11 month old dog suddenly displaying aggression with food

[sianyb]

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Hello,

I'm hoping someone will be able to shed some light on my dog's new behaviour; he is an 11 month old un-neutered golden retriever cross poodle and has thus far been nothing but gentle-natured. He is very friendly and social with people and other dogs (albeit a little boisterous) and has never been possessive over toys or food. On Christmas Day he showed aggression for the first time towards my mum's dog who had received a treat (immediately after he had had his); he turned on her snarling and snatched it from her. As he is so large and she is a Yorkshire terrier, and he hadn't acted this way before, this was frightening to see. I put it down to the unfamiliar environment and excitement of being around so many people and took him home to calm down. However today my partner took him to our regular park where he was playing with his regular playmate when the other dog's owner dropped his box of treats. My dog immediately snatched it up and ran away with it, not listening to commands. My partner called and called him to no avail and eventually went to retrieve him where he became defensive and apparently aggressive, growling at him and refusing to give up the plastic box. My partner continued to take it off him as he had cut his mouth trying to get into it and he snarled at him. In the meantime the other dog had come over and my dog turned on him and snapped at him, apparently making contact but causing no damage.

Does anybody have any thoughts/theories? Has this been the case with your dogs at this age? As I mentioned, he is un-neutered as our dog trainer who did a wonderful job with him as a young puppy strongly suggested that (responsibly kept) un-neutered dogs experience far fewer health problems. I hadn't heard this before, but she had plenty of literature to back it up. Do you think this could be the beginning of aggression as a result of being un-neutered? Or is there something else that may have caused this. I really want to nip this in the bud.

Thank you very much in advance!

 

[gypsysmum2]

Un neutered dogs are not necessarily aggressive. They are, however, more reactive if they do show aggression. So if they are going to guard food they will be quicker to do so. than an unneutered dog. There are health pros and cons for neutering. Testicular cancer is prevented by neutering. Ligament problems are thought to be worse in neutered dogs etc. It is up to you to decide which is best for your dog. Behaviourally dogs are better left entire until they reach sexual maturity at around 18 months of age when they should be cocking their legs as a sign.

Resource guarding is hard to treat because people get so agitated that their dog should dare to snap at another dog or at their owner. Do be reassured that resource guarding can stop just there and go no further. It does not mean he cannot be trusted on other areas of his daily management. The first thing to do is not challenge him and deprive him of the very thing he is desperate to keep.

In the two instances you describe he has objected when food is taken from him. Has he ever had this happen to him? Has anyone offered him food, for instance, and then not given it to him. Or dropped food and chastised him for "stealing" it. Dogs do not have morals and do not know that it is wrong to hang on to what they see as a life saving commodity.

The way forward is to teach him that you, and other dogs. are no threat to him when food is around. Do not let anyone, ever, take his food bowl away or tease him with treats. You can teach him impulse control around food but it can be a dangerous thing to do and would be best demonstrated by someone with experience. Your trainer, provided she uses modern methods, may be able to help.

One thing you may be able to, safely, do is to approach his food bowl and toss tasty treats in to the bowl. Only go as close as he is comfortable with and stop while you are ahead. He should start to welcome you around his food if he realises that you bring extra goodies with you and never take what he has got.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but the incident with your mum's little dog was perfectly natural in that situation. He is not used to sharing food with that dog and so thought his food was being given away.

In the park, his emotions after stealing the treat box, were heightened and he would see those treats disappearing for good if he gave them up. It is a survival instinct to hang on to food. Remember he does not have morals. He just sees food and his instincts tell him to hang on to it.

Prevention is paramount. Don't put him in the position of having food around where he might think it could be stolen from him. This may mean giving him lots of space around other dogs. Over time train him that you, and other dogs, are no threat to him having food even if he has to wait a second or two to get his.

 

[JoanneF]

Excellent piece on resource guarding from Gypsysmum.

Excellent piece on resource guarding from Gypsysmum. I also wondered if him hitting adolescence might be a factor too?

 

[sianyb]

Thank you so much for your advice and reassurance. So much of what you've said makes sense; and yes in hindsight he always eats alone so of course being fed with another dog would be strange for him. I have never known anyone to tease him with food, and certainly it doesn't happen in our household, but he has been around a lot of people. I'd like to think no one I know is silly enough to do this. And in actual fact he "stole" a whole gammon out of the bottom of the fridge whilst it was open and was chastised for that so that is an instance that may have stood out.

I will relay all this back to my partner so that we can be careful to adjust our own behaviour. We are normally quite good at ignoring undesirable behaviour and rewarding good, and now that I know the psychology behind this it makes it easier to see how we should adjust our response.

Thanks again for your excellent response.

Sian