# 6 month old puppy food aggressive toward other dogs



## Mareesey (Aug 25, 2016)

Well I guess you could say she is food, bones, and toy aggressive. I've also had her warn my friend's dog off when we were eating at the dining room table and they were both beneath us. She hasn't yet bitten another dog she just does a lot of warning and they back down, but I know this will change. My last GSD was food aggressive but he stayed in his own food and would stay out of theirs. Rogue gets into the other dogs food and makes lots of noise while eating it and staring the other dog down.My biggest concern isn't the food it is that we can't leave any toys out either. We are moving to a new state in a month or so and we are going to be living with our friends who have a dog until we get our own place. Can anyone tell me where I can start with this?


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I would start by crating everyone while they are eating. And while you are eating.

You might also talk to a good trainer and learn when to give a strong correction. Timing is critical when dealing with aggression.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Your pup needs to be fed in his crate. He should have no access to food of other dogs. He should be crated, or gated in another room, while humans are eating. Do not give him the opportunity to resource guard.

Bones, antlers, valuable chews are only given in the crate and stay in the crate. Toys are played with only under supervision. Otherwise, they are put away.

You can certainly work on the behavior. IMO, I would not attempt to work on it, while living in someone elses' home. You will be a guest. You cannot allow your pup to make a mistake and risk that persons' pet getting injured.


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## Mareesey (Aug 25, 2016)

Stevenzachsmom said:


> Your pup needs to be fed in his crate. He should have no access to food of other dogs. He should be crated, or gated in another room, while humans are eating. Do not give him the opportunity to resource guard.
> 
> Bones, antlers, valuable chews are only given in the crate and stay in the crate. Toys are played with only under supervision. Otherwise, they are put away.
> 
> You can certainly work on the behavior. IMO, I would not attempt to work on it, while living in someone elses' home. You will be a guest. You cannot allow your pup to make a mistake and risk that persons' pet getting injured.


When we visited last week we did feed them in their crates after finding out she did that with food. That was the first time we'd been to their house since getting her and didn't know she was like that. This week I'm house sitting for my sister-in-law and they also just leave food out for their dog Lola to graze on. Figured that one out really quick. I figured as much with toys and chews it just stinks. I've never just left food for our dogs to graze on they've always eaten when I told them and if they didn't they ate later but I've never left it out. So I guess I shouldn't say she ate in her crate she has been crated and she always settles down after awhile but when we put food in there she dumps it and doesn't eat it until the door is open. She also drools excessively when she is crated. She also gets jealous with other dogs and my boyfriend and I petting them or playing with them. She's been good with Lola but I wonder if it is because Lola is submissive to the point it being sad.


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## Mareesey (Aug 25, 2016)

Also I don't argue that food should be put up and they should eat separate. I just didn't know if I've done something to make her resource guard like she does. We haven't had her quite 2 months yet so I don't know everything that has happened with her but I didn't know if I was doing something to make her do this.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Mareesey, Just to be clear....Is Rogue your only dog? Do the other dogs belong to friends/family?

When you house-sit for your SIL, will you be spending the night and taking Rogue? If so, the other dog will not be able to free feed. If Rogue will not eat in her crate, use a baby gate to separate the dogs, while they eat. Taking care of another dog and/or living with another family are temporary situations. All dogs involved will have to adjust to some changes. It will be fine.

BTW, I'm sorry I thought Rogue was a boy. DUH!


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## Mareesey (Aug 25, 2016)

Sorry, yes she is our only dog we lost our other dogs earlier this year. We have been separating them, my SIL said Lola grazes but we put her food up and now she asks us for it and we put Rogue outside and feed Lola, if she doesn't finish we pick her food up and let Rogue in and vice versa. 

Mostly I wanted to see if there was not necessarily an easy fix for this but a fix in general, some way I could ease her into it without putting my friend's dog at risk. We will be living with our friends for maybe 6 months it is really up in the air at this point, new jobs and getting everything worked out. I forgot how difficult it was to find apartments that allow GSD's.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Mareesey said:


> Sorry, yes she is our only dog we lost our other dogs earlier this year. We have been separating them, my SIL said Lola grazes but we put her food up and now she asks us for it and we put Rogue outside and feed Lola, if she doesn't finish we pick her food up and let Rogue in and vice versa.
> 
> Mostly I wanted to see if there was not necessarily an easy fix for this but a fix in general, some way I could ease her into it without putting my friend's dog at risk. We will be living with our friends for maybe 6 months it is really up in the air at this point, new jobs and getting everything worked out. I forgot how difficult it was to find apartments that allow GSD's.


I'm sure there are members who have dealt with this and will give you awesome advice. Things are kind of slow on the weekend.

My hound mix was only 12 weeks, when I adopted him from the shelter. He is a huge resource guarder, except he guards from people, not other dogs. I worked my butt off with him and he is 99 percent better than he used to be. 100 percent better with me. But - I have no experience with dog on dog resource guarding. I would hate to give you any misinformation. I have no doubt, however, that Rogue's behavior can be vastly improved. I will leave it up to experienced people to give you the best advice.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Bumping for the OP!

I'm sure some of you have worked with dog on dog resource guarding. Please give some advice to Mareesey.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

bump


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## Mareesey (Aug 25, 2016)

Thanks for the bumps. Surprisingly she doesn't resource guard against humans, well any I've had around so far.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Funny how that works. My snarky hound used to resource guard from his humans, but not our other dog.

My impulse, if one dog was resource guarding from the other would be to remove the offending object - toy, whatever. I would correct the dog who was resource guarding and take the toy. I may even separate the dogs and play with the non-resource guarder. Then, I would play with the resource guarder. I would try to play with them both again. If the one started resource guarding again, I would correct and remove the toy again. That is how my mind works.

But again, I have not had to deal with resource guarding between dogs. For guarding from humans, I always traded. My dog learned that I was not going to take his stuff. The behavior stopped. Not sure how that would convey to dog on dog.

Hopefully I have given you some horrible misinformation that will cause someone to jump right in and shouting, "DON'T listen to her! That's terrible advice." LOL! Just trying to do my part. I really hope someone chimes in soon. I have no doubt this behavior can be corrected. I just don't know how to tell you to do it.


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## Mareesey (Aug 25, 2016)

She enjoys playing with the other dogs but she does also seem to be jealous? She has shown the same behavior as the food if we pet or play with the 2 dogs we've had her around. We've gotten her to relax with Lola this week and she doesn't seem to be as jealous I'm wondering if to a degree she can get accustomed to sharing toys, I would definitely separate for food regardless. I might end up consulting a trainer but it will be some time before I can do that.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

I don't think it is jealousy. I see my Shepherd pushing her way in, when we give affection to the hound. "Don't give him attention, give it to me." I correct her for that. Likewise, she will take ALL the toys. She doesn't guard them. She just takes them. She doesn't even want them, unless he has them. I don't allow that either. In my world, all the toys belong to me. Dog has toy, if I say so.

I would up the obedience. Do some watch and wait. For instance. put a favorite toy in front of her, but don't let her touch it, until you say so. Make her drop it and leave it, when you say so. Get her used to knowing that the toys are yours to control. 

She can definitely learn to share. It is good that she likes to play with other dogs. Go slowly with her.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Sending you a PM.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Just sent you another PM. Sorry for the delay. Hope it helps. PM me back, if you have any questions.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

The safe answer is to keep all high value objects out of reach unless the dogs are separated, then allow them to play individually with you, and put them back up when you are finished. 

Resource guarding can quickly escalate into a real fight. The reason you aren't getting a lot of advice on how to counter-condition or train the dog is because it is dangerous. There are risks involved, like you getting bitten and a dog getting put down. This isn't a "my dog pulls on the leash" type of issue. You need honest control over the dogs involved and the situation. Not many novice trainers can accomplish this by reading some instructions on the interweb.

You really have to be able to read the dogs involved and take the appropriate action when necessary, such as praising the dog for good behavior, stopping bad behavior, switching the toy for something of higher or lower value... You have to be able to correct a dog at the right level at the right time without escalating the situation. You have to have the confidence and ability to stay relaxed in a situation where a fight may happen. You have to know when to stop and remove the toy and try again tomorrow. You have to be able to handle a fight if it does happen.

This is not a problem that is easily handled by a novice trainer, even with the best training plan and advice along the way. 

So my advice is this: Manage the situation by keeping the dogs separate when anything high value is present, and get a trainer involved if you want to work through the issue. In the mean time, check out:


The Dog Aggression Workbook, by James O'Heare
Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs, by Jean Donaldson

Knowledge is power, so read as much as you can on the subject. There are definitely differing opinions on how to handle the situation, so you have to form your own opinion.


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