aksnowpeach Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 Tonight something happened that has never happened before between Cypra and Kai. I was cooking dinner and the dogs came into the kitchen to see what I was doing and once they realized I was cooking, they both stepped closer to me to see if they could get any. Well Cypra beat Kai to being the closest to me and when she put her head next to my leg he turned around and bit her in the face, thinking I was going to give her food and not him. He has NEVER done such a thing before!! He didn't hurt her bad, but his tooth did scrape the corner of her eye (where the eye boogers usually collect) and she was bleeding slightly. I yelled at him really loud "NO KAI!" and pointed away from me and said "Get out of my kitchen NOW!" so he moped away to lay in the livingroom while I cleaned up Cypra. Does anyone have a logical explination of why that happened? I do not give them people food very often, only once in a while when we grill will they get a small piece of chicken (literally about once a month). When I talked to my husband about it he said he had been giving them little tidbits here and there. I of course yelled at him and told him to stop (which he said he would try, but he's a SUCKER for their baby blue eyes). Any advice? Now when I cook dinner I don't plan on letting either of them in my kitchen for fear of this happening again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KERNOWHUSKIES Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 Thats Huskies for you! I dont think its about the food as such but you. My big boy is always near me in the kitchen he is my shadow. If u r the pack leader its just them wantin to be close. Nanook couldn't give to figs about food but when i'm cooking he is always there, not beggin just wantin 2 b with me. That might be the case with urs... just wanting UR full attention. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aksnowpeach Posted October 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 That might be the case with urs... just wanting UR full attention. x Then why would Kai still bite Cypra like that?? It's still so confusing to try and udnerstand. I'm a first time dog owner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 awww poor thing - glad it wasn't any worse anyway Sounds like your hubby is in the dog house You will probably get little spats like this every once in a while but you did the right thing My boys very very rarely tousle over food - but tonight they got a bone each to eat in the back garden - they munched away and all was good - Kaiser brought his bone into the house and Kimba left his outside - now the bone was on the other side of the room and both boys were asleep on the floor - Kimba decided he was going to get up and have a nibble on the bone until Kaiser clocked him and dashed off the sofa stood over his bone and growled. I stood up and said ENOUGH (their word to stop whatever they are doing) kaiser backed off and i removed the bone and threw it in the bin. Best thing you can do if they fight over food i've found is to remove it instantly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KERNOWHUSKIES Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 To tell Cypra to BACK OFF shes mine. In my experience Huskies LOVE the pack leader, its all about showing off etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hock Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 This is my theory about why it happened. Of course we all know dogs have a pack mentatlity and this seems to be case of that. The dog that bit the other prolly thinks of itself as higher up on the totem pole than the other and this was a reactive reflex to tell the other dog to get in line for attention and food. But your not helping the situation with feeding them table scraps. I'm assuming like most humans, you throw them food individually and not at the same time. This could cause jealously and again comes back to the pack thing if one dog percieves it's getting less than the other or the lower dog is cutting in line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aksnowpeach Posted October 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 I'm assuming like most humans, you throw them food individually and not at the same time. . Nope, both dogs get treats at the same time, never separated. I made that mistake once before and will never do it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 maybe it was just a one off. Don't let it worry you that it could happen again though or they will pick up on your anxieties Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 This is a fairly common problem, so don't feel you are alone here. They were resource guarding, or in other words, competing for a resource (food). As the pack leader you did the right thing in intervening and telling the dogs that it's not on, but now you should address the issue that's there - that they feel they can compete for resources. When you give them a treat, what do you do? Start with simple things like telling them to sit and the dog who responds first is the first one to get the treat. Forget pack order - teach them that the quickest way to get a reward is to obey you, not compete with each other. Don't give them food when they beg for it, because every time you do, it rewards them for begging and they'll learn that begging is how you get what you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aksnowpeach Posted October 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 When you give them a treat, what do you do? . Usually when it's treat time, they do tricks. Each of them sits, shakes, and speaks, they each get a treat, then each has their own set of tricks they do for a treat (and they each get 1/2 a beggin strip that I tear in small pieces). Cypra will high-5, roll over, and army crawl. Kai will play dead, say "i love you" and "say please" with his paws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewbacca_&_me Posted October 24, 2009 Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 If this happens again then it may well be time (I'd do it now) to train them both that they arent allowed in the kitchen or get gates or something. This should ease tension, as neither will feel that you are paying more attention to the other. Chewy often follows me to the kitchen as well, I dont speak to him or look at him while I cook because I dont want to encouage him to beg or steal. Other than some challenging lately he usually leaves the kitchen if I point where I want him to go and say OUT. Tell your hubby that if he feels he wants to give food treats that maybe he could work with them to make sure they earn it. Chewy must do 4 to 6 commands without giving me trouble to get a food treat, this way he doesnt think he just gets treats for being pretty or bossy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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