Please help me!!!!  Our 3 month old GR, Misty, is doing great with her food, finishes it all and I have been able to take things away from her .... that is until just now.....

She somehow managed to get hold of a cereal bar (apple and cranberry I think :D) so I went up to her saying "no and went to take it off her as I have before and she really growled at me (and I mean a real meaty deep throated growl ).  Unfortunately I automatically jumped back, more in shock that she did that than anything else, so I tried again and the same thing happened, only louder.

Is this normal?  How do I stop it or can't I?  I know its a natural thing for dogs to do but I have always managed to take things off her before without any problems including hide and apples etc.

Hope someone on here can help :) :)
Kerri x

Hi Kerrib,

Misty is still very young and she got hold of something which she viewed (and tasted) as a *highly prized food source*  - far too tasty to let someone steal it from her, hence the *meaningful* growl :)

When training pups or even older dogs to give over something they really like the best way is to swap with something equally valuable.  This works the same with items of clothing / bedding / toys etc.   Obviously the fruit bar was better than, for eg, a piece of dry kibble but had you tried to swap the food bar with for eg a piece of cheese she'd probably quite happily have dropped it :P   Even really messy bones can be sacrificed (often for another really messy bone :D ) if you teach the "drop to swap" method.   As she matures mentally, she will realise she has no need to "guard" food, treats, toys etc because she is in no danger of having them pilfered :)

12 week "snarling darlings" are not altogether rare - just let them get their needle like teeth around something extra tasty / interesting and even the most sweet natured pup who hasn't yet learned manners will respond as Misty did.

HTH, regards Teri   

LOL - very sensible advice compared to my particular approach. When Willis tried this at 3 months I jumped on him, wrestled him to the ground and removed the offending article. SO now he steals stuff and runs off in the hope I'll do it again LOL :D :D :D

LOL @ ChloeH :D  truth be told I think the "snarling darling" variety are hilarious - don't let on though! :P

Me too. Willis would do this big manly growl - at 8 weeks. He just used to wander around growling to himself for no particular reason :D :D

He growls now though and Phoebe's ears fly back with the force LOL. He normally does this with such ferocity at Phoebe when he has a toy  and she doesn't dare come in the room, but he gives them up to us ok so we did something right :D

My dearly adored but sadly departed first male Cosworth was a grumbleweed all his days :D  Used to grumble at everything and everyone unless they had food - then they were his bestest friend but as soon as he'd polished off their plate he'd growl at them and wander away with much muttering :D :D :D  Didn't have a bad bone in his body but was an accomplished conversationalist (in bad words :D )

Kerri, are you clicker training her?  I don't remember.  If so, when she has something you want, you need to get a really tasty titbit (tastier than what she has), say "Leave" and wave it under her nose.  When she drops it to get the titbit, you click and then you lure her away from the dropped object with the titbit.  While you feed the titbit with one hand, you pick up the object with the other hand.

The more you do this, the more your "Leave" command will be established.  As she gets better and better at it, soon you won't need to wave the titbit under her nose - she will drop the object in anticipation of the titbit.  It's really important that when you pick the object up you do it without her seeing you.  You need to pretend complete disinterest in the objects, so make sure you pick them up while she is looking the other way, eating a titbit you have either chucked or are feeding her with the other hand!

I have never had a dog that has growled at me with food but my JRT will take things and run behind the sofa knowing whichever way I try to get in he can get out the other way and keep his prized possesion.
So i don't bother even trying to approach him as it will just become a game to him and i will get frustrated.  I just walk to the fridge get a tasty bit of ham and throw bits leading out of the door that he runs and gobbles up.  As soon as he exits the door I shut it and retrieve what he had from behind the sofa.
Just offer something tastier than what she already has, don't make a thing out of it.
All my other dogs have just stood there while I remove it from thier mouth, but he is a cheeky monkey.

Hi 123.  I did think about clicker training but the puppy classes I go to don't use it in their normal training (first class last night!!) so have decided to try without it.  To be honest I didn't even think about offering her anything else when I tried to take away the cereal bar - I think I was too stunned to react any differently :rolleyes:

Since then, whenever she has disappeared with other things she shouldn't (long list!!) I have used the titbits as you suggested and it has worked every single time (fingers crossed!) even a food carton that had remnants of chicken on it she quite happily dropped when I offered a smelly piece of hotdog sausage .  :D  Its going to be a long process and I know she is still young but at least I am now on the right tracks (I hope!!)
:D :D

our scottie pup is very vocal with his food as well - especially if our Staffie goes anywhere near him, but she usually barks in his ear and he drops it for her - we're trying to encourage him to share but still let the staffie be the alpha dog - he's started taking his food into the back garden and burying it as well which out staffie has never done - he's not aggressive with  it just very vocal and doesn't mind if we take his food away