growling

[miss tasha]

Tasha my 7 year old rottie has been growling and showing her teeth at everone but me who goes anywere near her food bowl. She has always done this when other dogs go near her food but now she is also doing this to people. I tried moving her food bowl into my bedroom but now she growls anytime anyone but me comes in my room.

Normally she is a big baby and outside of my room she absolutly loves everyone. She doesn't even growl at new people comming in the house. She is more likely to bring them her ball than growl at people she has never met before.

I should mention this growling has gotten worse since she has been on a diet. She is only getting a certain amount of food each day.

The only thing I have tried is having my girls hand feed her the food to see if she associated them with getting food if this would help. I does not seemed to.

[SABELLESMOM]

Well have you tried just catching her in her growl and telling her to "Knock it off?" Or is she past that stage? Is this more or less a new development in her behavior?

You said she was 7, now. I would be curious if her eyesight might be becomming a problem for her. Sometimes older dogs get wary when they begin to loose vision, but most particularly peripheral vision.

If that's the case, I'd consider feeding her in her crate with the door shut. And I'd still be telling her to knock it off, because that's just me. I don't like it and I won't have it. But the crate keeps her from taking it a step further.

I've never allowed any growling to go unmentioned in my home. I feed all dogs at the same time in the same room. From the time they were pups, I never allowed even the slightest hint of this starting to rear it's ugly head. I have adults who mind their own business and eat their own food in peace.

My rescue (now 13) is having hearing and vision difficulties. (when he first came he did have food issues, but was taught how to behave...)The girls came as pups and he's never since growled about food, I have to take his situation into consideration. Preventatively, I just recently began feeding him in a crate, but still in the same room.

[miss tasha]

Originally Posted by miss tasha

Tasha my 7 year old rottie has been growling and showing her teeth at everone but me who goes anywere near her food bowl. She has always done this when other dogs go near her food but now she is also doing this to people. I tried moving her food bowl into my bedroom but now she growls anytime anyone but me comes in my room.

Normally she is a big baby and outside of my room she absolutly loves everyone. She doesn't even growl at new people comming in the house. She is more likely to bring them her ball than growl at people she has never met before.

I should mention this growling has gotten worse since she has been on a diet. She is only getting a certain amount of food each day.

The only thing I have tried is having my girls hand feed her the food to see if she associated them with getting food if this would help. I does not seemed to.

***I forgot to add that I recently took her off of prednisone (for extreme allergies, we are trying tavist instead) I know that this can cause some behaviorial issues and weight issues. Mabye this has something to do with it.

But I do repremand her verbally for the growling but still does not seem to help. After reading this forum I have decided to try having small doggie treats by my door and anytime anyone but me goes in to have them give her a small treat. Mabye this will help.

[SABELLESMOM]

I'm not sure I'm understanding this. You keep her in your room. All the time? And you intend to keep treats available for anyone going in?

Your idea, obviously intended to make someone else going into the room a "pleasant" thing for the dog, may backfire. If the dog growls, and then you hand it a treat...haven't you just taught and reinforced the growling? Think about it.

Have her vet checked. Ask the vet about the drugs she is/was on. Have her vision checked. Is she arthritic? Is she in pain? etc. If she is clear, medically... Perhaps, I'm confused and not getting the right picture.