Aggressive when it comes to food?
A few days ago, when I went to the countryside, my grandfather found a little puppy laying somewhere in the further corner of the front yard. I don’t think he is older than a month and from his appearance I would say it’s somehow related to a golden retriever. But as he’s still young, I would rather keep silent.
When we found him he was full of fleas. I’ve never seen a dog with so many fleas before. We gave him an anti-flea bath and one problem was out.
We soon noticed that he wasn’t using his left hind leg. I concluded that the person who left him in our yard must have thrown him over the fence (which is like 1.70 meters tall). It isn’t a severe injury, we haven’t seen any blood and he started using it after one day.
Overall, he seemed to be a nice, cuddly puppy. Until I saw him seating some crap from between the grass and I grabbed him gently from there by his front leg, trying to make him spit out what he was just chewing. I noticed, shocked, that he started growling furiously and barking at me while biting my hand. Of course, it didn’t hurt almost at all. But I’m afraid that this aggressivity with the food may come dangerous when he grows up and someone tries to get the food away from him.
Another thing: I noticed that he does the same thing when I try to pick him up and he doesn’t feel like it.
I’ve never owned a dog before and I don’t know what to do. I am very well aware that he has gone trough a lot of harsh mistreating as he was in the state he was when we found him, but is there anything I can do to make him get rid of this aggressivity? I want a dog, not a moody cat. I’d do anything to learn him I’m the boss AND his owner.
P.S.: If it has anything to do with my age, I am 14 years old.
Tagged with: Aggressive • comes • food
Filed under: Anti Aging Food
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aaw how cute…some people are so mean.
There are two common reasons why a dog is aggressive towards members of his own human family:
- He’s trying to defend something he
thinks of as his from a perceived threat (you).This is known as resource guarding, and though it may sound innocuous, there’s actually a lot more going on here than your dog simply trying to keep his kibble to himself.
- He’s not comfortable with the treatment/handling he’s getting from you or other members of the family.What’s resource guarding?
Resource guarding is pretty common among dogs. The term refers to overly-possessive behavior on behalf of your dog: for instance, snarling at you if you approach him when he’s eating, or giving you “the eye” (a flinty-eyed, direct stare) if you reach your hand out to take a toy away from him.
All dogs can be possessive from time to time – it’s in their natures. Sometimes they’re possessive over things with no conceivable value: inedible trash, balled up pieces of paper or tissue, old socks.
More frequently, however, resource-guarding becomes an issue over items with a very real and understandable value: food and toys.
Why does it happen?
It all boils down to the issue of dominance. Let me take a moment to explain this concept: dogs are pack animals. This means that they’re used to a very structured environment: in a dog-pack, each individual animal is ranked in a hierarchy of position and power (or “dominance”) in relation to every other animal. Each animal is aware of the rank of every other animal, which means he knows specifically how to act in any given situation (whether to back down, whether to push the issue, whether to muscle in or not on somebody else’s turf, etc etc).
To your dog, the family environment is no different to the dog-pack environment. Your dog has ranked each member of the family, and has his own perception of where he ranks in that environment as well.
He’s displaying dominance and does not believe you are his boss… and this kind of behavior is probably why he was dumped off.
See, canine social structure is one that relies on dominance/submission. The stronger dogs are dominant and will show that dominance to establish their position in the pack. The weaker ones will either challenge the higher dogs’ authorities (growling, biting, etc) or submit to their dominance. In packs, the higher ranked dogs correct the behavioral issues of lower ranked dogs. It ends in either the lower ranked dog submitting, or a fight. If there’s a fight, the winner wins rank.
What does this have to do with you? Well, when you have a dog in the family, you are part of a dog’s pack. How they behave is dependent on how they view you.
I’d suggest getting him to the vet for a checkup (and get some idea of his real age) and asking the vet for recommendations for obedience training and dog care. I’d also suggest checking for websites about puppy training, and check the local library for books on the subject.
Letting a dog get away with growling at you and biting you is completely unacceptable and WILL lead to trouble down the line if it’s not dealt with.
Good luck with your new puppy! I hope everything works out ok for you guys.
If he is a stray, he is probably afraid you are going to take his food away…it has only been a few days, so he is not used to being in a new home, let alone be handled. Give him some time to get used to the whole family thing. You’ll want to take him to a vet soon, to get shots and worm medication, etc. Some basic training classes may help down the road. He needs to be socialized as well. Good luck.
awww well it’s nice that someone like you took him in!
well, i’ve never had this problem with my dog. she actually hates dog food so we cook her hotdogs and chop them up for her.
but i’ve heard that you cando some easy things to help him.
you can start by having a food he likes in your hand and give him small chunks.
handfeeding him will help him understand that your GIVING him the food and not taking it from him.
since you mentioned that he looked mistreated and was alone, he might of had to fight for food when he was alone. *just suggessting*
also, calmly, quitly, but sternly say “no, bad boy” when he shows aggressive behavior towards you, or anyone.
i hope this helped!
i have a 13 week old puppy and he was the same way, the way to stop him is when you feed him, feed him from your hand and when you give him treats try playing with him and make sure he is taking it nicely from you. The way you have taken this dog in is so sweet of you i hope you have so much joy with you little friend and also make sure he doesn’t think your taking his food as he will think your a threat and that’s what you don’t want believe me its very hard at 1st but once you have The hang of it, it will be easy after that
well, he needs to realise that hands coming near his mouth or food bowl is a good thing. i would suggest that when you are going to feed him, sit on a chair and have his food bowl in front of you on the floor. get him to sit or lie down or something or nothing even and then put some food in his bowl with your hand. this should get him used to a hand coming near his food and that it is a good thing.
have a labrador that did same thing to our old dog when puppy it has to do with their pecking order tried to do it to me too fed them separate corners of yard i then sat down when it was eating giving by hand the same food it was eating patience and sharp no’s was in order even a rolled up newspaper never use your hand now he sits and wait for his food hand feeding now is like feeding a small child gently nibbles at food given when i sit down outside he drags his bone over to me close and lies down and starts playing with it also suggest a ball throw it and when he gives it back give a treat as reward he will get the idea that you boss and you are his friend too remember kindness patience you must tell him i’m the boss