I have 3 dogs, a rottweiler/black lab mix, a pit bull/chihuahua mix, and a beagle/collie/ jack russel mix. All three of them have lived together for a long time. This morning my pit mix started guarding her food. She has never done that before, she has started growling at the other dogs but she is fine if I reach in front of her. She won't leave my side either. She is healthy and I have called the vet and they are puzzled about it. They each have their seperate bowls and they do not go near each others bowls, they share their toys and do not have a problem with that. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to get her to stop?
2006-09-28 03:06:34 · 7 answers · asked by miamac49616 4 in Pets ➔ Dogs
This is not surprising really. A lot of dogs show food aggression. The pit bull is more likely to be aggressive towards other dogs then people. The older the dog gets the worse the behavior becomes. I would separate the pit while feeding, so that she doesn't have a chance to hurt the other dogs. She may also be trying to establish her place as dominate in the pack. Her food and you are her person.
As long as you stay at the top of the command that is the best thing. You may have to eventually put her in her place if she gets aggressive with the other dogs over your attention.
The problem here is the the rotty/lab mix is the probably the largest and could really hurt the pit mix. So, keep an eye out on all them and make sure that you are the commander and peace keeper.
Good Luck and Take Care
2006-09-28 03:21:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You do know that rottweilers and pit bulls have an aggressive nature to begin with.
There are well-established protocols to desensitize dogs of that sort, aiming at reducing and eventually eliminating food guarding. The important point is to do small steps at a time.
Jean Donaldson's "The Culture Clash"
(a book you should really get :>):
2006-09-28 03:19:35 · answer #2 · answered by Scooby 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am having the same problem, sort of. When my friends dog comes to visit, mine gets real defensive of her bowl.. the two dogs play great, but mine practically inhales her food to keep the other out of it. This has made her very sick a couple times. especially since she had been running and playing for hours with this other dog right before. I'll watch the other answers. Good question.
2006-09-28 03:10:23 · answer #3 · answered by Wilson Wilson 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Let me guess she's between 1 and 1/2 and 2 years old. Am I right?
Or maybe one of the other dogs is getting older? If there is something going on in your household that has disturbed the pack order, any dog who wants to protect his or her position will begin to act in such an aggressive way.
She needs to know her rank is stable in order to be relaxed again. Assert yourself as Alpha and figure out which dog is dominant in your group, which is next in line in the pecking order and which is lowest or Omega dog. You need to help reinforce these positions or help to establish new ones.... or your dogs will do it for you.
With some very dominant dogs in these mixes, you are bound to get some friction at times, especially when one dog feels they should be advancing in rank, as they mature, or as another dog ages or if they feel someone else is threatening their rank... as the other dog matures or as they themselves age.
Using passive yet assertive techniques like giving them their meals in a certain order.... top dog first... and allowing the highest ranked dog to sit closest to you (your pit mix seems to already be placing herself here), letting them outside in order by rank or making the lowest dog move when you walk by them.... things like this help them to understand their roles in the pack and keep everyone at ease.
2006-09-28 03:11:09 · answer #4 · answered by mutherwulf 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
be careful, you have your hands full with all those type of dogs. she sounds like she is getting HEAD STRONG, and shes pushing herself to the head of the pack. you really need to be careful cuz although she still acts the same with you right now, she might not. you really want to get her in dog school or something before she hurts a person. you dont want an outcome like that. you need her to stop now. some pit pulls and change like that. get her help now!!
2006-09-28 03:20:39 · answer #5 · answered by kmcglidden 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is she fixed? She might be pregnant and more protecting of her food source. Wow! A pit bull/chihuahua mix. That must have been one "plucky" chihuahua .
2006-09-28 03:14:03 · answer #6 · answered by Pundit Bandit 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Seems like you have a passion for agressive breeds so that kind of thing is likely to happen.
2006-09-28 03:11:53 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋