So confused!!

[wiggal]

Hey all,

I have a 4 year old male Samoyed, and a 6 month old CKCs x American cocker spaniel.

I posted recently about Cleo growling over food, and now Im even more confused!

Cleo growls over her food, yet is fine over me taking her treats and stuff off her,

Ashke is fine with food, yet grumbles and growls at Cleo going near his chewy treats and toys!

Ashke mostly lives outside in is kennel and run. I woud love for him to be in more, but after a while he just cries by the door to go back outside so he can dig more holes and bark at the neighbours lol!

Ashke & Cleo get on fantastically, they play together, and when Ashke is indoors they cuddle up and sleep together.
I'm just getting abit confused about Cleo being ok eith treats, yet stroppy with food, yet Ashke is ok with fod, and stroppy with Cleo going near treats.

I understand the resource protectiveness, I just seem to have one dog doing one thing, and another doing the opposite!

I adore all my animals, each and everyone individually, they mean everything to me! Which is why I want to find as much as I can now, so that we can sort out all problems and live in harmony (lol!)

So confused!! lol!!

[helen156]

For Cleo - This isn't so much a resource protectiveness issue as a territory one.
As far as she is concerned you are ahead of her in the pack and entitled to show dominance by taking her treats. The food in her bowl is different because the bowl only has her scent not yours and is therefore her sole territory.

As for Ashke - It's similar but he considers the toys to be part of his territory and is pushing his dominance over Cleo. It's all about the pack mentality

Hope that helps

[kita1]

Different dogs value different things. Cleo obviously values food higher than anything else therefore guards it. I would do as lankeela suggested in your other thread and put a long lead on her at feeding times. Then call her away from the bowl and give her a treat if she comes away willingly - if she doesn't come away you can pull her away with the lead without escalating things or putting your hands where they can be bitten!

Ashke obviously values toys/treats higher than food. Does he let you take them away? If not then I would do the same procedure with him - when he has toys/treats I would have him wearing a long lead and go through exactly the same process. If he is just growling at the pup for getting too cheeky and trying to take toys etc. out of his mouth then I would just let them get on with it! Pups can push their luck and older dogs may sound like they are doing alot of damage but they will not actually harm the pup. Pup has to learn some boundaries/rules! I am sure the cats will also tell her off if she gets too pushy!

[wiggal]

Hey,

Thanks for your replies!

If Ashke is growling at Cleo for going near his toys, and I go to try and take the toy away, he will try and hide it from me or turn his back, but he will give it to me without growling or anything!

So it would seem, Ashke is fine with grumbling at Cleo, it is just Cleos growling over food that we need to deal with!

Could the fact she is a cross between 2 spaniels play any part in it? I have been notorious for being greedy over food!?

ta xx