So Spud is 9 months old now.. we've always fed him in the kitchen away from our other dog who eats in the hallway. The cats also have the kitchen. Over the past few days he's been aggressively chasing, growling and basically attacking the cats if they walk past at tea time. The other night after his tea, our other dog wandered into the kitchen, there was no food around and he attacked him. Tonight he went for the cat. Then hours after their meal we were just sat in the kitchen and out of the blue he attacked our other dog. Is he also becoming possessive about the kitchen? I have moved the bowl away from the cats path at the other end of the kitchen but tonight he still growled when he thought they were near. I can go near him no problem. I try and read his body language but the most recent one with the cat he showed none, before he went for him. Food hadn't been put out then but we were preparing to feed. The only thing I can think of is he was the runt, and after he'd been here a couple of weeks the older dog did try and steal his food. I've contacted a behaviourist who has known him since 3 months so I hope she can help, but in the meantime I wonder if anyone has any insight? Other than that he's good, will walk with other dogs and will walk with the cats if they come too. It's literally just meal times. When I leave him he usually has his food in boxes/his Kong but I daren't do that now incase he kicks off. Thanks for reading
Hi @CBound you have done the correct thing in contacting a behaviourist who can come to your home and evaluate the situation. In the interim I strongly urge you to keep a detailed diary of the triggers that set off his undesirable behaviour. You give a heading that the aggression is around food. Your account at times does not follow that statement. You specify that one fight occurred hours after the meal. So there is more going on than resource guarding of food. It could be that he was resource guarding the kitchen where the food is prepared. Or he is resource guarding you. Or a certain spot. The behaviourist needs a detailed record of each and every event in order to attempt to work out the environmental triggers. A treatment plan cannot be initiated without that input. In saying that I offer an unfortunate warning, in controlling one trigger the aggressive behaviour can emerge from a new trigger. Detailed observations may be an on-going part of a treatment plan.
Hiya, thank you for your reply! Good idea about the diary, I will be getting one written up tonight to log into for sure! Yeah, I guess it’s mainly the food but as you say seems to be progressing outside of food so I’m going to be keeping an eye on anything that may trigger him The behaviourist has said in the meantime to hand feed him and make him work for his food. She’ll be coming before Thursday so hopefully we can keep things calm before then! Thank you for the warning on A new trigger possibly being formed too!
If the behaviourist is good and reputable, that is the best way forwards. Do make sure she doesn't use any aversives.... these can make the situation (and the guarding) worse. It sounds to me like he has grown up not feeling that his food is safe from the others (whether cats or dogs) - this may be because some have actually taken it off him, or it may just be because they are prowling around him threateningly at meal times. It may be only one animal has taken food off him, but he has generalised the threat to be all animals now. 9 months old is a typical time we see behavioural issues surfacing, so things being seemingly ok previously doesn't mean anything - he may have not felt confident enough to protect his food at a younger age, but he still felt the threat. It's really important when feeding animals together, that good routine and manners are shown around food. If animals are fed in the same room, their dishes should be put down in the same order and in the same spot. This makes everything more predictable. Dogs should not be allowed to finish their food and do anything to another dog still eating - they finish their food and go immediately out the room and their bowl is removed. Watch out for signs that a dog is not comfortable - eyes flickering towards other dogs whilst eating at the same time, trying to eat faster if another animal approaches etc - and take measures to feed that dog separately or further away. All my dogs train for their meals until they are around 2 years old at least, so they get fed separately until that age...
Hey Jo, thank you for your response! The behaviorist said trying to prevent it is the best way forward, and she thinks he may see the kitchen as his. She suggested feeding at different areas in the house, and hand feeding occasionally. He seems to be a lot better, and less anxious. The day after we started our new regime he did get angry as the closed door was nudged by a dog. I've been watching him closely, and instead of exploding, he is taking the time to think 'is this going to steal my food' at anything that moves. He'll look then carry on eating. Mealtimes are always pretty routine, and I'm working towards him understanding that the food isn't just there, he has to work for it too
