Miila snipping at Mugsy...

[cali~jenn]

Miila is starting to get crazy with Mugsy when it is feeding time. Hope the spaying will help some. Last night when I fed them they all ate and Mugsy was still eating cuz his mouth is smaller and it takes him much longer. Anyhow she went after his food and they got into it. I pulled her back from him but in the process she bit me, on purpose. lol Not to the point of broken skin but that welt that comes from their scratches. She knew she bit me and did it on purpose cuz she wanted me to let her go. . So I pinned her on her back and her struggle was so little, I waited till she was very mellow then let her up. Well today I made sure to stand there until Mugsy finished eating and so then I let her go and she did it again, with no food. So again with being pinned. She didn’t bite me this time tho so that’s good. I think this is just the beginning of the attitude for her unless she gets fixed and I step in. Luckily I do know better now than I did with Cutty BUT I still am not that great at this stuff. lol. I think with Cutty we didn’t nip it in the butt fast enough and then when we tried it was too late. BUT when there is no food they seem to get along pretty well mostly. Posting to get opinions and if I am doing it right. Maybe make her wait to eat till after the boys? But then I am the one trying to control their order instead of them, gosh this is so hard. lol

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

.. Poor Jenn! I have to guard Denas food..but Jake just wants to inhale hers too! He has never acted grumpy about it! I think she is feeling more comfortable with you..and testing your resolve. I wouldn't give an inch to her..I would make her eat last and keep being the boss! Or pack leader! My Dena is the slowest eater in the world..and I draw an invisible boundary around her when eating.Jake isn't allowed into her sphere!

 

[cali~jenn]

Well I am not giving an inch if I can help it cuz I am not about to have her get attitude with me. She really is a total sweetheart, just testing me. Like you said she is feeling comfortable now and seeing what she can do. I think I will feed her last tonight and see how that goes. Probably the distraction of knowing her bowl is still sitting there is enough to keep her mind off Mugsy anyhow. I just get confused on messing with their pecking order. Right now her and Mugsy are struggling I think to find their place. Mugsy knows his place is behind Cutty but knowing that Miila is behind him is another thing. I know they need to figure this out but I want to do it the best way so maybe me reinforcing Mugsy as the middle man is the right thing.

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

They will figure it out..but her going after you or anyone over control of the food is what you are concerned with! They will get their order together over other things..no biting allowed! I would ALWAYS step in and claim the leader! You'll do fine..follow your instincts! Chant after me..I am the pack leader..I am the pack leader..and a little shove to Miss Miila will help too!

 

[Vicaroo1000]

Bo will try for Bea's food and most of the time, she'll let him have it. She's the slowest eater in life. Nibble...nibble...nibble. It drives Bo nuts because he's a canine garbage disposal. Gulp. Gulp. Gulp. He almost choked to death as a puppy one time from gulping his food. (THAT was a scary morning let me tell you) When Bea is eating something she really likes or is "into", she'll growl at him and let him know that she's not ready to give up her leftovers. Otherwise, I make him wait until she walks completely away from her dish before he can "clean up". Have you ever seen Cesar Millan talk about how they feed the pack at the dog psychology center? Very interesting indeed! 40 dogs and no one fights with anyone else. Amazing!

 

[cali baker]

[MENTION=390]cali~jenn[/MENTION], i feel for you b/c this is exactly what i've been going thru w/Finn and Tate.

It happens every single meal time; they eat on opposite ends of the kitchen at the same time, as soon as they are finished, Finn will approach Tate (or Tate may walk close to Finn), and Finn starts his growling at Tate. Eventually, this will lead to a big, ferocious fight. It's really distressing. I've tried standing in between them while they're eating, and afterwards I'll block Finn from going to Tate and vice versa, and lately, I've just been sending Finn to his crate immediately after he eats. It's quite habitual for Finn to growl at Tate and to pick a fight. Sometimes i just don't know what to do myself.

This a.m. i even resorted to putting Finn's bowl in his crate to eat there but then they fought afterwards. This happens with snack time too so i really have to keep an eye out that Finn does not attack Tate during that time either.

I've been toying with the idea of calling a behaviorist to come in and see what's happening. Tate seriously does nothing that i can see to instigate a fight...it's just Finn's way of showing Tate who is boss. He doesn't growl at me however which is a GOOD thing but this growling and fighting w/his brother...man, that's gotta stop! Finn's had so many time-outs in his crate...he even knows he has to go in there after eating b/c all i do is point to the crate and he goes! I'm at my wit's end too...

 

[cali~jenn]

Oh boy [MENTION=1904]cali baker[/MENTION] You are having a rough time. Well hopefully this post will help you also. Everything has been good up until this point. They all eat at the same exact time. I make them all sit and stay until I am done and ready for them to start eating. I figured this was the best way to avoid this but maybe time to step it up. lol. Mugsy and Cutty always have shared a food bowl so they dotn have much a problem. Rarely they have a little tiff but nothing to be worried about. I can see that Mugsy is watching her like a hawk so the 2 of them are definitely struggling for the right pecking order. [MENTION=2614]Vicaroo1000[/MENTION] I know I have seen but it has been a long while since I have seen his show now. I usually would want to watch it n the evenings after the kis go to sleep but then the pups all wanna bark at the dogs on tv so that is not the best time these days. lol. How does he do it? 1 at a time? I cant remember. Gosh I wish I knew that man, he is really talented isnt he?!

 

[cali baker]

[MENTION=390]cali~jenn[/MENTION], yeah, thanks for starting this thread! i can use the advice here as well. Like i mentioned, I use the crate as a "time out" for Finn, so I don't know if that would help w/Milla or not or if you have to resort to that. I know you're not supposed to use their crate as "punishment" but I don't even think Finn thinks of it as punishment b/c he loves going in his crate! I just want him to know that growling equals "NOT GOOD"! I've also tried squirting water at him whenever he growls, maybe you can try that w/Milla? for me tho it didn't work b/c the sprayer only gives a very gentle mist and he loved it whenever i would do that to him! ugghh....

oh, and the other thing i have tried is putting his harness and leash on while he's eating dinner so that way i have more control over him if he is tempted to strike out at Tate. Not the most ideal thing of course, but something i do when i just don't know what else to do!

 

[2BullyMama]

We had this issue with Banks... she would try to eat Nitschke's food, push him or growl and he would just walk away. so, it took weeks to train her, but it has lasted years.... she always sits at the foot of the sink until we tell her she can go to the bowl. If she moves, the wait is longer. We also made her watch him eat... and she ate from the same bowl. She never ate before him... always after even with treats

 

[bubbaisapig]

[MENTION=390]cali~jenn[/MENTION] I totally agree with you! When I first got Bubba, he was like he had never eaten in his life (although he was the biggest in the litter). He had no manners at all with my other two terriers with eating. It took a couple of days to catch on with the feeding routine. First time..took about 15 min to understand what i wanted.. Made him sit, as well as the others, and they were not allowed to go to their bowls unless I allowed them to. Bubba tried to go to the other dogs bowls at first, but perserverance paid off! He was never allowed to go near the other dogs bowls unless they walked away. This took a littler longer to accomplish. I had to stand in the kitchen to reinforce this behavior. Any time he approached the other dogs..he was taken a few feet back. Now..all the dogs wait till i allow them to get their food and bubba doesn't ever approach the other dogs bowls. it takes a while..but worth the effort. I'm not an expert but..just removing them or feeding them in different places doesn't seem to resolve the problem. You need to take control and stick by you and you are the pack leader!

 

[Vicaroo1000]

[MENTION=390]cali~jenn[/MENTION] - it would probably serve you well to rent or buy the videos. Why don't you start with my favorite: "How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond"? It's a video, a audio book and a DVD. I enjoy watching the parts featuring Mr. President, the English Bulldog Puppy. He's ADORABLE! (and the naughtiest dog of all) You can download it from Amazon to your computer. I learn something new everytime I watch it - truly - and I've watched the thing a dozen times or more.

@jackdaniels - there's a great section on potty training too.

[MENTION=2308]bubbaisapig[/MENTION] is right about separating them: it doesn't serve you for the long term. (Been there, done that)

I wish we all lived closer! I'd host a "Dog Whisperer Party" and we could all sit here, enjoy a good meal and some fun vodka drinks and watch the show together! *sigh* What fun that would be!

 

[cali~jenn]

Thanks you guys for all your replies! [MENTION=2614]Vicaroo1000[/MENTION] that is my kinda of gathering. hahaha Well here is the update since i last checked in. I started feeding Miila last which is THE SADDEST and hardest thing to do, my gosh. She just sits there with her tongue poking out but it is the wettest tippy ever with little bubbles coming off it. Anyhow, I have fed both boys at the same time first while she waits. I have her food in my hand so she is distracted from the boys and their food until she gets used to this routine. As sad as it makes me to torture her this way it has worked great. Mugsy is long done when she starts so there is no reason for a fight. Lets hope this gets easier to do tho cuz I feel so mean. lol They arent seperated, they are all in the garage when they eat just spaced out enough to be out of eachothers way. I am still open to any and all thoughts on this since behavioral issues is where I need more experience by far. I will be adding this Cesar video to my list as well.