItOut


    phili01 wrote: »
    When it happened he was put straight down to his pen without finishing his food and I haven't gone near him since.

    If that was a few hours ago you could probably let him back in now, he would have learned his lesson the minute he was put in his pen.


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    #28
    phili01
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭phili01


    SingItOut wrote: »
    If that was a few hours ago you could probably let him back in now, he would have learned his lesson the minute he was put in his pen.
    Hes gone for a walk with hubby. But he def won't be staying indoors tonight.....


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    #29
    barbiegirl
    Registered Users Posts: 1,846 ✭✭✭barbiegirl


    You are choosing to ignore all advise but those that reflect your own opinion and put blame no where but on the dog. The dog did no damage, it issued a restrained warning and you have punished it and taught it that you will take it's food. Kids and dog food don't mix end of. It's not a new concept just one you chose to ignore.


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    #30
    SingItOut
    Registered Users Posts: 1,009 ✭✭✭SingItOut


    adrenalinjunkie wrote: »
    OP, you are letting your three year old seriously overstep the mark with your dog and it seems you are not reprimanding the child for it. It your job as a parent to discipline your kids, not the dogs. It's also your job as a dog owner to make sure your dog doesn't feel threatened by your kids, you are leaving the dog with no other choice than to do your job for you. Honestly . . . I am completely gob-smacked with this one.

    Yes the child shouldn't have put her hands in the bowl, but that is no excuse for the dogs behaviour to be acceptable or tolerated. Who's to say it won't happen if somebody is simply walking past the bowl? The dog needs to know what he's done is not acceptable, with training and supervision that is possible. There's should be no difference whether it was a child or adult that put their hands in the bowl, I adore animals, obviously, but they need to understand what they can/can't do, mine certainly do.


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    #31
    Outkast_IRE
    Registered Users Posts: 7,515 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    phili01 wrote: »
    A little bit rude???? He tolerated this for years so had no reason to discipline my daughter.
    Just cause he tolerated it doesnt mean its right though, honestly your daughter doesnt need to be disciplined as she was never taught any better but it should be explained that when dogs get older they like to eat alone or something to that effect.


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