Dog growls over bone.

[DaisythePig]

I have owned 4 different Chow mixes and not found that statement to be true.

The first thing our dogs learn is that the food is ours..any food. The food in the dog food bag, the food in the dish, the food by their leg, the food in their mouth. We can quite literally open their mouth and take the dog food out of it..because it is ours. Teaching our dogs respect for humans and that there is absolutely no aggression allowed to humans for any reason is very important because we own Doberman's and people have a natural fear of them almost as bad as pits it seems. Our Dob's can be stepped on, tripped over, laid on, sat on, tugged on, poked....etc and they will do nothing most of the time they wont even bother to move. And no we dont try to step on them etc it just happens sometimes lol.

We train them food is ours mostly by acting like a dog. We make them sit and wait while we put food in the dish. We then get down on the floor on all fours with the bowl between our hands on the floor and watch the dog. That is a very very clear message of claiming ownership in dog language. Anything between their front feet/under their head is "theirs" that is the space most food aggressive dogs will attack you until then it is generally a show of warnings. Depending on the dog this can be a quick bite that doesn't break the skin all the way up to fingers being mangled. Don't be fooled no matter how loving your dog is normally...a food aggressive can and often will injure you if you try to stick your hand in that space while they are "owning' food. If your going to attempt to train him by taking the bone i would suggest gloves just in case.

We always always start training out food aggression by using their everyday food. We own the food by "claiming" it, then we own the food by sitting next to it, then we own it by having our hand in the dish while they eat, then we own it by having our hand in the bowl and our fingers on their muzzle while they eat....generally by the time we get to the last stage it re-enforcement more then needed but the last one is opening their mouth after they take a bite of food and taking the food out..pretending to inspect their mouth and keeping the food for a minute or two and then giving it back. Mostly it enforces the fact we own the food but also shows them that even if we take the food it doesn't mean they wont get food back.

Anyhow thats how we train our dogs, i know everyone does things differently but this works for us and our dogs.

Thank You! I will have to try that.

 

[Bossroo]

The real issue is that the local " animal rescue shelters" is where most people these days buy their dogs. Most of these are street dogs that are rounded up in the Caribean, Mexico, S. Korea, US Cities, etc. ( at leas in out neck of the woods ). We have neighbors 2 doors away
with 3 kids under 6. In the last 2 years, they have returned 4 dogs to these " resues " as they are food agressive, growl at the kids , or run away , and are generally unruly with a mind of their own that simply will not learn manners. The parents just baught another mongrel from the "rescue " and I am afraid it is more of the same. Frenkly, I am conserned about the safety of these kids regarding this mongrel, and I have told the parents so.

 

[cjc]

We have a very well trained dog on the farm, Decker Terrier, dog does the same thing. Our friend got our dogs half brother and his dog does the exact same thing! We've tried a lot to get him stop and we just cant get him to shake it. If there are other dogs around he will actually go at their throat! I am assuming it's the breed.

I have a Chihuahua as well and lets be honest, they are the world's meanest dogs!!! She attacks our other dogs if they even look at her when she has a bone. She's 10 and I've tried everything so now if she does it I just take it away. One growl and the bone is gone. Needless to say she hasn't had a bone for longer than 2 minutes since the new rule took effect.

 

[misfitmorgan]

We have a very well trained dog on the farm, Decker Terrier, dog does the same thing. Our friend got our dogs half brother and his dog does the exact same thing! We've tried a lot to get him stop and we just cant get him to shake it. If there are other dogs around he will actually go at their throat! I am assuming it's the breed.

I have a Chihuahua as well and lets be honest, they are the world's meanest dogs!!! She attacks our other dogs if they even look at her when she has a bone. She's 10 and I've tried everything so now if she does it I just take it away. One growl and the bone is gone. Needless to say she hasn't had a bone for longer than 2 minutes since the new rule took effect.

My Chi mix isnt to mean really slightly food aggressive with my other dogs which i think they laugh at. She has lost a lot of her teeth because is is 12ys old so she kinda just gums them and at 12yrs old i am past trying to train her to do anything....cranky old lady.

The real issue is that the local " animal rescue shelters" is where most people these days buy their dogs. Most of these are street dogs that are rounded up in the Caribean, Mexico, S. Korea, US Cities, etc. ( at leas in out neck of the woods ). We have neighbors 2 doors away
with 3 kids under 6. In the last 2 years, they have returned 4 dogs to these " resues " as they are food agressive, growl at the kids , or run away , and are generally unruly with a mind of their own that simply will not learn manners. The parents just baught another mongrel from the "rescue " and I am afraid it is more of the same. Frenkly, I am conserned about the safety of these kids regarding this mongrel, and I have told the parents so.

We have gotten most of our dogs from the rescues/pound/shelter. If you know how to pick the dog you can get good ones...sadly some people dont.

A local couple here kept getting pit mixes and taking them back..cause they wanted a pit really badly. I used to help the shelter sometimes and they have a 2 weeks foster program, they called me up to see if i would do a house call. I said ok and asked why, they said the dogs were coming back aggressive/high aniexty. So i went to the peoples house and watched them interact with the dog. Everything they did with the dog was high energy, excitement, tug-o-war, "play" fighting, pulling pushing prodding the dog, playing quickly with their hands in the dog's "space" around their heads and such, kids running around like lunatics. This is about the worst way to introduce a shelter dog into a new home. These poor dogs couldnt handle it all, they went from being rarely handled and surrounded by dogs to being "on" constantly. I think they just kind of freaked out and would lose it, biting themselves, pacing, high anxiety, snapping at the kids running around in a "playful" way. We had a learning session with the couple and kids and then suggested a hyper active mix breed they had at the shelter. As far as i know it worked out well and they kept that dog.

i think a big part of the problem is people just go look at the dogs and say well this is such and such breed i want it or this is a little/big dog i want it..this is a pretty dog etc. Really horrible way to pick a house pet for a lot of people.

 

[cjc]

My Chi mix isnt to mean really slightly food aggressive with my other dogs which i think they laugh at. She has lost a lot of her teeth because is is 12ys old so she kinda just gums them and at 12yrs old i am past trying to train her to do anything....cranky old lady.

Yes I have a Chihuahua mix that is a really good dog and not aggressive. Chihuahua mom to Chihuahua mom...I came home the other day and my Chihuahua was sleeping but I put my hand on her back and pet her, something I do often. She was on my bed. She jumped up and bit right through my lip! I am currently wearing a big black fat lip with a nice big slice through it. I have tried everything with this dog and although its probably not the best decision I have done the same and said, well she's 10 and I can't change her. I just restrict her interactions with people she doesn't know and all children.

I have been guilty of just getting a dog because I wanted a cute little purse dog as you mention when you talk about going to the shelters. We put in a lot of effort in finding the right breed with our last farm dog and it was a real blessing. He's a little smaller than we would have hoped for a farm dog but he is really a wonderful dog for our lifestyle and that was most important. But we still have the food aggression issue with him, can't win them all I guess.

 

[TAH]

What type of dog? I have a beyond stubborn dog. He is our first and LAST of this cross lol. He knows basic commands. Trying to teach him to NOT eat stuff, that doesn't happen. (I swear he gets tired of my couches, once a year eats them). He doesn't touch the chairs, computer tables, entertainment center, etc) JUST the couches. Is the Pit the stubborn one or another dog?

My old Chi I rescued from the shelter when she was 9 years old. They told me she was running the streets of Fresno when they found her. She is super sweet, but will run and run and run. Then when you are finally near her she rolls over on her back. We have no idea what she went through. She is the queen here. She has had NO training since we got her. (Not for a lack of trying.) She just doesn't care and does her own thing. Oh well, she can live her life out.

Once you get through that wall though, you have a friend for life! Even with any issues (got my issue dogs). They're worth every ounce of time.

No not my pit mix my friends tibetian spaniel. Is he allowed to be on the couch? Yes it is so true my pit mix had so many issues but he is the best friend i can ask for. My trick is we NEVER stop training we train all the time.

 

[TAH]

I have a Chihuahua as well and lets be honest, they are the world's meanest dogs!!! She attacks our other dogs if they even look at her when she has a bone. She's 10 and I've tried everything so now if she does it I just take it away. One growl and the bone is gone. Needless to say she hasn't had a bone for longer than 2 minutes since the new rule took effect.

I say training is everything. Taking the bone away when they growl is the reason they growl. (That bone you gave to her so she thinks she has the right to keep it) She knows that when she growls you are going to take her bone. It is the dogs nature to be protective of there food and I respect that. I will take that nature and turn it into something good. I did 3-4 hours of training a day for a week or more and he as come such a long ways.
He growled every time kids touched him
He nipped me and dad several times had food aggression on and on and on. Yet thru training he lets 7 siblings take his food away lets us crawl and lay on him. He is amazing since the time i have done training.

 

[misfitmorgan]

Congrats on the training TAH!

I've had my Chi since she was 6 weeks old, she is old and tired so no i dont do any training anymore, she wanders the house, goes for car rides, and gets pets and treats and thats it. She knows all basic verbal commands, non-verbal commands, and silent/gesture commands.

All of our dogs learn all three command types and it comes in handy. i can tilt my head a direction and look at her and she knows that means come follow mom..i can snap my fingers and she knows that means come find mom. Each dog has their own whistle sound/tune for re-call outside. Bitten knows a tilted open hand is sit a vertical open hand is stay and a gimme motion with a hand is come here, the gimme motion makes a specific noise so i can non-verbally call just him as well.

Currently Bitten is working on getting used to the livestock and learning to herd them.

 

[TAH]

Thank you

I may have to try having a whistle for each dog. Eventually dogs deserve a retirement.

 

[NH homesteader]

My 6 year old chow mix feels like he deserves one. He knows the rules and follows them, he knows his territory and his boundaries. But he feels like because he has good judgement therefore he does not have to listen when I try to exert mine. Brat. I have to reel him in and re-train once in a while!