# he bite me



## GizmoGSD (Jul 18, 2011)

this morning , my gf gaved food to enzo like every morning..

when Enzo was eating , she pet him in the neck to say goodbye cause she was leaving for work ( like she do every morning ) but this morning enzo growl to her ...

so tonight I decide gaved food to enzo and decided to pet him i the neck to see if he would growl at me also ... he didnt ... so i put myself in crawling position next to his face to give him a kiss on the nose , he growled real fast and bite my nose ... good lord my gf was here to temper me down or i think i would have hurt him ...

i dont understand how a dog can bite his master/family . my trust of him just felt down like crazy.

dunno what to do.

edit : enzo is 1 1/2 years old


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Read this thread: http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/aggression-good-bad-ugly/258210-my-dog-bit-my-niece.html

And this one: http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...m-breaking-down-right-now-tears-confused.html

They're both on the exact same topic as yours.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Don't pet him when he is eating.

And, yes, read the thread Debbie recommended.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Is this for real? 
Did you really lay down to kiss the dogs nose while he was eating his food?

Seriously?
Must.leave.this.topic.now!

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## GizmoGSD (Jul 18, 2011)

Mrs.K said:


> Is this for real?
> Did you really lay down to kiss the dogs nose while he was eating his food?
> 
> Seriously?
> ...


well , i am the one giving him food , giving him toys , giving him love and more , i dont see why i could not give him a kiss or why he should see me as a food stealer or w/e ... what if i was a young child !? 

Seriously?
Dont.come.back.to.this.topic.anymore.those.comment.are.not.welcome!


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Lesson learned here should be not to mess with a dog while they're eating. They don't want kisses or hugs while they're eating. How would you feel if someone invaded your meal space. Getting down and moving in to kiss him was viewed as a threatening gesture. He issued a warning growl to your girlfriend and he issued warning to you. Up the anti with heavy Nothing In Life Is Free and instead of messing with him when he's eating. Try adding something tasty to his food when you go near him while eating. I can probably do just about anything I want with Shasta and her food but I've also never gotten down on her level like that and I don't generally even touch her when she's eating. She'll get the occasional pat and told she's a good girl and then I walk away so she can eat in peace.

Also, unless the kids know to leave the dog alone while eating, he shouldn't be in a position they'd have access to him. He viewed you and your GF threatening his meal. Yes, you should be able to take things away without a problem but if you give him the food, leave him alone. That's all there is.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Because dogs do not understand kisses. It's not in their nature, this is human behavior.

He doesn't know what a kiss is. He is a young, powerful GSD whose owner got down into his food, and he thought you were trying to challenge him for it.

A leader will never try and take away food once it is given.
You exhibited improper behavior, and he was forced to correct you.


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## GizmoGSD (Jul 18, 2011)

KZoppa said:


> Lesson learned here should be not to mess with a dog while they're eating. They don't want kisses or hugs while they're eating. How would you feel if someone invaded your meal space. Getting down and moving in to kiss him was viewed as a threatening gesture. He issued a warning growl to your girlfriend and he issued warning to you. Up the anti with heavy Nothing In Life Is Free and instead of messing with him when he's eating. Try adding something tasty to his food when you go near him while eating. I can probably do just about anything I want with Shasta and her food but I've also never gotten down on her level like that and I don't generally even touch her when she's eating. She'll get the occasional pat and told she's a good girl and then I walk away so she can eat in peace.
> 
> Also, unless the kids know to leave the dog alone while eating, he shouldn't be in a position they'd have access to him. He viewed you and your GF threatening his meal. Yes, you should be able to take things away without a problem but if you give him the food, leave him alone. That's all there is.


+1 good info


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## GizmoGSD (Jul 18, 2011)

Sunflowers said:


> Because dogs do not understand kisses. It's not in their nature, this is human behavior.
> 
> He doesn't know what a kiss is. He is a young, powerful GSD whose owner got down into his food, and he thought you were trying to challenge him for it.
> 
> ...


+1 good info thx guys


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## Lucky Dog (Dec 1, 2012)

GizmoGSD said:


> well , i am the one giving him food , giving him toys , giving him love and more , i dont see why i could not give him a kiss or why he should see me as a food stealer or w/e ... what if i was a young child !?
> 
> Seriously?
> Dont.come.back.to.this.topic.anymore.those.comment.are.not.welcome!



X2 !!! All of my dogs over the years didn't care if you took their food (bones to) or toys. I played with all of our old dogs an really tortured them. (In a fun way) I can take anything from him an he will just sit an look at me. Pull his ears, nose. paws, tail and even his tongue.. Ya I have put my hand in his mouth to. He considers it "playing". IF he ever growled at me he would get a smack in the head !! No need for him to be mean. He is out an about with a lot of people old and young.. He has to behave like he was trained to !!


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I can also do whatever I want to any of my dogs when they are eating. Growling or biting is not acceptable. I've always had little kids in and out of the house and I'm sorry but a toddler just isn't going to know that it can't mess with dogs during certain times. Yes all should be supervised, but sometimes things happen and they happen quick. I don't find it acceptable for any dog to growl over food or toys...if I want to take away the food that I just gave them, then gosh darn it I will and there better not be any grumbling going on. Just my opinion and how all my dogs are taught and raised, no matter what. I don't really bother them when they are eating, but if I did, I would expect them to respect me.


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## kgulbranso (Dec 25, 2004)

*Sounds Nuts To Me*

*Lucky Dog, why would you abuse your poor dog that way! How would you like it if someone pulled your ears and tongue and took your food away. These are dogs, not people. It's a wonder you've never been bitten. It's a testament to the good sense of the dog, not yours.*


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## GizmoGSD (Jul 18, 2011)

the thing is Enzo never but never growl to me about toys , i can remove toys/bone from him and he just sit here look at me ( same as lucky dog ) ... i can pull the tail / tongue also ! lol.

just this new behavior with the food since 2 days ... wierd


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

He is 1 1/2 years old.
He is coming out of puppyhood. Is he neutered?

I guess different people have different ideas about what we have the right to do to dogs.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Just because you can do something with your dog, doesn't mean you should do it. 

Common sense says that you should NEVER lay down and kiss your dog on the nose while the dog is eating it's food. 

Common sense says to teach your children proper manners around dogs. 
If you (IN GENERAL) let your child lay down and kiss a dog on the nose (since someone brought the child example into this) while you (IN GENERAL) are feeding the dog, the dog and the child should be taken away from that person because that person is not fit to own a dog or raise children. 

Common dog sense really went out the window in this topic... unbelievable. 

I am sorry this sounds harsh. But the level of ignorance is astounding and there is just no nice way to say. At least not from my point of view.


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## MichaelE (Dec 15, 2012)

Unbelievable...


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

This just hurts my brain. I think if my husband tried to get in my face and kiss me while I was eating, I'd stab him with my fork. aranoid:

Anyways, most of us who CAN do whatever the heck we want to our dogs while they're eating 1. do NOT do it out of sheer common sense, and 2. took a long time to get that way. Yes, it's a granted that you should be able to take food, etc. HOWEVER, you are dealing with a dog who by the sounds of it does not have a lot of structure, who is dealing with hormonal shifts and adolescenthood, etc. A whole LOT of variables at play here. 

Ramp up the NILIF. Seriously ramp up obedience work. Teach your kids to do as you say and NOT as you do...give the dog space. For the love of God, leave the dog alone while he's eating. "Testing" this in any way is only asking for trouble and going to further impair the trust between you. In order for your dog to trust you, he has to see you as his leader- and the respect required to get that is a two-way street.

Don't even get me started on "I'm glad my girlfriend is around because I wanted to hurt my dog because _I_ did something stupid." Don't punish your dog for being a dog, who clearly has no idea what your expectations and rules are. That's not his fault, it's yours.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

It's something in the water I think.


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## Apoolutz (Jan 19, 2013)

Agree with Mrs.K


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Apoolutz said:


> Agree with Mrs.K


 
seconded.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

selzer said:


> It's something in the water I think.


It's got to be the water... :help:


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

No. What is so **** upsetting is that the dog had growled while the wife sort of petted the dog while it was eating. 

So the OP sets the dog up. The dog allowed the petting so the OP upped the ante. He got bit. What was he going to do if the dog just continued to eat? Would he have shoved his face in the dish and started eating the food? Was he going to shove his hand in the dog's mouth? 

Well now you know, your dog will bite under some circumstances. We could have saved you the bite and told you that. EVERY dog will bite if the situation is right for that dog. 

How completely unnecessary if this isn't just someone yanking our chains.


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## Izzy9 (Apr 15, 2013)

You SHOULD be able to touch your dog or take his/her food away or anything of that nature HOWEVER you cant just up and do it with most dogs and it takes training, trust and respect from the dog AND the owner to have a proper and healthy relationship where you can remove things of value to your dog whenever you so desire. DO NOT just up and do it UNLESS you have that sort of relationship with your dog. With that said getting down on all fours and doing the said behavior with a dog that just growled at your gf earlier was just flat out stupid and honestly you deserved getting bit. Sounds like you have some work to do with your dog. Good Luck!


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

selzer said:


> No. What is so **** upsetting is that the dog had growled while the wife sort of petted the dog while it was eating.
> 
> So the OP sets the dog up. The dog allowed the petting so the OP upped the ante. He got bit. What was he going to do if the dog just continued to eat? Would he have shoved his face in the dish and started eating the food? Was he going to shove his hand in the dog's mouth?
> 
> ...


That is why I asked if this is for real. This is unreal... the dog could have bit his face off... and then what? Dog put to sleep, owner disfigured for the rest of his life and what is won? NOTHING! Absolutely NOTHING! Just because people are so ignorant and do these things, expecting the dog not to react.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

I am thinking TROLL. 


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## Shaolin (Jun 16, 2012)

I was going to ask...I don't understand why people are so insistent on messing with their dogs while they are eating...

NILIF is the way to go just like everyone else said. 

If I have to take my dogs' food while he is eating for some reason, he is trained to sit *and* he gets something even better in return. I started this process from the very beginning when he was just a pup; I'd walk past his bowl and drop something super yummy in it so that he equated me being near his bowl while eating as a good thing. Then I progressed to having him sit and I put something awesome in his bowl. Last but not least, he sits, I pick up the bowl, and I give him something even better than I've ever given him. This took months of slowly building up to it. I would expect that, if I just randomly reached down and stole his bowl or "claimed" his bowl with body language and didn't have a reason for it or didn't give him something else, after several repeats, he would start getting cranky and start exhibiting Food Aggression: "I'm eating and she keeps taking the food away. Next time, I'm not going to let her do it..."

You get down on his level like that, what did you expect would happen? He thinks you are trying to steal his food. As for kids, you teach your kids not to mess with the dog while he's eating. You also train your dog to "leave it" and if the kids start messing with the dog, you correct both the kids and get the dog out of the situation.

I had kids in my home from 2 years old to 12 years old. They all were told, "Don't bother the dog when he's asleep, don't bother him while he's eating." If they messed with the dog while he was eating, the dog was told to "Leave it" and I yelled at the kids for doing it. I wouldn't set my dog up for failure by expecting him to be completely okay with a kid getting in his face while he's eating. In his face on a walk? That's one thing. In his face while eating? Completely different.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Shaolin said:


> I was going to ask...I don't understand why people are so insistent on messing with their dogs while they are eating...
> 
> NILIF is the way to go just like everyone else said.
> 
> ...


 
:thumbup::thumbup:


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