# Dog is too possessive, she won't share food/toys with other dogs



## mims (Aug 19, 2010)

Hi, I need your help. My dog is 2 years old bitch from shelter. She is very sweet, not a bit aggressive towards people or other dogs. Until they don't want to come close to her food or toys. She starts growling, tail up, body is stiff. She has not attacked any dog yet but I fear she might soon and I really want to prevent it. Any ideas how to make her less possessive of food/toys/plastic bottles, just anything she can find outside?
I really don't know where it comes from, she is pretty submissive, when meeting other dogs that are not too friendly she ignores them and never attacks or even growls, she lays on her back when meeting bigger dogs but when she has anything in her mouth, she becomes someone else and has no problems to snarl even at dog twice her size.
When we play, we both growl but I can tell the difference, it's never "serious". When she becomes a bit too excited I stop our play and wait until she calms down and she accepts it without snarling or anything. 
So what do I do? Take the toy/stick/whatever away and give it to the other dog or put her on leash so she can't play or should I just let her be?

Thanks for any help!


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## Guest (Oct 1, 2010)

You are obviously reading her right! The tail up being an attempt to make themselves look bigger - normally prior to attack!

With a rescue would not know where to tell you to start, as no one knows what has gone on before! I am not a fan of behaviorists but may be worth someone else observing her behavior to see if they can come up with anything! but as I said - you seem to have worked it out for yourself!

That said - will she allow you to take toys from her?

The food guarding could be that she has gone hungry in the past!

DT


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## mims (Aug 19, 2010)

Thanks for the quick reply!
Actually I'm planning to see a behaviorist soon to see me work with my dog, to tell me how to react but I thought I'd ask here first.

Yes, I guess she is guarding food because she is a rescue and she probably used to leave her food to bigger dogs (she was very thin when I got her and her teeth are not teeth of a two years old dog with healthy food) but toys possession seems pretty strange to me and so unlike her.
Yes, I can take her food and toys, sometimes she growls a bit but it sounds differently, and obviouly I don't stop and simply give her "leave it" command and take it. I usually trade it for a snack so she knows it is a good thing to share.
And I don't know if it's the right to do when trying her to stop with growling but the other day when playing she was growling a bit so I growled back and she stepped back in a moment and let the toy be. So I think she respects me as a pack leader but has problems with other dogs (but I also think she would not let some stranger take anything from her - I haven't tried that to see her reaction)


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## ArwenLune (Jan 3, 2010)

mims said:


> So what do I do? Take the toy/stick/whatever away and give it to the other dog


It's good that you're going to see a behaviourist, this sounds like the sort of issue that needs to be seen in action. I don't really have advice besides that I really wouldn't do the thing I've quoted above - that will only solidify her idea that if she has Stuff and there are other dogs, they will make her Stuff disappear. It'll probably make her react more intensely instead of less.

I would sooner go in the other direction and feed her little tidbits (small enough to be gone in one bite, so they don't become the subject of guarding) when there are other dogs near her when she has something, so she learns that more Good Stuff falls from the sky when there's other dogs around..


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Have you any idea if she lived with another dog or dogs originally? Being as she acts submissively unless its food i was just wondering if she did. If this was the case as a lower ranking one its possible she was bullied and they took her food and toys. If she was dominant all the time then i would say its just part of her dominant behaviour. This is the only explanation i can think of. My action would interupt the growling or guarding with firm loud no or hey or ahh ahh to snap her out of it and know its not good behaviour teach her watch me and get her to sit then reward. If you dont already take her to training. Obviously you need to watch dropped treats and toys with dogr getting a bit to close while your dealing with this problem. But it will help with getting and keeping your attension with other dogs in close proximity and food about. Having said all this. Im no behaviourist and i think you have done the best thing.


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## rocco33 (Dec 27, 2009)

> So what do I do? Take the toy/stick/whatever away and give it to the other dog or put her on leash so she can't play or should I just let her be?


No, dogs don't do sharing - that's a human concept not a canine one. Possession is everything with dogs. Yes, they may invite another dog to 'play' games with a toy, and yes, some are more tolerant of others trying to take them but dogs don't understand the concept of 'fairness' and 'sharing' in a human way.

In order to avoid any problems, I would removed toys in the presence of other dogs.

Is this behaviour just towards other dogs, or is it a problem with humans too?


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## Fleur (Jul 19, 2008)

Not much help - but thought I'd share my experiences.
I've had my 2 since 8 weeks, we got Lilly one year after Zipper.
They sleep together, walk together and play together.
However give them a high value treat such as a bone, stuffed kong or pigs ear all hell will break loose unless they are seperated.
Some things are worth defending and where normally Zipper will back down, over a high value treat he'll hold his ground.


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## ClaireandDaisy (Jul 4, 2010)

She`s resource guarding - and considering she may have been deprived of food / toys in the past it`s not surprising. 
I would feed her separately, and not leave chews etc. lying about. 
Train her a good Give - using swaps or treats as a reward, and supply each dog with a toy as needed. 
Dogs don`t `share`. It`s not in their nature. They may not object to another dog taking from them, but that`s a different thing. 
There`s a good book called `Mine!` which has excellent advice on dealing with this. 
In the meantime - every time you take things away and give them to the other dog, she`s getting more frustrated. Take things from her, praise or reward - and *give them back.*


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## ClaireandDaisy (Jul 4, 2010)

Sled dog hotel said:


> i would say its just part of her dominant behaviour.
> 
> a `dominant` dog (I prefer the word confident as it`s less misleading) doesn`t need to snap and posture. This dog is showing behaviour consistent with anxiety or fear.
> 
> ...


Have a read of some books on positive dog training - you`ll see a different way of interpreting dog behaviour.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Re clareandaisys comment on my quote. I did not say she was dominant. I you re read i said if she was dominant all the time l would say its dominance. Prior to this i refer to the fact that shes submissive except for food. That was why i asked if she had lived with dogs and that being submissive they would have taken or tried to take her resources.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Clareanddaisy i also notice that you consider the word no or hey as a punishment!! I have a pack if i didnt occasionally tell them no or interrupt them when their all sitting together eating chews and one shows interest in the others because they want it. You can imagine i would have problems. If you read further i refer to getting her to sit watch me and reward. As an alternative behaviour.


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## rocco33 (Dec 27, 2009)

I think the dominance is a red herring and leads to misunderstandings.
She is not being dominant she is simply guarding her rescources - this has absolutely nothing to do with dominance whatsoever, it is a normal canine behaviour. Dogs don't share - possession is 100% of the law - submissive dogs even puppies will hold on to what is theirs. We teach them to give things up, but it is not a natural canine response.

Mimms how long have you had her? As a rescue, do you know her background. I think for now, the most important thing is to manage the situation and not let her preactice this behaviour. So no toys/treats around other dogs and good that you are seeing a behaviourist. Without knowing her background there are many reasons why she is like this, so I think the best thing would be to get on the ground advice.


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## mims (Aug 19, 2010)

Thanks for all the replies, I really appreciate it!

I've had her for exactly 4 months today. To be honest, I don't know anything about her past, only that she was found very thin in some village. So I can see where this food guarding comes from. But people at the shelter said that she showed absolutely no signs of food agression at all. But she was one scared dog, it took me a while to make her more confident (she woulnd't cross the street, she was scared of people and very submissive with other dogs - she was scared of Maltese dog even though she is much bigger). So I think she let other dogs at the shelter take her food. I never took anything from her, so she doesn't have to protect anything from me and I think she knows it - I have no problems with possessive aggression towards me but I never tried other people take stuff from her to see her reaction. I don't think she'd like it, though.
I think I should also mention that she only growls at dogs she knows thay won't really hurt her. If she feels she could get attacked she just leaves.
Also, she doesn't mind sharing treats with other dogs when I feed them from hand. I mean, there are for example 5 dogs sitting in front of me, I give them treats and she just doesn't care. As soon as there is a bowl, she growls. Like yesterday, we were on a trip, I gave her water, other dog came and she started barring her teeth and growling. I poked her with my finger and said "hey, what do you think you're doing" and she stopped and looked pretty guilty. So I think this should help?

Well, I dont take her toys out with me, but she or other dogs will find something to play with. My bitch will find a bottle, she will run in front of other dogs so they run after her, then she'll stop and start acting all crazy. 
Actually I was told by a trainer yesterday to take whatever she has in her mouth until she calms down and is no longer fixated on the object. I asked whether she won't think she should also protect stuff from me but he said I'd be only showing that everything is MINE and I decide when she plays and how she plays and that she will only play when she plays nice. I will try that and let you know if it works or not.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Kali was very possessive of her toys when younger but grew out of it by herself, now Flynn also a young boy is possessive of his toys too, not in an aggressive way, just runs past the other dog to get to it first. However with food I don't expect any of them to want to share. The two little dogs have no problem with each other and Marts doesn't have a problem with them either but put the three Mals together with their meals and that would be a nightmare!
I agree some things are worth guarding and as two things drive dogs most - sex and food - I would expect some dogs will be resentful of another dog in their space when eating.

I like my guys to enjoy their meals in the own time, no rush and no threat from another. After all it's one of the highlights of their day.


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## eidle123 (Apr 29, 2011)

I am recently having this problem too. My girlfriend has a 3 year old coon hound / blood hound mix (Carlton - 135 lbs) and he is very very passive (and spoiled). The dog grew up sharing toys and food with an older beagle, with no apparent problems. She split up with her x and no longer has the beagle, and moved. I have a collie / terrier mix, Marley (35 lbs - almost 2 years old). The two dogs get along great and play together really well. There is only one small problem. Whenever the coon hound has a large milkbone or meat bone (or any type of larger treat) he gets very possessive with it. We give both dogs larger treats / bones at the same time. Carlton will usually just lick it and leave it alone, idk if he is saving it or what. Marley will usually eat it / naw on it right away and finish it. The girlfriend and I can easily take the treat away from both the dogs, but as soon as my Marley gets near &#8220;his treat&#8221; to smell or take it when he isn&#8217;t eating it, Carlton gets very feisty, his lips curl up a bit, and sometimes snaps at Marley. I usually yell &#8220;NO!&#8221; at him, put him on his side, and grab the top of his mouth for a little while. The girlfriend usually takes the bone away and puts it on-top of the fridge so neither dog can get at it. I am looking for a solution to this. Any tips? I am sure the easy way out is to keep Marley away from Calrton&#8217;s treats, but that is not a solution to the problem, just avoiding it.

Note: 

The dogs do not live together, just usually see each other for 4+ days out of the week. 
If either dog has a bone or dish of food, I will periodically take it from them, make them sit, and then give it back.
When the dogs play together, Marley will usually get to the thrown toy first, and then Carlton usually chases Marley around. Most of the time he will get it back and they both will play with the stick or toy. However, if Marley finds an object to run around (she is a lot faster) she is able to play keep-away and Carlton will usually whine or bark really loud because he cannot get to the toy. This will also happen in her apartment&#8230;. Marley will run underneath the table and play keep-away and after some time Carlton will bark really loud because he cannot get to it/her.

Edit: If we are at the dog park, and a dog is playing with a tennis ball, Carlton has barked at the other dog because he wants the ball. (happened once)

Thanks


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## eidle123 (Apr 29, 2011)

bump......


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