Holding A Dog-bone

[neoshake]

Will my dog consider me submissive if I hold a bone for him while he chews on it? He has gotten into the habit of bringing me a bone and asking me to hold it for him so he can chew on it......I don't see any harm in it, and I think it might be bonding for us, but I thought I'd ask just to be sure....

Thanks for any feedback.

[Wolf355]

Maybe someone will have a better answer, but I hold the bone for my dog all the time cause I like it (Nylabone) but I would never hold it if I was asked. Instead, I wait till I feel like it and call Gucci over and she usually will be quite happy about it. I see it like the giving of affection, if I'm asked I'll tell the dog to go away...even if I call the dog back a few minutes later. The idea being to be in charge at all times. Dunno if I'm right about that...perhaps Judi will have a better answer.

[marsol]

Maybe that is what Sydney is trying to get me to do..she will come and toss her bone at me..I toss it back and she just stands there and looks at me with a slightly disgusted look on her face like " You just don't get it."

[Patty1231]

Originally Posted by neoshake

Will my dog consider me submissive if I hold a bone for him while he chews on it? He has gotten into the habit of bringing me a bone and asking me to hold it for him so he can chew on it......I don't see any harm in it, and I think it might be bonding for us, but I thought I'd ask just to be sure....

Sounds like he's got you trained pretty well. I would advise against it. I see no reason why you should hold his bone for him, nor why you would want to - actively playing and training your dog is where the bond is established. Not a good leadership pattern there.

[Brooke&Ryan]

I wouldn't hold the bone either. I have better things to do with my time.

Julius will occasionally bring me all of the bones from his toy basket & lay them at my feet. I may "ooh & ahhh" over a couple of them, but I've never thought of holding them for him.

[Rott'n'lab Mom]

I don't know if the dog would view holding the bone as submissive or not which was your question.

However I'd think a rottweiler's paws are big enough to hold their own bone. And if you hold the bone for your dog, you're depriving him of the mental exercise of how to best use his paws to enjoy the bone.

Sometimes my girl looks so proud when she figures out how to hold the bone just so.

[damp]

First, it is after all good he is not showing aggression or any sign of guarding when he has a bone.

However, bones in my home are given to pastime and as “tooth brush” and not as toy or any other kind of amusement, that involves me.

Tell your dog, "thank you" for sharing the bone and tell him to go lie down and chew and I don't distub you when you have a bone and you don't disturb me when you have a bone.

[HerculesMomma]

Originally Posted by neoshake

Will my dog consider me submissive if I hold a bone for him while he chews on it? He has gotten into the habit of bringing me a bone and asking me to hold it for him so he can chew on it......I don't see any harm in it, and I think it might be bonding for us, but I thought I'd ask just to be sure....

Thanks for any feedback.

Bonding? Oh, I definately would say no to the idea that it's bonding. Your dog has you pegged for a sucker! Sounds to me like he's being to lazy to hold it himself and has gotten you trained very nicely. I don't know if I'm right or not, but it sounds to me that your dog likely already thinks of you as subservant to him if he is bringing his bone with the expectation that you'll hold it for him.

Personally, I would not allow this. I am nobody's slave, let along my dogs! Not that I see it as harmful so much as just plain silly. I mean whats next? Will you have to hold the food bowl while he eats from it? How about the water dish? Will you have to fluff his dog bed before he lies on it to sleep at night? Just downright silly if you ask me! He is perfectly capable of holding his own bone while he chews on it - so let him do just that.

[marsol]

Yes...I like what Damp said..just now I told Sydney "The only way you can stay upstairs with me is if you are good and chew on your bone." She went and got her bone is and is intently chewing away.