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It's definitely a problem if you are getting growled and snapped at. While dogs may be aggressive toward one another when eating, kind of a problem, they never should be toward humans. The reason being is that you could just as easily be a child. So, I would say that it is a sign of food aggression. It may never escalate beyond that though. But it could. It's hard to tell unless you see the dog in a lot of other situations, before you can really decide.
It's definitely a problem if you are getting growled and snapped at. While dogs may be aggressive toward one another when eating, kind of a problem, they never should be toward humans. The reason being is that you could just as easily be a child. So, I would say that it is a sign of food aggression. It may never escalate beyond that though. But it could. It's hard to tell unless you see the dog in a lot of other situations, before you can really decide.
Sorry but I don't agree. Any sort of aggression needs to be addressed. Aggression is aggression - no matter what its aimed at.
I happen to believe that dogs are naturally protective of their resources. This is a new dog to the house so he/she doesn't understand the pecking order right now. Unfortunately it is a common problem. The only answer is to prevent the behavior from happening again. Keep the dogs separated when they eat. Don't push it. It will not always escalate into a bigger problem. I have three dogs and they get along perfectly *except* I cannot give my dogs bully sticks----it's the one and only thing that will cause a dog fight in my house. So, they don't get them.
Sorry but I don't agree. Any sort of aggression needs to be addressed. Aggression is aggression - no matter what its aimed at.
Va-Cat is correct.
Aggression is very dangerous and should be stopped immediately, using whatever method that works. Aggressive dogs only get worse with time, and I am sure your family will get the same treatment if they try to take his bowl
.
If you have the time Nurider, I would sit and feed this dog by hand, holding his food bowl so that he learns that he eats only when you allow him to. I know this isn't your dog, but two months is a long time to put up with this sort of thing, and I can see this dog only getting worse. Once they can manipulate you with growling and snapping, they will do whatever it takes to maintain that place in the pack (your home). You controlling his food bowl will cause him to behave since it is his only source for food. The bad thing, you still have to deal with him eating food from the other bowls, and that would take a lot of your time, and having to be there all the time to stop him. This can take a long time to accomplish, so I don't think it is feasible for you.
Some dogs do this because they need, or think they need, more food than they are given. Have you tried putting more food in his bowl until he is too full to eat from the others? I had a rescue dog come in like this once, and it took me about two months until he felt comfortable enough to stop guarding all the dog bowls. I think he was not well fed on a regular basis and that was his problem, but, sometimes, it occurs because the dog found out he could get away with it, and sees no reason to stop, since growling and biting lets him have his way. It is a difficult situation.
Would a gate at the doorway to keep him out help your oldster?
Separation is the only thing that I can think of, for the short term....though two months isn't so short.
Personally, when I have a dog who cannot be trusted or is not housebroken, or behaves badly to my family and the pets in my home, I treat him or her as if he is an eight week old puppy. I crate him, feed him, and walk him & or turn him out in the yard, and let him out to play with me....and all that happens at my discretion. Feeding is done at specific times, and I make sure to take him out hourly if there is a housebreaking problem, until he realizes I will ALWAYS let him out each hour. I lengthen this time to every two hours, then three, then four, etc. until both he and I can count on each other to wait until he is let out. If there are any problems, I back up an hour and start over for a few days, until he can make it to the next hour. I do it all at very specific times and don't vary from it, so he can learn to count on me for everything. Over time you and he will come to bond with each other, and he will come to trust and respect you. If he is allowed to continue, his behavior will get worse, especially if he is pushed.
I wish there was an easy solution. Good luck and best wishes.
I happen to believe that dogs are naturally protective of their resources. This is a new dog to the house so he/she doesn't understand the pecking order right now. Unfortunately it is a common problem. The only answer is to prevent the behavior from happening again. Keep the dogs separated when they eat. Don't push it. It will not always escalate into a bigger problem. I have three dogs and they get along perfectly *except* I cannot give my dogs bully sticks----it's the one and only thing that will cause a dog fight in my house. So, they don't get them.
Yep, I completely agree with this. I have seen this protectiveness about very particular (not all) items between my dogs. Never an instant of this behaviour toward a human, whether it be me, a child, an older person, the vet, who likes to torture them with needles and their yearly shots, at that. To me, it is not aggression in such an instance. It is guarding, which is not necessarily aggression.
Yep, I completely agree with this. I have seen this protectiveness about very particular (not all) items between my dogs. Never an instant of this behaviour toward a human, whether it be me, a child, an older person, the vet, who likes to torture them with needles and their yearly shots, at that. To me, it is not aggression in such an instance. It is guarding, which is not necessarily aggression.
But, this dog has growled and snapped at a human....completely unacceptable and very definitely aggression. Growling and snapping is always aggression, though the cause of that aggression may be different in different situations.
Bad dog. Do you have any children around? A food aggressive dog can be very dangerous to children, even a small poodle. This dog needs corrective action. Why is the owner staying with you this long? If you are close enough for the owner to be in your home, you are close enough to tell the owner the dog is not well behaved, and needs to be trained. A short term solution is to keep "bad boy" outside for most of the day, in the yard, if the owner is unwilling to take responsibility for the dog's behavior.
Thanks for all the comments. The dog's owner has confided to me that the behavior was a problem before she came to my house-the dog has growled and snapped at her around food so, it is not due to being in a new house with other dogs around. She has agreed to take the dog to an obedience trainer so, we will see if the situation improves. I have verbally corrected the dog since the initial incident when it goes near my geriatric dog's food bowl and he runs away so, perhaps he is getting the message. I leash him in the kitchen while all the dogs eat, until all are finished--I want him to be included with the pack but unable to approach the other's during feeding times and he seems okay with it.
Thanks for all the comments. The dog's owner has confided to me that the behavior was a problem before she came to my house-the dog has growled and snapped at her around food so, it is not due to being in a new house with other dogs around. She has agreed to take the dog to an obedience trainer so, we will see if the situation improves. I have verbally corrected the dog since the initial incident when it goes near my geriatric dog's food bowl and he runs away so, perhaps he is getting the message. I leash him in the kitchen while all the dogs eat, until all are finished--I want him to be included with the pack but unable to approach the other's during feeding times and he seems okay with it.
Sounds like you have found a short term solution! I'm also happy to hear that the owner recognizes that there is an issue!
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It is aggression....
