I’ve had a couple of instances where the dogs have snapped at the cat as they all clamor around my legs at feeding time. I found the best way to diffuse the situation is to feed Bob first. Then Bob is out of the way and there are no issues.
Saturday I made a run for raw food, so I had a bathtub full of chicken necks. After letting them defrost for a few hours I went in to separate them into individual baggies, naturally Delilah had to come with me, just in case I missed the baggie and dropped a neck on the floor, or I turned my back for a minute so she had an opportunity to lap the chicken water. 🙂
After about 20 minutes Sampson decided to check out the bathroom, when he tried to pass Delilah she snapped at him. I didn’t hear her growl, she just turned her head and snapped at him.
I wasn’t in the least way prepared for this so I handled it all wrong. 🙁 I shouted “Hey!” Then I said, “GET OUT.” Both dogs tried to leave the bathroom, but eventually I sorted them out and got Delilah outside and Sampson in, and I shut the door and left her out there.
I sat there wishing I had a clear glass door so Delilah could sit outside it and watch Sampson and me in bathroom sorting chicken necks with me slipping him the occasional neck. Which wouldn’t be the right way, since she wouldn’t understand why he was getting the necks and she wasn’t.
I’m really at a loss at the best way to handle the situation. Normally Delilah does not guard her food, I can reach down and take her dish away if I need to. I have in fact taken something from her mouth with no issues, so it’s not a typical food guarding issue.
So how about it? How do you handle this? Do you have a dog that guards a particular food, or any food at all? If so, how do you manage the situation?
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