# Growling, Biting and Showing Teeth



## Deme (Aug 18, 2009)

Well its only been a few days but its so disappointing, Jake is the most loving, cuddly, soft hearted dog I have ever known until he has food.

If I walk up to him when he is eating he will stop and walk away. Other times he just looks at me and stands there. If I stroke him he growls and when I pointed at him and said no he showed his teeth.

One time he even grabbed my hand in his mouth but didn't actually bite.

I find its my fault as when playing in the past I have let him chew on me and this I think has transfered to his eating habits.

I always feel guilty telling him off as he then cowers and if I go to stroke him when he hasn't got food he still cowers. Teh sad look in his eyes is horrible.

How do I teach him not to bite, growl etc without him cowering.

I now never play rough with him and hand feed him his chicken. When doing this I can sometimes stroke him other times he tenses.

I know its early days and I need to persever but its so heartbreaking to see him sad when told "No"


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## rache (Nov 10, 2009)

I think you have just got to be really strict with him. If he was doing this in the wild his pack leader wouldnt feel sorry for telling him off. 

I wouldnt let Billy get away with it esp with children around, my youngest being only 1. She often watches him eating and even puts her hands in his bowl (she loves dog biscuits! Strange child) and he dosent flinch and sometimes he will even just walk away and let her take what she wants. He knows his place.

I think if you dont knock this on the head it could get a bit out of hand and you dont want jake turning into a snappy little chi.

I would just be really strict with him, dont let him have his own way for a while. 
Well thats what i would do anyway.

Hope this helps. Sorry its not the best of answers xx


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## Deme (Aug 18, 2009)

How should I discipline him when he growls etc, do I just carry on saying no? 

When he growls do I correct him but let him carry on eating or should I take the food in my hand first and then offer it to him or take it off him for a few minutes?


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

Deme - google *resource guarding*. This is what is happening. There is a ton of information on how to deal with this problem. I don't have time to look up links right now but I'm confident you can find a ton of info from professionals on how to nip this in the bud.


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## TinyGiant (Jan 20, 2010)

What I do with Pepper is everytime she eats I put my hand in her food, sometimes I take some out, just for her to get used to someone touching her food. I have a one year old here and I am so hoping not to have a Pepper upset when he touches her food, treats, or toys.


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## rubia (Jul 3, 2008)

He just has a vulable food now. You have to be strict--strict is not mean !! I tell me kids that all of the time..lol. When Rico tried it I held on to his back by the shoulders and said the firm NO...I was "above" him and had him in my hand so to speak. He will not cower away for long..it isn't you he is cowering from anyway--it is the situation of being told off. He is still madly in love with you !!


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## rache (Nov 10, 2009)

I think you have to be loud and quick when telling them off. You cant do it nicely, if you know what i mean. They have to know that its wrong and thats that. 

Be strict with him. 

If he growls while he is eating them take it off him for a while. 

Cesar milan is good with the eating thing. I just shouted NO at billy and took his food away but kept offering it till he stopped with the growling. He got it eventually. 

I just remembered, when we first got him, i used to feed him in his cage, thats when he started to snap at \izzy and i thorght maybe it was cos thats his territory so now i dont feed him in there anymore and he has now got over it like i said.


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## jan896 (Dec 9, 2009)

I make chico sit and stay there as I put his food down and only allowed to eat when I say he can. Some people say to act like your eating from his bowl before putting it down for the Chi, the 'pack leader' always eats first.


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## Deme (Aug 18, 2009)

I tired the pretend to eat teh chicken first and he just looks at me lol, when he growls I do say NO in a rough mean voice though not loud like shouting. He gives me those sad puppy dog eyes and cowers and then for the rest of the day he cowers even if I just go to stroke him.

Mind he does tend to cuddle up to me all day as well... so I can't be that horrible lol

I am gonna try googling to see what comes up so thanks for that Brodysmom.

Does taking the food away not reinforce his thinking. i.e. he growls cause he thinks his food is gonna be took off him and then it is.. justifying his reason for growing inthe first place. okay google here I come


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## 18453 (Feb 6, 2010)

Don't stroke him when she cowers as its like saying its okay for you to cower away from me... just ignore him he'll sort that bit out.

With regards to the growling, biting etc there was a chihuahua on the dog whisperer the other night (i know some people don't like cesar but i think this was useful) who was growling and biting anyone who came near it (not food related) and they had to make a fist and push it towards his mouth not hurting him obviously but so you're pushing into his space and dominating him.. if he bites it can't hurt coz they can't grab onto a fist as their mouths are too small.. anyway you do your no or whatever you normally say or do to stop your dog doing what you don't want... eventually the chi just stop growling and biting repeating this stopped it really well. I'd do this and take the food away. He needs to remember that you're leader of his pack and has to do what you want.. and if you want to take his food away than thats okay... 

hope it sortis itself out and he stops


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## Deme (Aug 18, 2009)

Well I googled and read some great advice and watched some footage of Cesar Milan.

The first thing I learnt was not to use aggression or negative reinforcement. So firmly saying no was the wrong thing to do as this increases the aggression in the dog even though at the time they submitted. It is the following time that the matters as much as the immediate time.

There were two suggestions that I liked and they were

1) Offer a tasty snack like cheese or similar and as the dogs attention is taken away from its food then remove it and offer the cheese. Then give the food back.

2) Place your hand gently on the dog where it is comfortable with the it. Don't restrict the dog but instead allow your hand to move with your dog. When your dog relaxes retreat a little. 

I did number 2 first, boy did Jake shake, I also noticed that if he leant away and I tried to stop him he tensed more, so instead I called him and he immediately came back to me for which I give him lots of praise. He would eat the chicken then stop and refuse it as he was nervous, then he'd relax and eat more. 

After only about 5 min he would happily eat his chicken with my hand resting gently on his shoulders, it was at this point I rewarded by leaving him to finish the last of his chicken.

The difference was amazing, this morning when I said NO in a stern voice he was then nervous of me and cowering, this time he was happy with a spring in his step and tail wagging. 

So I am going to continue with this and see how it goes, hopefully when he sees I am not going to take his food off him he will relax fully and be happy to have me touch him and be near him.


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## rache (Nov 10, 2009)

Good luck deme, I hope it all goes ok x


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## MarieUkxx (May 19, 2009)

Yep you gotta be strict and show him that growling and lashing out at you will not scare you. Cookie went like this but since I got my thick gardening gloves I just ignored his snapping at me and picked him up or did whatever I had to do and he has clamed right down now. If you retreat they will learn it works.


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## Deme (Aug 18, 2009)

Jake doesn't actually bite, he kinda holds and he has only done it once and using the technique of restingmy hand on him. 

He hasn't growled now for two days but he does shake and will look at me with a look that says "I'm not sure mummsie, I feels a little tense still" 

I keep my hand there until he relaxes then I retreat and let him eat comfortably.

It is the positive reaction afterwards that is also very rewarding, all happy instead of worried.


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