My 5 month old golden retriever puppy and aggression?

Question

I have a really sweet female golden retriever puppy who gets along great with everyone and everything. I have another dog, a full grown standard poodle female who is well trained and also gets along with everyone and everything. My older girl has lived with other dogs and is quite the alpha female (but not aggressive) and my golden knows that. The problem is, when I feed them, my golden will happily go about eating her food, then, even if my Standard is across the room, my golden will start growling and barking at the standard as if she feels threatened that the standard will take her food (I've started watching them while they eat and my standard does not take her food at least while I'm around). I'm eager to know the correct way to stop this before it becomes a big problem and leads to more aggression. I have started feeding them in seperate rooms but I don't know that that is solving the problem. Help?

edit note: she lets me do whatever I want with her food, I can stick my hand in t while she eats and take it away with no problem. Her and her littermates all ate from the same bowl, which may have contributed to this problem

Answer 1

Listen to Goldengal. From what I've seen, she knows a "little" about Goldens!

(Actually, she know a lot! I completely trust her!)

Answer 2

You have to be alpha. This is especially important at feeding time. You have to be in control. Put both dogs in a sit stay (you said the poodle is trained, and if the golden isn't it should at least be reliable in the sit/stay) put down the food and make the dogs wait. Then give the release. When the golden starts with the aggression pick up the bowl, put the dog in a sit/stay, make it wait and then put down the bowl and give the release. Do this until the golden has learned who is alpha. Notice how this method does not involve touching, yelling, or squirting the dog. You have established alpha with your actions only. This results in a dog that will know you are alpha and doesn't fear you because you squirt it, or yell at it, or swat its nose.

Answer 3

a 5 month old puppy shouldn't have this kind of aggrestion towards its food. Unless was it not fed by the breeder or shelter. Had it had to fight to keep its food? all the unknown here to us.

first feeding in two rooms solves the hear and now but in 10 years do you want to still have to do this? keep the pups each in the same room on opposite sides of the room stay with the pup. keep the pup directed on the food and not the elder pup. if it growls remove the food for a moment and have the pup refocus on you. then repossition the pup in a sit and place the food when calm again back in front of her. continue to do this until she finishes her meal. for all meals when she can finally feel comfortable for a week without growling then move the elder pups bowl a few inches towards the pups bowl. no more or she may become uncomfortable again and you will have to start all over. this may help. but make sure that you show her that you are the alpha in the pack

Answer 4

If your golden is the one who is barking then reprimand her. Tell her no and really mean it. If she continues to bark than get a spray bottle and squirt her. She is harassing the poodle and it should not be tolerated. I have 2 Male Golden's and they eat 6 feet apart form each other and I have taught them that their food is their food and they are not to cross the line. No barking no going over to the others bowl even if one has left a few pieces of kibble in it it's not theirs to take.
Golden's are smart and so are Poodles so teach the little bully now and then she will understand who boss in the kitchen and will not changeling you or you older dog any more.

Answer 5

Feed them in separate rooms. I never feed my together and then there is no problem. Sometimes it just works out better this way...you can't force dogs to get along when it comes to meal time.

Answer 6

Feed them in dog kennels/crates and get this DVD.

http://www.leerburg.com/301.htm