Growling While Eating, Not Like Him At All

[Guest RooMcClanahan]

When I was feeding Seamus and Sail this morning, I heard a low growl. I've heard it a couple of other times before, but convinced myself it was a satisfied moan -- I couldn't even tell whom it was coming from. But it's Seamus: This morning I saw lips pulled back (but sort of growling into his dish), which was scary. Sail quit eating, trotted over to me, and had this look like "What'd I do?" I moved his bowl away from Seamus and let him finish eating.

 

I didn't see anything amiss. It's just weird because of the two, Seamus is sweeter, if a little shy, and Sail is more goofy, in-your-face alpha. Again, Sail was minding his own, not making motions toward Seamus' food (that I could see). They've been eating within a few feet of each other for months now, and they play together and often lay nearby each other.

 

What's come over my sweet pup?

[greysmom]

Weird. If nothing else has changed, it'shard to say what he's doing. I have heard of dogs doing this and it being sort of like a purr - really yummy food and I love it, sort of sound.

 

I wonder if you should separate them for the time being to see if that helps?

[racindog]

At my house I have so many dogs everybody eats in their own crate. Not only does it prevent any possible fights but it keeps the young strong ones from wolfing theirs and then taking food from the older/weaker ones.

[Wonder]

When I had only Passion and Sparks, they were fed in a different room from each other- I would do that for your pups as well.

[Fruitycake]

I'd definitely put more distance between them when eating. Maybe Seamus has now decided that his food is a really high value item and he thinks he needs to protect it or to warn his "brother" away from it, just in case. Maybe seeing his brother's movement out of the corner of his eye is making him tense, or maybe there is something else going on, but separation for a while might be a good first step.

 

Can you approach the food while he's eating without a similar protest? Be careful if you try (if you haven't for a while), and if you can I'd approach to *add* better stuff to his dish to make sure he doesn't start protecting from you too.

 

Hope he's feeling all right.

[Guest RooMcClanahan]

I'd definitely put more distance between them when eating. Maybe Seamus has now decided that his food is a really high value item and he thinks he needs to protect it or to warn his "brother" away from it, just in case. Maybe seeing his brother's movement out of the corner of his eye is making him tense, or maybe there is something else going on, but separation for a while might be a good first step.

 

Can you approach the food while he's eating without a similar protest? Be careful if you try (if you haven't for a while), and if you can I'd approach to *add* better stuff to his dish to make sure he doesn't start protecting from you too.

 

Hope he's feeling all right.

 

You know, I did add more food to *both* of their dishes (more to Seamus' because I thought he didn't get quite enough on my first pour) while they were eating. That's an excellent point -- guarding from Sail is bad, guarding from us would be much worse. Seamus was picked up as a stray, so he might have some lingering protective of food instincts which, for whatever reason, haven't come up with Sail in the last ten months.

 

Thanks, everybody. We will move their dishes apart again, like when we first foster sailed (er, failed), which somehow feels like a step back. Silly, I know. What's five feet of difference away when I want eight happy feets of dogs?

 

Again, much appreciated.

[JAJ2010]

At my house that would be the end of dinner for the growler. LOL but I'm a meanie.

 

I would give them each more distance and hope it resolves itself. When we were in a teeny tiny Apt both girls wouldn't eat in the kitchen because it was to close for them. They would just wander away and stare at me. Now that we are in a larger townhouse, they eat outside with their butt cheeks touching! Go figure....

[jamngrey]

My first dog was food aggressive ( just with other dogs) he is no longer with me but I am still in the habit (and probably always will) of separating their eating areas @ always supervise meals & any treats