slight aggression with bone

**guster girl** · 03-20-2004, 02:07 PM

Hey, all. I am not too concerned about this, but, I just wanted to make sure I shouldn't be.

Here's what happened. I've been trying to find a butcher or somewhere to get beef bones for Finn to chew on. It's either been bad timing or whatever, but, I just in the last week, found some. I gave him one the other night for the first time, and, he of course loved it. But, I also didn't really watch him or go near him while he was gnawing. So, anyway, I gave him another one yesterday and he actually got so excited when I had it in my hand that he bit me and drew blood.

He didn't bite on purpose, just missed the bone and grabbed my finger instead. I didn't discipline him, but, it piqued my curiousity and I decided to see how he was if I tried to get it back. He never growled at me, but, it was pretty obvious that he didn't want to give it up. He growled at the cat when Lock approached him, but, didn't really show teeth or anything. So, I used a spoon to nudge the bone out of his mouth and spent several minutes getting him to calm down about it and kept giving him little dehydrated hot dog bits when he would be gentle in coming towards my hand and the bone. And, once I felt comfortable that he realized that the bone came from me and I could have it if I wanted to, I let him have it again, but, I petted him and rubbed his mouth while he chewed on it and stuff. Am I being too anal about this? Should I have just let him have his bone and left it alone? I'd just like for him to not be protective of stuff like that. I hope I didn't confuse anyone with this message. It's kind of long, and, I don't know if I made any sense.

**micki76** · 03-20-2004, 02:30 PM

Keep doing exactly what you're doing.

I did almost the same thing with Chester and it reall paid off. He's much better about letting me have his bone when I think he's had enough than Millie is. She has growled at me on many occasions about taking the bone from her. Chester has a few times, but we just go back to the NILF program and he submits to me.

If I hadn't worked with him from puppyhood though, I think I'd be afraid to take anything from him now.

He's such a little challenge.

**guster girl** · 03-20-2004, 02:34 PM

Cool, thanks. That's what I thought, but, I wasn't 100% sure. And, like I said, when he bit my finger, it was totally out of sheer excitement. There was no aggression at all.

**micki76** · 03-20-2004, 02:41 PM

Millie does that a lot. She's very much the stereotypical Jack Russell.

I have virtually no control over her, no matter how much I work with her.

Still, I love her with all my heart.

**tatsxxx11** · 03-20-2004, 02:45 PM

When I first got Star (8 weeks old) I hand fed her to help assure she wouldn't become food aggressive. After a couple of weeks, I would occasionally put my hand into the bowl while she was eating, then lift the bowl away a couple of times during mealtime so that she would know that I was the one who would give and could take away the food.

I also did the same thing with her bones, when she was old enough to have them. I would hold it (not letting go) while she licked at it then would take it away for a minute. I would ask her to sit or give paw to get it back. I would do that a couple of times each time she got a bone.

You know how they love to bite on your hands with those little needle teeth?

Well, when she would do that, I would quickly draw my hand away and say "Ouch! No biting!" She came to associate that as her release cue; not to bite and grab. She's since also learned "give." When she has her ball, or something else (not food) that she really loves, I will hold up a treat and tell her to "give" or "leave it" and when she has dropped it, she gets a treat. Now, she will let me take her bone away with either "give" or "leave it." I often sit with her as she's chewing her bone and hold it, touch her head, pull the bone away and even act like I'm chewing on it

She still becomes a bit possessive, low growl, if one of the cats approaches her when she's having a bone but will just usually move away from them or into another room. If I'm at all concerned, I take the bone away and have her eat it outside.

The important thing is that you are able to take it away. It sounds like you're doing something similar to what I did with Star...keep at it! You're on the right track and doing a great job!

**guster girl** · 03-20-2004, 02:53 PM

Yeah, I've been definitely doing that with Finn's food since the day I brought him home. I'll sit there with my hand in his bowl.

It's weird, but, it works. The cat can actually come up to the bowl, and, it's not a problem. I think it's because the bone is so new to Finn. But, thanks for the pep talks, I'll keep on the same track now!

**RobiLee** · 03-20-2004, 05:28 PM

It sounds like you are doing a good job. Keep up the great work.

We have been very lucky with Katie she does not mind us bothering her food at all. I even act silly and get down on the floor with her and act like I'm going to eat her bone with her....LOL...she doesn't mind at all. She'll just share the other end with me.....hehehe...not that I'm really eating it

BUT....let that be another dog trying to get it and that is never going to happen.

Robin