My puppy skyler growls and bits when someone touches him when he is eating his food. I have a 2 year old son who does not know not to touch him. I want my puppy to stop but how can i get him to stop? please email me if u have any ideas. My puppy is mixed with German shepherd and rott. so he will big and i want him to get out the habit while he is still a pup

This sounds like a dominance thing to me. I have experienced it myself.
Do you let the dog sleep on the bed? Do you let him up on the sofa? If these are a yes then you are giving the dog dominance (although it is nice to let them do it). Also, do you baby the puppy a lot and let him get away with doing lots of things that it maybe shouldnt. If ths is the case, then it is again, giving him dominance.
You need to show the pup who is boss and when he is eating, you should be able to take the bowl away and feel comfortable doing it. Maybe feed him on a lead so that if you need to, you can tug it back a bit.
It will be worth it in the end, I wish you the best of luck.

How old is Skyler?

I suggest you handfeed your puppy for a while, just so he realises that YOU give him the food. Also make him sit, and leave, before he gets it. Keep your son away - put the dog in the kitchen to eat and use a babygate :)

Come back on and tell us more about Skyler :)

Hi,
I actually DONT think its dominance at all, i think its a young dog who does NOT like being messed with whilst he is eating, saying so!

He is giving you a warning, if you were to implement a dominance reduction program you might very well just discourage the dog from making any warning gestures at all, which will result in a dog that will eventually bite first, adn then ask questions after.

Firstly, and i think more importantly than anything else, TRAIN YOUR CHILD. If that isnt possible, then rehome the dog. Sorry to be harsh here, but you owe both your child and your dog the right to a safe and happy life, and neither of them are capable of fending for themselves.

Teach your child that he must NEVER go near the dog whilst he is eating, and, teach the dog the same about the child.

Hand feed your dog yourself, or do the 4 bowl trick, that involves dropping food into four empty bowls, in turn, spaced out quite far appart, this should teach the dog that food comes from you, it is not a particularly precious resource and is plentiful.

How old is your pup? How many meals is he getting a day? This problem may well be occuring if he is not getting enough meals per day, adn percieves your son as a threat.

Em

Nothing against you personally, but, that is one of the reasons I never sell puppies to anyone who has children under 5 yrs of age. been there and worn the t shirt!!!!!!!!!! my puppies are doing the same thing at the moment, so im feeding them separately and putting more food into the bowls whilst they are feeding, the new owners will be told to do the same thing.

I personally wouldn't have entertained buying a GSD/Rott Pup if I had a child of two you have got two breeds there who can be dominant if not trained correctly. Like Irene I do not sell to homes with very young children. No reflection anybody who does, but just my rules!!

But saying that you now have both, so I would suggest that the pup is put well away from the child when he is eating!!! Although saying that you should teach your child not to touch the dog when eating sleeping or playing with toys.

You must though make sure that he isn't allowed to get away with the same behaviour with you.

Take notice of the suggestion on here and implement asap.

I agree completely. All my dogs (adult rescues) let me do anything with their food, because they know from day 1 I supply it (I start with hand feeding) and don't take it away (as a result I can take it away if necessary). I free feed, in the sense that I feed small portions of dry food and top them up when the bowls are empty - all the dogs then know that food is there if they want it and don't get possessive - they also all regulate their own eating (none are overweight). I can introduce new dogs into the house without any problems over food - they get the hang of the food situation very quickly.

However, regardless of how friendly and easy going my dogs are, I would never let a 2 year child touch them when eating (although I can sit stroking them, should I want to!). It's not fair on the dogs - 2 year olds do not touch dogs in the way older children and adults do. The child needs to be kept away from the dog when eating. The adult needs to ensure that s/he does have control over the food (but don't do the taking away treatment - you need to be able to do that in an emergency only and making the dog happy that you supply the food makes you able to take away with all but the most aggressive/screwed up dogs) and the suggestions offered (hand feeding, adding food to bowls, etc) do work. But don't have the 2 year old around when you are doing this.

Something that occurs to me a lot when reading these threads, is this.
Exactly HOW much messing about is a dog expected to tolerate?

Dont our dogs have a right to some peace and quiet, time to chill out, and enjoy their dinners?

I sure as h3ll would not be happy with toddlers or adults prodding, poking, sticking their fingers in my dinner, or taking it away. Nor would i be happy with constant pestering from people to perform tricks, play, perform strict obediance etc.

As part of sharing my life with my animals, i believe it is necessary to RESPECT them, as much as it is necessary to love them.
I am not suggesting for one minute that we dont train our dogs, i firmly believe that an untrained dog is not a happy one, but lots of people come on message boards (not just this one, i post on several) complaining that their dog wont put up with certain things, predominantly kids messing them about!

There does seem to be a lot of people out there who must constantly reaffirm their so called 'status' over thier dog at every opportunity, by taking away food bowls and the like. Why? I know i CAN take away a food bowl if a wish too, i just dont wish too. I havent done anything specific to train this at all, maybe im just lucky, maybe its cos i HAVENT messed about with preconcieved ideas of what i should and shouldnt be doing.

I really do think, that a lot of co-habiting with animals is more down to simple common sense than any fantastic new method of dog training, wether thats the JFennell method, or the John Fisher method, or the old fashioned 'show em who is boss' method.

Common sense tells me, very easily (unless i really do naturally think like a dog) that a dog who is constantly annoyed over a precious resource like food will eventually give out warnings, followed by snapping, and biting.
That is to me the same as the child whose older sibling keeps stealing his chips off his dinner plate. First a shout, then a tantrum, then a stab in the back of the hand with a fork. (that actually did happen when i was a kid!)
Another one; If you beat or scare a child that messes its pants in front of you, when you are attempting to potty train it, it wont take long for the child to go somewhere else to do it.
What it WONT do is encourage the child to associate the feeling of needing to go toilet, with letting an adult know.
So, why do people think that puppies are much different? Many people still feel the need to punish a pup for toiletting in front of them, all this acheives is the pup toiletting away from the owner, AND stopping it from asking to go out!

There does seem to be a lot of blind faith in books, tv dog trainers and posters on message boards.
Use common sense! Im sure we must all have some, and if you HAVENT got any common sense, dont get a dog!!!! (or, it would appear, a child, hehehe, thats why i dont have one!)

Em, (sorry, rant over)

Spot on, Em! :)
A good 'leader' doesn't have to ram the point home at every opportunity - it's accepted.

Unfortunately, "common sense" doesn't seem to be very common after all!

Hi Em

I agree with a lot of what you say, but on the other hand, I feel slightly different on the role of the dog in the house

We do think the same about food possessiveness, I have never ever had it - I guess its just that they know from the way we live together that any one of us could remove food without a problem - I agree, there is no need to keep reinforcing it... but I do think there is a need to occasionally remove food, hand feed and do the 4 bowl trick through puppyhood.

In my house, the dog is bottom of the food chain, he does what he's told (in theory :)), understands that he must respect the members of the family by not growling (ever), allowing any member of the family to mess around with his food (he does), and for that, he has a great life, he's allowed on the sofa's, the beds, and wherever he likes - he understands his place automatically - we have no need for "dominance" stuff.

There seems to be a lot of animosity toward children on this board at times, and I find it very hard to understand how anyone could put the life and happiness of a dog over a child. At the end of the day, if the child is naughty, unruly, or unkind to a dog, then its not the childs fault - at 2 or 3 they are only just exploring and look toward the parents for guidance - its the parents that use the dogs as a plaything for the child...a kind of living toy . I feel very angry toward people who allow a toddler to taunt a long suffering family pet, because as always its the dog that suffers, or the child when the dog lashes out. But I don't like the way that people blame the child - at 2 years old, what do they honestly expect?

Chloe :)

You're right of course, Chloe, I can't bear anyone who treats a dog as a plaything or an 'accessory'. It's certainly the parents' duty to 'keep the peace' as it were, and make sure that as well as the children being protected from the dog, the dog is also protected from the children! This of course means training the children, and we all know people whose attitude is "my child wouldn't do anything like that, he's a good boy at heart". Some people won't train their children to be responsible, and it is generally their dogs who are a menace, because they aren't trained, either.
:)

Exactly... there is nothing better than watching Willis when the kids come home - he is usually sitting at the door waiting, and as soon as they come in this huge Great Dane gives em both a lick and nibbles Zacks ear (he's 3).

It's a great relationship, isn't it? Clover has always adored my boy, and still prefers him to us - even though I can count on the fingers of one hand the times he's fed or walked her!

I confess when I had the baby I knew more about raising puppies than I did children, so I raised him as another puppy! (Bonios make great teething rusks!) At 2 he could do an excellent sit/stay. It just seemed so natural and so much easier to treat them all with the same discipline, love and respect rather than differentiate between them.

It's worked for us!
:)

Bonios as teething rusks??

Blimey! :D

Jo

I totally agree with what has been said and also brought Florence up as one of the dogs ! I still call her my little puppy :)

Lucy

So I'm not the only one then.

Christopher responds to sit, stay and recalls on a whistle. Didn't get quite as far a bonio rusks, but nearly.

Chloe & Jeangenie, you have both said what I think. The once Christopher did maul (contrary to parental advice) too much I allowed Ash the one small nip he gave - and that was the end of it. No more mauling, no need to nip. They get on famously. If Christopher does accidentally tread on or hit one of the dogs he is made to apologise - and generally gets a sloppy wet kiss in return.

JG, couldn't have said it better - love and respect not differentation.

Julia & hooligans

It seems that people find it so difficult to find a balance... I would never say "treat the dog as a child" because its a DOG!! If my house was on fire then I would save my children before my dog for example, but that doesn't mean the dog is allowed to be mauled, and nor does it mean the dog is allowed to push the kids round either.

Does that make sense :)

Perfect sense.

To me anyway:)

Julia & Hooligans

When I had my Belgian shepherd, I always ensured that if she was finding kids company too much that she could have time out. she would come to me and I would let her upstairs to chill.

The only time I caught my then two year old daughter pulling her ruff in temper, I went over and pulled her pigtails hard, and when tears welled up, I told her it hurt Saga too, and never to do it again. The two of them were inseperable, but she was sometimes uneasy around a lot of screaming kids, but had been taught to come to me if ever she felt uneasy.

My elkhounds are more tolerant/thick skinned, but again have never had to endure too much in the way of rough handling or pestering from my or others kids, so tend to view them as food and pat dispensers.

Me and the kids can remove anything from a dogs mouth, as we would practice this when they were pups. Taking things gently with a give command, giving a treat, and returning the bone chew whatever. I would do this, and then supervise the kids doing it, and food guarding, even from other canines is not an issue in our house. they all know that I will not let anyone take their dinner, so see no need to guard it.

That's how i taught my dogs :) - teach the "Give", take the bone, give reward and return the bone or chew.

Lindsay

I believe that it is important for the dog to learn right from the beginning that people are the mega of the pack. Children included. If you are getting or have a dog for a pet not a breeder but a inside dog. Then the dog should know what is and is not acceptable. Aggression while eating playing or any other time should never be accepted. If the dog respects you then when he eats bother the heck out of him speaking with a high happy voice like talking to a child. If he growls then with a deep strong voice say no, then distact with a toy or reach in and take food out of the bowl and give it with your hand. As he takes the food say good boy or girl and talking sweetly to it. My grandchildren can take anything from any of my dogs with out the least objection. It is from training not just temperment. The dog learns what you teach it. Even if you don't want the child to touch the dog while it's eating you still need to make sure that if it did happen the dog tolerates it. Just in case.
Good luck
Deb

I agree with what you say, Deb - sound advice. I'm a little confused about "getting a dog for a pet not a breeder but an inside dog". All the breeders I know keep their dogs as indoor pets.....
:)

Sorry, here in the US, many breeders have dogs in Kennels and they are not in the homes as pets. Sad as that sounds it's kind of the way some of them do it. I just ment a dog that lives in the home needs to know what is expected of them. It's only fair to them to be taught the rules so they can live in harmony with the family. The dogs in kennels sometimes don't need all the same training as their role is different. They don't intereact with the family much. If they do then they also need to learn inside manners.

Even dog that spend a lot of their time in a kennel environemtn have to spend some time indoors, and the saem rules of behaviour apply.

In USA a lot of show dogs spend their time in Hotel Rooms and in Motorhomes in close quarters, so 'Good Manners' are equally important. The dogs also have to be tolerant of handling to be shown. Most show sogs that I have met are a lot more tolerant than the average pet dog. They have to stay quietly on benches/on cratgfes next to completely strange dogs and people, tolerate a lot of travelling and unfamiliar places etc.

Yopu would be surprised that most to the eye kennel dogs actually spend a lot of time with the owner/breeder, albeit on a rota system if a lot of gos are kept. The more dogs that are kept the more likely that certain individuals don't mix well, and there is a limit to how many can be happily accomodated at once in the living room.

My dogs spend all their days indoors, just nipping in the garden for a pee, but they sleep out in a kennel, as four dog beds do not comfortably fit in the kitchen. Though I primarily originally got a kennel to help with puppy rearing, so that pups could spend daytime outdoors once they had outgrown an indoor puppy pen. A litter of pups play and sleep and play and sleep, so they need some shelter when they are spending time outdoors. It also means that the pups can sleep in kitchen without displacing the adults.

Hi, I just wanted to comment on the point that you will not sell to people with very young children. I have a little girl who is almost 3 and two boxers, one 18 month and one 14 months, both are excellent with her, as she is with them.She has been involved in all their training and they obey all of the commands she says to them. I think dogs and children can be great companions and an excellent combination, if done in the correct way. I would be interested to hear other peoples opinions about this. Louise.
I would also like to make a comment to theemx, who said TRAIN YOUR CHILD, both my dogs know that my child is above them, and that not only do i supply the food but so does she, so in turn she can take it away too. I think the most important thing would be to spend more time training the dog, and I think you need to keep in mind that the child is only 2. I think it would maybe a good idea to try letting the child feed the dog by hand under close supervision, and rather than "train" the child to leave the dog alone while feeding, train the dog to let the child be close while feeding. Louise.

[deleted]

Hi, firstly I would like to ask why you wouldn't let your child feed you dog? My daughter has been doing this since day one, and we have never ever had any problems. I too agree a child needs to be taught, but also so does the dog. They both need to be taught how to act and behave around each other. Just because my child has been involved in training and feeding does not make her badly behaved, and she certainly does not prod, poke, or pull at my dogs, she treats them with respect, and they do they same with her.
I would also have to disagree with the fact that a dog cannot have peace when there is a toddler around, my dogs have their own space, where they can be away from her when they wish and she knows to leave them alone when they go there.
The point I would like to make is that when you own a dog when you have children you need to train the dog as much as you learn the child.
Oh, and to your comment about simple common sense, what if the child had never been near the dog while feeding then after x amount of time they did? At least I know neither of my dogs wouldn't do a thing, as she has always been involved in their feeding. I also know that having raised my dogs with children, if they came in to contact with another child I could trust them as much as is possible.
Louise.