I have a 2 year old Husky/German Sheperd mix male dog. He eats his food in a bowl. However, this morning, he took the bowl of food, to the stairs, and started eating while sitting on the stairs. I did not find that appropriate, and i wanted to change the position of the bowl by picking it up and keeping it in a secure location, because the bowl was likely to fall down on stairs. However, just when i picked up the bowl while my dog was eating, the dog VIOLENTLY BIT my hand. I got deep cuts, and required stitches on my wrists. How and why on earth did my pet behave so cruelly? I have been raising him for 2 years, and feel utterly let down because of this. He was well trained. did our training fall short somewhere?
2007-06-24 10:45:21 · 21 answers · asked by Math 7 in Pets ➔ Dogs
You did not drive the point home with him that YOU are the Alpha dog.
In a pack, there is a 'chain of command' so to speak..Alpha is the TOP dog....runs the pack.
Males need to assert themselves as Alpha...as such they will push you to prove they are the Alpha dog. You need to reinforce to him that YOU, and only you, are the Alpha dog.
I know many people do not believe in 'hitting' a dog...but dogs, even the nicest tempered dogs, need to understand where in the family pack they belong. A solid, but not violent, smack to the shoulder works wonders for the animal.
When I got my first lab....she's was bawky...she thought she was top dog...and I knew she would be heavier than me...I refused to control her by a collar around her neck...I wanted to control her by her intelligence....her training was hard and there was no letting her slip by things she must do....As a result...she never wore a collar on my property and she would NOT, ever leave the property or my side. I could take a steak out of her mouth by just saying 'is that your's?' She would drop ANYTHING immediately!
She got a few wallops on her shoulder in her training....but she was the happiest and best behaved animal I have ever seen.
Just reinforce who is Alpha in your house....he'll get it.
2007-06-24 10:56:51 · answer #1 · answered by Nibbles 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Resource guarding is never a fun thing, especially in the house over food. The behavior he exhibited is not acceptable under any circumstances, period. Dogs that have not been properly raised or do not understand their place in the pack will do these things. I will not sit here and second guess why your dog did what he did, but, you need to start an OB program based on reward and punishment and start thinking about how, where and when this dog will eat. I had a similar incident years a go with a very determined, dominant malinois and even after many forehead to forehead discussions he would not let up. He ate in his kennel for the rest of his life. Do be careful because this behavior can also transfer to other things as well.
2007-06-24 12:24:13 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have a smaller mixed breed dog who a few months ago suddenly become food aggressive. she would growl or snap when anyone got near her food, I started out by first when I would give her food I would stand beside her if she started growling I would tell her no if she continued to growl I would take a long object and move her food away from her and put it up where she couldn't get it, after a few times of her food being taken away for a period of time, she decided I could stand beside her then I moved on to while she was eating I would lay my hand on her back and if she growled I would tap her on the back (not hit ) and tell her no. it took a little bit of work but I can take her food at anytime but I always let her know I am near her. I am not saying this will work but it did work for my dog and she loves her food, just be careful on that last step when you are actually moving the bowl and move slow and if you hear any growl move away and take the food with something beside your hand. wouldn't hurt to get a bowl they can't carry either.
2007-06-24 11:29:10 · answer #3 · answered by rrnmcn 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The mistake you made was just going in and expecting to take the food while the dog was in the middle of eating it. No matter how well a dog is trained you should get their attention and make them back away from the food before "grabbing" for it.
2007-06-24 11:33:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
First off what you call a bite was really a slap to the dog....second if you had not conditioned the dog to having his food removed by you or others what did you expect.....???
Lastly at 2yrs of age all dogs try to gain status within their pack....you were in the wrong place at the right time today....
2007-06-24 11:43:56 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He has food aggression I would start to hand feeding him. before you give him his food touch it and act like your eatting his food first you are showing the dog who the alpha dog. Did you ever try to pick his bowl up when he was a puppy i do all the time, and i touch his food while hes eating so he knows that i wont take it. I would try to show him that your not going to take it.
2007-06-24 11:47:24 · answer #6 · answered by pebblesqt 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
This is known as food agression, sounds like he believes himself to be the master.
This site has some good suggestions:
http://dogs.about.com/cs/behaviorissues/p/resource_guard.htm
I'd go back to square one, more obedience classes (chat with the instructor about this incident) crate him and/or ALWAYS make him SIT before giving him his food bowl.
Unfortunately he probably got the reaction he wanted when he bit you (I'm willing to bet you dropped the bowl and ran for medical attention) so that just re-inforced the behavior.
You might also consider getting a bowl he cannot get a grip on to carry, possibly an elevated one?
2007-06-24 10:51:47 · answer #7 · answered by Karen W 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Obviously this dog is not well trained and you are not very knowledgeable about dog behavior. This dog does not respect you as alpha. The dog is alpha over you and you have just learned why this is a bad thing. You should be able to do just about anything to a dog and it should not even growl at you. You and the dog need more training. It is not the dog's fault.
2007-06-24 10:55:39 · answer #8 · answered by DaveSFV 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Perhaps your dog may have a food aggression. Meaning he doesn't like it when you pull away his food. (Unless you've done so before -move the bowl-, then I'm not quite sure.) It could just be food aggression. However, I could be wrong and it could be something else. This is the closest I could think of.
2007-06-24 10:57:17 · answer #9 · answered by shugo 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Wow,thats a tough one. The dog had no food aggression issues before? I am so sorry he bit you up. In my opinion,I would not keep this dog. Especially around young children. Just my own experience,not trying to hurt your feelings. A nip is one thing,but you said he got violent. Did you have to go to the ER? They will report dog bites to animal control.
2007-06-24 10:52:25 · answer #10 · answered by ? 5 · 1⤊ 3⤋