Deuce can be a picky eater. Sometimes he wakes up with not much of an appetite so eating is not high on his list. Rioja, on the other hand, would eat all day long if I let her. This morning I thought Deuce would be really hungry and sure enough he went to his bowl and ate a portion of his meal. The rest I was planning on dispensing via toys.
Rioja got her toy and was having a blast with this new rolling ball extracting pieces of kibble left and right. Deuce was watching at a distance with his own “favorite” kibble dispensing toy at his feet. Rioja ignored him, but continued to work with her toy.
At one point, Deuce dashed across the kitchen whining and “complaining” to Rioja. Once he got to where she was, he stared at the toy as if he had been with the toy all along and Rioja just got there. I approached and asked Deuce to come to me. He continued to complain to Rioja while I went to fetch his toy. I decided to switch toys (what a softy!) giving Rioja Deuce’s pin and Deuce the one Rioja was working on. I knew Rioja could not care less which toys she gets as long as she gets food and she gets to do something fun.
Now back in “his corner” Deuce is ignoring the second toy and went back to Rioja wanting her toy once again. Okay, no more I thought. I escorted Deuce to his mat also in the kitchen as Rioja continued to eat now undisturbed.
Deuce was now laying quietly on his bed when I spotted a small container with some leftover chicken skins from the night before. I went over to Deuce and I gave him the container for him to extract the chicken.
Great. Doggie heaven. Good move I thought! Classical conditioning at its best. What Deuce is learning is that whenever Rioja is playing with one of his food dispensing toys something even better happens to him… “Chicken rains from the sky” instead of eating boring kibble. Change the association with the event (Rioja playing/eating from toy) to a positive one and now you have a dog begging you to bring out that stinky toy so that chicken will again rain from heaven …or from Almudena or… who cares! Just bring out the chicken, please.
The thing with Deuce and his possession for the toys- not so much the kibble is legendary. He used to compete for them with Laika as well. He has become a bit more generous with his toys, but once in while he will still react like a spoiled child… nobody is perfect.
I hear reports from my own clients that their own dogs regularly take toys, bones etc. the minute the other sib abandons the item. Yes, indeed a perfect case of the grass is greener…
Call it a fluke or a greater message from the universe, but at present I am working with four different clients all having issues with their dogs fighting at home. Living with multiple dogs can most definitively be a challenge especially when their friendship deteriorates. Dogs that were once “friends” and who enjoyed each other’s company, used to play and hang out together for some reason(s) begin to fight. The causes
behind the animosity could be many with competition for resource such as food, a person, etc. or a medical condition that one of the dogs has developed are typical reasons for the sudden onset of aggression. When this happens it is possible that without intervention the dogs cannot cohabit without fighting and must live separated at all times- not an enjoyable or easy scenario for anyone involved.
The way to resolve such issues varies, but for the most part the process is lengthy and ultimate management and a tight protocol of behavior modification must be followed until the dogs learn to cohabit harmoniously once again. Myself and other trainers have had success getting our clients and their dogs back on track but on occasion re-homing one of the dogs is really the best option.
I have heard of some trainers and behavioral veterinarians that recommend supporting the “alpha” or dominant dog assuring that once the people are supporting (i.e.: catering) the alpha all things will fall into place. When I hear such advice I clinch… I feel really bad for the family because I had NEVER been able to say with complete certainty or seen any of my clients determine who is the alpha in the dog-dog relationship.
The reality is that while social stratification (of some sort - not always the same) is present in all animals with complex social lives this relationship is fluid and thus changing. It is always in the context of the environment that behavior takes place. For my part, I really value having my personal dogs (or my personal dogs with my board & train client’s dogs) be harmonious. Not only do I remain alert to “disagreements” between them, but also I have established very clear protocols to ensure that everyone feels relaxed, taken care of and abide by the established household rules.
This is the same that I strive to do for my clients with their fighting dogs: establish some clear household rules, and some behavior modification protocols so that hopefully all dogs can remain happily in the home.
Rioja got her toy and was having a blast with this new rolling ball extracting pieces of kibble left and right. Deuce was watching at a distance with his own “favorite” kibble dispensing toy at his feet. Rioja ignored him, but continued to work with her toy.
At one point, Deuce dashed across the kitchen whining and “complaining” to Rioja. Once he got to where she was, he stared at the toy as if he had been with the toy all along and Rioja just got there. I approached and asked Deuce to come to me. He continued to complain to Rioja while I went to fetch his toy. I decided to switch toys (what a softy!) giving Rioja Deuce’s pin and Deuce the one Rioja was working on. I knew Rioja could not care less which toys she gets as long as she gets food and she gets to do something fun.
Now back in “his corner” Deuce is ignoring the second toy and went back to Rioja wanting her toy once again. Okay, no more I thought. I escorted Deuce to his mat also in the kitchen as Rioja continued to eat now undisturbed.
Deuce was now laying quietly on his bed when I spotted a small container with some leftover chicken skins from the night before. I went over to Deuce and I gave him the container for him to extract the chicken.
Great. Doggie heaven. Good move I thought! Classical conditioning at its best. What Deuce is learning is that whenever Rioja is playing with one of his food dispensing toys something even better happens to him… “Chicken rains from the sky” instead of eating boring kibble. Change the association with the event (Rioja playing/eating from toy) to a positive one and now you have a dog begging you to bring out that stinky toy so that chicken will again rain from heaven …or from Almudena or… who cares! Just bring out the chicken, please.
The thing with Deuce and his possession for the toys- not so much the kibble is legendary. He used to compete for them with Laika as well. He has become a bit more generous with his toys, but once in while he will still react like a spoiled child… nobody is perfect.
I hear reports from my own clients that their own dogs regularly take toys, bones etc. the minute the other sib abandons the item. Yes, indeed a perfect case of the grass is greener…
Call it a fluke or a greater message from the universe, but at present I am working with four different clients all having issues with their dogs fighting at home. Living with multiple dogs can most definitively be a challenge especially when their friendship deteriorates. Dogs that were once “friends” and who enjoyed each other’s company, used to play and hang out together for some reason(s) begin to fight. The causes
behind the animosity could be many with competition for resource such as food, a person, etc. or a medical condition that one of the dogs has developed are typical reasons for the sudden onset of aggression. When this happens it is possible that without intervention the dogs cannot cohabit without fighting and must live separated at all times- not an enjoyable or easy scenario for anyone involved.
The way to resolve such issues varies, but for the most part the process is lengthy and ultimate management and a tight protocol of behavior modification must be followed until the dogs learn to cohabit harmoniously once again. Myself and other trainers have had success getting our clients and their dogs back on track but on occasion re-homing one of the dogs is really the best option.
I have heard of some trainers and behavioral veterinarians that recommend supporting the “alpha” or dominant dog assuring that once the people are supporting (i.e.: catering) the alpha all things will fall into place. When I hear such advice I clinch… I feel really bad for the family because I had NEVER been able to say with complete certainty or seen any of my clients determine who is the alpha in the dog-dog relationship.
The reality is that while social stratification (of some sort - not always the same) is present in all animals with complex social lives this relationship is fluid and thus changing. It is always in the context of the environment that behavior takes place. For my part, I really value having my personal dogs (or my personal dogs with my board & train client’s dogs) be harmonious. Not only do I remain alert to “disagreements” between them, but also I have established very clear protocols to ensure that everyone feels relaxed, taken care of and abide by the established household rules.
This is the same that I strive to do for my clients with their fighting dogs: establish some clear household rules, and some behavior modification protocols so that hopefully all dogs can remain happily in the home.
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