Help! Aggressive behaviour

[Stravaiging Spaniels]

Hi, we have two cockers, a 6 year old bitch (Lucy) and an 11 month old dog (Jarvis). Jarvis is a working cocker and is entire.

The problem is that Jarvis has started to show aggression, usually towards Lucy and it is generally to do with food. If he thinks that she has food and he doesn't, he will sometimes attack her. It generally happens after they have eaten and she maybe has traces of food around her mouth or her ears.

We immediately separate them and he is sent to his crate. He knows he has done wrong as he attempts to go to his basket rather than be put in the crate. If we then attempt to drag him out of the basket he sometimes growls or attempts to bite us.

My partner is understandably getting a little afraid and wants to castrate him, believing it will solve the problem.

I do not want to castrate him, preferring to take a behavioural approach.

I'd be grateful for any advice you can give, and also any recommendations for good dog behaviourists/trainers in the Aberdeenshire area.

Many thanks!

[elaine.e]

Hello and welcome

I can think of things that may help if you don't do them already. One is to feed them in separate rooms so there is less scope and less reason for Jarvis to be aggressive towards Lucy. You could also wipe her mouth and ears before they are together after meals, at least for now until you have found a solution to the problem. Another is not to attempt to drag him from his basket because sooner or later he won't just growl or attempt to bite, he will just bite because you've ignored his warnings. He doesn't know that he's "done wrong" when he has a go at Lucy. He's done something that is a natural dog behaviour, although not one that we as owners like to see. What he does know and recognise is that you are cross with him, even though he won't understand exactly why.

He's at an age where he's an adolescent coming towards maturity and it's often a time where the dynamic between dogs changes. His attitude towards Lucy, and her attitude to him, may go through a lot of changes in the coming months. Often the changes resolve without too many problems and both dogs settle into their new relationship, but it can be a challenging time.

Have you tried looking at websites such as the APDT (Association Of Pet Dog Trainers) to search for qualified dog trainers in your locality?

[bizzylizzy]

Hi and welcome!
i agree with Elaine, - We have this problem with my son?s dog who comes to stay with us now and again, she?s very  food aggresive and will eat her food and then go at Humphrey to get to his, -  I  feed them separately and keep them apart for a short while afterwards until they?ve settled down again. It is quite natural for dogs to defend food, in the wild its the fight for survival and is an instinct, like hunting, so although we can discourage it and train an alternative behaviour, I think treating by punishment is likely to give rise to more conflict. Also, if Jarvis has sought out his bed as his chosen safe haven I?d let him stay there until things have calmed down, dragging him off is likely to escalate things. I?m pretty sure you?ll be able to resolve it with positive training.
Just a last thought - if you don?t already do so, making him wait for you to give him the ok to eat is a helpful way of instilling a bit of calm and discipline into feeding time. I started by making Humphrey sit while I put the bowl down, keeping my hand on it until I?d said OK, - if he tried to grab the food, I?d wip it away again until he was sitting calmly. I?m not implying it will solve your problem but I try anything that will train self discipline and bring a bit of calm into the otherwise hectic impulsiveness of these little cockers! 
Best of luck!!

[Stravaiging Spaniels]

Thank you for your replies.
Yes, my partner is good at making them wait before eating, I admit that I'm more lax.

I have found a recommended local dog behaviourist and have booked an appointment.

Any other input still welcome though!