HELP dog can't eat!!!

cookielover96 · Post by **cookielover96** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 12:30 am

HI!
I have 2 dogs a German Shepard mix and a Poodle Mix. They both live outside. I have a big back and front yard. My German Shepard mix just had pups they're about 2 weeks old now. I recently noticed that my Poodle mix, which is a male, wouldn't eat when I served him food he would just stare at my other dog. First, when I saw this I thought he was a gentleman letting her eat first, but then I realized that it wasn't that. Every time my poodle mix would attempt to get food she would growl at him and then she would run to him and attack him. I know there was an episode on IMOTD about this but that was done indoors, to train the dogs and well my mom doesn't like animals in the house so how can I train my dogs to eat peacefully together?

Please Help!!!

Nettle · Post by **Nettle** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 4:57 am

Feed them separately out of sight of each other.

A ***** with pups is very protective. It is not good to feed the other dog near her or allow the other dog near her.

You can't change Nature, and a ***** with pups is pure Nature. Up to you to keep your dogs happy and safe which right now means keeping them apart.

MaiasMom · Post by **MaiasMom** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 1:48 pm

I agree with feeding the seperately, the mother is guarding a resource to ensure she is producing milk for her pups. Maia did this a bit with Kai when her puppies came. We just fed him in another location. She also would not let him into the bedroom until her babies were older. Poor thing would stand in the door way and try to jump for my bed so she would not get him.

All 3 of my posse eat together now, the boys will share a dish willingly. Maia, no way is she going to share a bowl with that lot. None of them guard food which is really nice.

cookielover96 · Post by **cookielover96** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 2:13 pm

I tried that it worked for about a week.
Then my female dog,Estrella, would just follow where I put my male dog's(Lazy) food tray and eat his food. So I got her food tray in another location and tried to make Lazy eat it, but she would follow and eat from her food tray so anywhere Lazy would try to get food she would growl at him so he could back off and won't let him eat until she finished eating both food trays. The only way that I could feed Lazy is by giving him food from my hand and making Estrella wait until he was done.
Now the problem is that I won't be able to do this anymore because I enter school tomorrow at 6am and come back around 3pm. so I can't just leave them the food there without worrying that Lazy won't eat.

ckranz · Post by **ckranz** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 2:41 pm

Provide a segratagted area either another room, or with an xPen to prevent eithe dog from disturbing the other during meal time.

Noobs · Post by **Noobs** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 3:18 pm

The dogs can't come inside your house at all? I grew up in LA and our dog wasn't allowed inside at all either. Meanwhile our cousins' dogs were allowed in their houses all the time. My dog spent his whole life in the back yard. I was a child, I didn't know any better. He never got walked, not even once. I feel so guilty about it to this day that I think I'm making it up a little bit with the way I am with my current dog.

Anyway, back to you. Do they have dog houses outside? A place they can be alone, like dog runs? Feed each one inside their dog house, don't let one follow you to check on the other one. Is anyone else at home helping you manage this?

cookielover96 · Post by **cookielover96** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 5:55 pm

they do have dog houses they have two one for each dog the thing is that only one of the dog house has the gate thing to lock the dog inside of it and the other dog house has the pups in it. I have tried to put Lazy in the house with the lock(since he's the one that follows) but he wont eat and he'll start to cry I tried to ignore him but he kept going on and on for almost an hour. And once I got him out my other dog estrella will start a fight with him since the dog house with a lock is her's. Something I have done to try to help is I tought estrella the LEAVE IT technique so once I put Lazy's bowl down I have to stay they to do the LEAVE IT everytime she tryies to take the food but Lazy still won't eat at all. I also tried to lock her in her house while Lazy was eating but I'll have to stay with Lazy so he can eat. I told my mom to do this since I go to school around 6am but she says that thats not her respondsibility so I don't have enough time to wait for him to eat any more any other idea?

And well when I got the dogs my mom said it would be my respondsibility to take care of them that all she would do was buy them food. And plus she's at work all day. my big sis doesnt like dogs at all so she's not doing anything about it. That's why I came to this website to try to get help from Victoria.Cuz I my family wont help at all.

maximoo · Post by **maximoo** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 6:24 pm

I understand that you are in a very difficult situation and are trying your very best. KUDOS to you for that.

However since you have no help/support, the responsibility of 1 animal let alone a whole family is simply too overwhelming for a child your age. It can be too overwhelming for adults for some adults. I believe (and I'm sure the others will too) that your dogs will need to be re-homed. When the pups are old enough (8 wks) find them new homes and find a new home for estrella & lazy. I know its not what you want to hear, but it will be better for them to have a home that they are welcomed into, and not banished to the back yard 24/7/365. They need more support & training than any 13 yo can give who leaves at 6am, goes to school, has hw to do, chores, as well as other activites and a social life I'm sure. Please think with your head on this. When you are older (at least 18 ) and can provide for your own dog and can have it come into your house as you please you will be a great dog owner. Right now you have bitten off way more than you can chew. It's OK. Just regroup find good homes for your dogs and one day you won't need anyone to help you. The thought of rehoming make may you fall to pieces, but given the situation the dogs are in they will be happier with a suitable family. You will never forget them. Please do what's best for them in the long run. This is not something you should be rebellious on. Think of the dogs & not yourself. Best of Luck to you.

cookielover96 · Post by **cookielover96** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 6:40 pm

The pups already have homes we are just waiting for them to be old enough to go with there owners. It is very sad to think about rehoming my dogs well since they are my first and I have tried all my best to train them. I have tought them basic commands the food issuse was the only problem but I will put some thought of it. And hope that their is someone out there willing to have them. I am very upset on thinking about that. They are really my only friends, Im an antisocial person I don't go out like my sis at all I spend most my time outside with them even doing homework out there I'll talk to my mom about it and will think of them instead of myself.

maximoo · Post by **maximoo** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 9:26 pm

Yes I know it's very sad and upsetting.

The way to get thru it is to think of all the positive things that will come out of it. Not so easy to do even for adults but I can see you have a good head on your shoulders and will do right by your dogs. I highly doubt your parents would say 'no' since they do not interact or love the dogs anyway. You can still help dogs by volunteering at a shelter, collecting supplies, etc. Maybe you can start a dog walking business, or a scaled down grooming business (just shampoo and brushing) or make stuff for dogs and sell it like jeweled collars, leashes, t-shirts, etc. Your life with dogs doesn't have to end. It can go in a new direction. There's an old saying that I'd like you to pay attention to "when one door closes, another one opens" --meaning a new opportunity will be waiting for you when something has ended in your life. If you re-home your dogs you will have time to persue other interests b/c the dogs won't be taking up all your time.
If you want to be more social than you need to try different activities that you enjoy. If you are shy then you will need to enlist the help of trusted adults in your life. Frankly if a person has 1 good friend they are lucky. Friends come & go in life and some people may appear to have many friends but I bet if you ask them most people have 3 or less really good friends who they can really count on at any one time. And that changes from year to year as well. So if you can get help in finding 1 or 2 friends then that would be very good. Then again, some people love solitude and doing things on their own. There is nothing wrong with that either. Just be friendly and never be rude or dismissive to people. Decide what you want to do then get help in trying to acheive it.
Think logically about this. I'm sure the other posters will agree with what I've said. We are thinking in the best interest of the dogs, and you too.

emmabeth · Post by **emmabeth** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 12:05 am

I have to say I agree with the advice to rehome them.

Your dogs are fighting and that means they arent happy - fighting over food and one dog stopping the other from eating is not 'happy dogs'. (Thats not to say your dogs are miserable all the time far from it. but its not ideal at all)

How come one of your dogs had pups? Do you know who the father of the pups is?

I do hope you have got homes for all the puppies - whilst lots of people will say they want a pup, when the time comes and they are old enough you might find that suddenly, people are too busy, theres a holiday coming up, its not the right time, they just remembered their aunt is allergic and she visits sometimes..

I do feel for you quite a lot, this is a VERY hard lesson to learn at your age and honestly... your Mom and Dad need a kick in the rear! They should not have made you totally responsible for these dogs because you dont have the age.. the time...the right to make decisions etc that you need to have to own dogs.

For now whilst you have them all - put one dog on a leash and take him or her out of sight of the other dog and feed them away from each other. You will have to physically prevent them from fighting over food.

Once the puppies are gone you can work on stuff that will help you to rehome one or both of them - train them to walk nicely on a lead. Train them to swap things so they are not food aggressive - train them to enjoy being brushed, to sit, down, wait...

These things will help them find new homes.

The other thing that would help would be having them spayed/neutered assuming they are old enough - however thats not likely to be something you have the money for (though if you DO great!) So that they cant produce any more puppies to add to those already in shelters needing homes.

Owning a dog ought to be fun, and this to me doesnt sound like its much fun for you... or importantly, for them either. Rehoming them is the right thing to do, even though it hurts you its better for them in the long term.

What you can do is look online for shelters near you that you can help. Some shelters might let you help walk their dogs or play with pups, or clean out kennels. Some might want you to be older, but you can still do things - you can make stuff to sell to raise money for them (ask their permission to do this first!), you can organise collections of dog food or blankets for them maybe. One thing we do in the UK a fair bit are 'meet n greets', where a couple of dogs from a rescue will go with some handlers and people from that rescue, and have a stand outside a big petstore. Then they tell people about the rescue, about the dogs, about the work they do and the help they need. You can see if any shelter or rescue near you does that and ask to help.

There is lots you can do between now and being old enough to own your own dogs AND be able to make all the decisions you need to make for them.

Nettle · Post by **Nettle** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 3:33 am

My heart goes out to you - but this is all good advice, for you and for the dogs. It is no fault of yours: this is way too big a commitment for anyone with your lifestyle. When you have your own place and can run your life to suit you, then you can have your dog and get to know it really well before you get another.

Meanwhile there is plenty you can do to be with dogs, and that includes coming on here because we'd love you to stay around and pick up lots of information here. Sometimes there will be conflicting information and that is good too, because often there is more than one way of doing something, and you can decide how you would choose to handle that issue.

Life is tough at your age, but it does get better.

mum24dog · Post by **mum24dog** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 3:57 am

emmabeth wrote:honestly... your Mom and Dad need a kick in the rear!

Too right.
My youngest daughter is very knowledgable about dogs and has grown up with them. Even so, I made her wait until she was 16 to get the BC she wanted and even then I accepted that the ultimate responsibility was still mine.

As the pups are so young perhaps Nettle, or someone else with breeding experience, should give advice on raisining healthy pups such as weaning and worming.

Pam

cookielover96 · Post by **cookielover96** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 7:30 pm

yeah you guys are rite after the pups are gone ill try to rehome. im working in there training. they caught on quick and well estrella stopped attacking Lazy with the command LEAVE IT. but yeah.

and thanks to everyone i will keep coming here again. n well yeah im still upset but well what can i do....

maximoo · Post by **maximoo** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 8:08 pm

You are very mature by being responsible & doing the right thing. Keep training so that they will be easier to place. The training experience will be good for you for when you can own your own dogs. Keep that goal in mind. I will happen & you will be a very good owner b/c you proved as a child that you did what was in the best interest of your dogs by re-homing them. Yes do keep coming here, and watching IMOTD. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say we are extremely proud of you for making the tough decision. Best of Luck to you always, and when you do get your own dogs the love will be rtn'd a thousand fold!