# Help, growling when eating pig ear



## mintesa (Mar 30, 2008)

I suspect puppies favorite snack is pig ear. Coz today when we gave him one and tried to pet him while he was eating it he started growling. This is not a good sign I have read.

We petted him more all the time. while he was at the pig ear. And I also removed it from him, told him to sit, and then gave it back to him. And occasionally he would still growl.  How do I deal with this behavior?

Thank you.


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## meandean (Aug 31, 2009)

Sounds like your basic case of possession. He thinks the pig ear is his, only his and perceives anyone else's interest in it a threat. I can tell you my dog started doing this when we gave him knuckle bones. I would make him stop chewing and growling and take it away. I would not give the bone back to him until he stopped making a fuss. I had to do this a couple of times, sometimes 2 or 3 times during a single chewing. It has proven to be effective as he no longer growls and willingly gives up his bone as we get ready for bed.


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## Equinox (Nov 11, 2008)

My friend's toy poodle has the same problem. 

Quite honestly, I have learned the above suggestion is not the best idea. The best thing to try would be the switcheroo. Approach him, hand him a nice tidbit, something that has higher value than the pig ear, and feed it to him. He'll learn soon that "when a person comes near me, I get treats, so people = good". Also give him something else even more delicious and swap it for the pig ear, so he'll learn that taking things away from him is a good thing.

By taking away bones and pig ears when a dog growls at you makes him understand that people ARE a problem and he definitely needs to guard his things from them. He may back off for now, but he still doesn't like your prescence when he's eating, and one day when he's bigger he might decide to try again and take a chomp out of your hand. 

Also, don't correct a dog when he growls, or he may jump straight to biting. The toy poodle my friend owns now has developed this problem, despite my warnings to my friend.

The smartest thing to do is make you approaching your dog while he's eating a good, happy thing, so he'll look forward to you being near and petting him, and not feel like you're a threat and growl to warn you.

The thread I started a while back, lots of good information:
http://www.dogforums.com/2-general-dog-forum/56971-very-food-aggressive-pup.html


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## BoxMeIn21 (Apr 10, 2007)

Great advice by Equinox...play the trading game. 
Here's a great article on the subject: 

http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2002b/objectguarding.htm


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## mintesa (Mar 30, 2008)

thank you so much guys. this makes a lot of sense. I was so disappointed at him when he growled yesterday. I hope that we can fix his growling.


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## Equinox (Nov 11, 2008)

Don't worry about it. The key is to not encourage growling and change his outlook on people + him eating yummies. Once you do that, he'll be chewing on his pig ear and hoping you'll walk by. Just be consistent and patient.


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## mintesa (Mar 30, 2008)

Hi guys, and thank you. I am now always trying to touch him while he eats his yummies. And do the trade game.

My friends think that I am over reacting and should not mind him growling. They say he is a dog, and that I should just leave him alone while he finishes his pig ear. They say I am crazy to bother training this behavior, coz he is just a dog.

I told them that I will not consider this growling, he might bite some of my visitors someday or someone, you never know, he might be chewing some yummies while someone walks by and snap.


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## Marsh Muppet (Nov 29, 2008)

Does the pup growl the whole time he's eating the pig ear, or is just when you approach? I had a dog who growled when eating a big meaty bone, but it was more in the nature of "nummy noises", and not a warning. He'd do it if he was all by himself.


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## mintesa (Mar 30, 2008)

he growls when we come near and pet him.


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## JustAnotheRunner (Mar 31, 2009)

mintesa said:


> My friends think that I am over reacting and should not mind him growling. They say he is a dog, and that I should just leave him alone while he finishes his pig ear. They say I am crazy to bother training this behavior, coz he is just a dog.


I found friends to be one of the biggest obstacles in training. 

_"He just jumps because he is a puppy"_ or _"he just bites at me because he's playing!"_

Just make sure you stay consistent in your training, and adamant to your friends.


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## ibjames (Sep 3, 2009)

JustAnotheRunner said:


> I found friends to be one of the biggest obstacles in training.
> 
> _"He just jumps because he is a puppy"_ or _"he just bites at me because he's playing!"_
> 
> Just make sure you stay consistent in your training, and adamant to your friends.


I agree, I got a new dog, she jumped and I scolded her, I then found a friend trying to get her to jump up, I turn around, and another is feeding her half a hamburger, it was rather disappointing to say the least, so now I keep the dog away from friends until I'm confident in her training


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## mintesa (Mar 30, 2008)

ibjames said:


> I agree, I got a new dog, she jumped and I scolded her, I then found a friend trying to get her to jump up, I turn around, and another is feeding her half a hamburger, it was rather disappointing to say the least, so now I keep the dog away from friends until I'm confident in her training


yea I also have friends like that. and then the kids that want to poke my puppies eyes out. and all i want is to socialize him well.


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## Independent George (Mar 26, 2009)

ibjames said:


> I agree, I got a new dog, she jumped and I scolded her, I then found a friend trying to get her to jump up, I turn around, and another is feeding her half a hamburger, it was rather disappointing to say the least, so now I keep the dog away from friends until I'm confident in her training


Hey, I resemble that remark!

What's the point of having friends with puppies if you can't rile them all up, ruin their training, and give them a gallon of water to drink right before turning them back over to their owners?


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