Pitbull Bully...lol. 0_o!!

I would feed the dogs completely seperately.  There is no reason for any of the dogs to feel stressed or worried about another dog taking their food while eating.  It does sound, to me, like you are doing a good job of controlling the situation, but it only takes a minor distraction such as a phone ringing, to allow that split second for a fight to break out.  In my experience, a fight will, eventually, break out when food is involved.  Which is why I believe that it's just safer, easier, & less stressful to feed dogs in their crates or in seperate rooms.

Thanks for that insight. I had actually told my mom, who is currently watching the boys while we are out of town, to feed Dexter either in his crate or out on the patio. I think that will be our new routine just to save me the constant stress. He doesn't do it every time they eat. He's done it maybe twice in the last month, but to me that is still twice too many.  I don't have kids, and I don't pay any attention to really anything until they are done eating. They usually gobble their portions in less than 10 min. I can spare that time...lol. Anyway, I'll feed separately. I just was hoping that I could somehow train against this sort of thing seeing as how I believe it can lead into bullying in other areas as well. The other two dogs, a full dachshund, and my Shepherd/RR cross are extremely docile, and have free run of the house while I am out because I trust them 100%, but Dexter will never be left out of the crate when we are not at home. Heck, I really don't want him out while we are sleeping because he may chew something or pee (he has a UTI).

What are your thoughts about the dog park. He's not had any aggression issues while there, and really seems to enjoy it. He could use the socialization. I don't like taking him to petsmart or any of the other stores because there a lot of leash reactive dogs that tend to get him going, and it always makes him and me look bad. Besides, I think the municipality the store is located in has a restriction on them; not sure. I live in a po dunk, middle of nowhere town...lol.

SalsaCat84

What are your thoughts about the dog park.

I wouldn't take him to the dog park.  I have come to find that if a fight breaks out in a dog park, if there is a pit or pit mix anywhere in the park, even if he is sitting on a bench next to you when the fight breaks out, it will somehow be his fault.  There is always at least one idiot who will claim that the pit bull started it no matter what.  For me, it's not worth risking more bad press for the breed.

Socialization is easy, you just have to be creative. 

I have found that stopping at car lots or dealerships to "look" at a car are great places to provide good experiences for a dog.  I usually just claim that I was driving by & "this car just spoke to me, so I had to stop."  I usually apologize for having my puppy with me, but explain that she just can't be left alone in my vehicle, so I had to bring her out so that I could get a better look at the car.  Car salesmen are usually very friendly, & I have yet to meet one who wasn't willing to give my dog a treat & say hello.  It is a bit of a hassle because you do end up having to listen to some details about a car, but I have yet to run into another dog there, & it provides a good experience with a friendly stranger.

We've also hung out outside of my bank & post office because of the heavy traffic, & lack of other dogs.  There are always people walking by who are curious about the dog, & want to meet them.  I always have really yummy, clean treats with me so that I can ask people if they want to say hi, & give her a treat.  Very few people decline the chance to say hello.

Farmer's markets, & flea markets will also give him a great chance to have good experiences, although, at least here, there usually are other dogs present.

BEVOLASVEGAS

I have found that stopping at car lots or dealerships to "look" at a car are great places to provide good experiences for a dog.  I usually just claim that I was driving by & "this car just spoke to me, so I had to stop."  I usually apologize for having my puppy with me, but explain that she just can't be left alone in my vehicle, so I had to bring her out so that I could get a better look at the car.  Car salesmen are usually very friendly, & I have yet to meet one who wasn't willing to give my dog a treat & say hello.  It is a bit of a hassle because you do end up having to listen to some details about a car, but I have yet to run into another dog there, & it provides a good experience with a friendly stranger.

That's a great technique!  Even listening about the car....that's the type of thing Nikon needed to learn patience and self-control when in public.

I work for a college and often come back in the evenings with my dogs, or even bring one to work.  They can't come inside (well sometimes I sneak him down the back to visit his "Aunty Mary", my dog loving co-worker) but if the weather is cool I keep them in my dog van and bring them out on my breaks to walk around and socialize.   Our campus is divided by a highway and a few years ago we build a crosswalk bridge, so I've taken the dogs up the elevator and over the bridge to practice those things.

In the summer, we walk to a local gas station that has an ice cream window or drive a dog to the ice cream place where my sis works.  Our city is not dog friendly but you can get away with taking them to these places that have outdoor lines and seating.

I promise you it is only a matter of time before you have a battle on your hands.   I have 6 adult RRs and while I know they are of solid and wonderful temperament I would NEVER set them up to fail by feeding them in the manner you described. Everyone eats in their crates, This does several things. It gives me peace of mind, It gives them peace of mind and keeps everyone safe. Feeding all of your dogs loose and in mass is asking for a fight, and promoting a resource guarding mentality.   Your withholding of food and making him watch is not teaching what you think it is.  It is creating a  mental issue that will foster aggression.  Think of it this way. You want to use Positive Reinforcement yet you are becoming the bully and making it worse by teasing him, making him watch the others eat. I know that is not what you intended to do.  He is learning to bully,  and to intimidate from you.

 I wouldn't take him to the dog park either, for the reasons mentioned, plus the fact that he is already known to be aggressive toward aggressive dogs.  You can never guarantee that someone who doesn't know dog behavior very well will not show up at a dog park with a questionable dog that will tip yours over the edge.  Also, Pit Bulls are wonderful companions and great working dogs, but they are often dog aggressive, and they can go from a relaxed dopey sweet tail wagging goober to a freakazoid in about 1 millisecond with no warning whatsoever.  These are dogs that should always be managed with utmost care because every time someone thinks that their dog could never be the one that has the switch flip, the switch flips, and they become another statistic - and every stat helps the BSL people further their cause.

I see what you are saying, but I am not teaching him to be a bully. Please, don't speak to me in such a harsh and demeaning way. I have come on here for constructive criticizm; not name calling.  I have a training mentor who is teaching me current training methods for dealing with dogs who have aggression problems or resource guarding problems, and I've done plenty of research. The only reason I was concerned is because he may be part Pitbull. I have worked with this breed before, however, owning one is new for me. Everyone does things differently, and yes I will take your opinion into consideration, but your way of presenting it has raised my hackles a bit. If you could read; you see that I already said I was going to start feeding him separately. The other two dogs have cohabitated peacefully for 2 years with no issues at all.

Those are all great ideas. However, he gets plenty of human socialization on the daily. We walk on the bike path in our town, and he greets bicyclists, runners, etc. Sometimes dogs, but his halti helps keep him focused on what he should. Just the other day a runner came right up to us to ask if I knew how to fix an i-pod. He even offered to hold Dexter's leash while I fixed it...lol. I was really glad that he wasn't afraid of Dex. Dexter just sat like a gentleman while we talked. As I figured, he's only got issue with strange dogs, and is really good with family dogs. Thank you for all your help, and wonderful suggestions.

SalsaCat84

The new problem I am facing is that when I feed my three dogs, Dexter bum rushes the other two, shoves them away from the bowl rather harshly to either eat out of it or just see what is in it. He's never attacked either of the two and drawn blood or actually hurt them. He's basically just being a big bully. Growling, and making eye contact to say he's boss.

I dont like to "separate" the dogs while they eat by a crate or a door. They dont tell the dog that the behavior is not allowed as a human could.

What i do is putting the plates in opposite sides of the room and i act as the crate/door instead by body blocking the dog from getting to the other side of the room where the other 2 dogs are. A door/crate does not teach the dog to stop bullying, a door/crate does not teach rules or boundaries, a human does

If the dog is not looking at you and watches over your leg towards the other dogs plates then you need to redirect his attention as his mind is actually with the other dog plates and the exercise wont be as successful

The objective is not to let him go all the way to the other side to the other dogs plates. Making him watch them eat will once again let him "be there", still fixated at those plates

espencer

I dont like to "separate" the dogs while they eat by a crate or a door. They dont tell the dog that the behavior is not allowed as a human could.

I actually agree with this, in part. While I only have three dogs, all three eat in the kitchen together. They are not allowed to mooch off another, or pester, or steal, and they each have a 'place'. When they are done eating they are to either leave the room or just leave the others alone. I do think that allowing other dogs to eat in peace without mugging (while at the same time allowing the dog who is eating to eat in peace without beging mugged) is a serious impulse control exercise that can have benefits farther than just the house. Because what if a child dropped a piece of food? Or what if you are in a training class and another person dropped food and two dogs are both close enough to grab the food? What if you yourself drop food on the floor and all three dogs rush in to get it with no prior training?

It's actually not hard to make this the routine, but it does take patience and work, and commitment. I would use a tether in the beginning for safety measures, or a leash that you hold, to prevent the dog access from stealing food. Don't set the dog up to fail. Every time you allow the dog to mug another dog, you have reinforced that dog, and you have also showed the other dogs that they do indeed need to try to defend their food. Even if it's not dangerous, it's just downright rude dog behaviour that your dog shouldn't exhibit because some day, there will be a dog that won't allow it. So I would start with a tether or leash in your hands, and I would work on teaching your dog to ignore the other dogs when he is done eating. There are different ways to teach it. You can use a "leave it" cue, you can ask for the dog to focus on you, heck even better you can make the eating place a "station" that the dog can't leave until released (so the dog is on a sit/stay or down/stay) while the other dogs eat. Just make sure you don't allow him to fixate on the other dogs, keep his mind busy. You can build great impulse control with a dog this way, and it teaches them inadvertantly respect for yourself and others.

I would only recommend you teach this exercise if you are comfortable, and confident that the dogs will not aggress, although it is really important to prevent it via a leash in the beginning stages until an alternative behaviour is taught. If there is any risk to yourself or others, though, don't hesitate to use separate boundaries, and I would do this as well for others feeding your dogs (while you are away). Don't expect anyone else to work on these issues. There is no harm in separating them, as it is guaranteed to be safe, but I do think there may be some great benefits in teaching dogs to leave other dogs alone, if the situation allows.

Given the dog's breed, I agree with Amanda that the dogs should be fed separately.  You can't afford any accidents, and unless and until you install training on each dog separately with a modicum of certainty that the dogs will be compliant, you really shouldn't tempt fate by trying to manage them in the same room.  These kinds of exercises take some skill and if you are not right on the money, and a dog gets in to a scuffle, the scuffle could be more than you bargained for.  These things tend to escalate, and if you are not completely confident in your training ability, you are better off feeding the dogs in different kennels or rooms with doors closed.  My dogs can eat separately, because they each know "leave it" and will do so under some pretty demanding situations, but, frankly, I think that forcing dogs to eat together is more about human ego than it is about what's prudent or convenient.  Therefore, dinner is served separately at my house.  I just think they deserve the peace of knowing that they can enjoy their meal without interference from the others.  This also helps prevent dogs from gorging, which, especially in the deep chested breeds, can lead to bloat (gastric dilatation volvulus) a potentially deadly condition.

spiritdogs

I just think they deserve the peace of knowing that they can enjoy their meal without interference from the others. 

But my point was that dogs can have that peace of mind by eating in the same room as well. You don't have to have physical barriers to give that peace of mind, nor does having the barrier necessarily give peace of mind anyhow, as most dogs I know (aside from a few breeds with slower eating tendencies) practically inhale their food whether they eat alone in their kennel or they are in the same room as another dog. It really does go dog by dog.

But as I said, if the owner is uncomfortable doing it, or doesn't feel they have the skills, a kennel or other room is a safe solution. But there is another solution, and it can be done.  Human ego has nothing to do with it (I actually think that's a bit condescending to say, sorry), teaching the appropriate skills does, so that dogs can learn to respect other dogs' space, and can learn that just becaue there is food, it doesn't mean I can have it. And it will go much farther into the dog's life to benefit from respecting other dogs' space - another dog with a bone, another dog eating its food, another dog playing fetch, etc.

If this person had three untrained dogs, or eight dogs, or there was aggression present, I would likely give different advice. But it sounds like this person has one untrained dog (by the sounds of it and an adolescent at that, which pretty much explains the pushy behaviours, although not aggressive at this point), two well-behaved dogs, and is willing to put the time and effort in to work on it, and wants to work on that as a solution. So I think it is fair to give some different options to work on depending on the owner's skills.

There is nothing wrong with feeding separately, as it is definitely safe and will prevent problems, but there is also nothing wrong with feeding them together and expecting social graces from each of them if you do so in controlled circumstances. Everyone can choose their own path to dog-friendly eating styles, and both can be done safely and kindly, depending on the dogs' skills.

spiritdogs

You can't afford any accidents, and unless and until you install training on each dog separately with a modicum of certainty that the dogs will be compliant, you really shouldn't tempt fate by trying to manage them in the same room.

I agree that you have to be careful, but this statement alone doesn't make a lot of sense because this is a problem only because two dogs are present. You can't really train the behaviour "on its own", as all the dogs know how to eat on their own - it's only what happens when one is finished eating that is the problem. The only part you can train on its own is their own "spot", but in order to teach one dog leaving another alone, unfortunately you need to work with two dogs. It's no less safe to work on-leash to teach a dog to leave another dog alone while it eats, as it is to work on-leash to teach a dog not to aggress at other dog. Except in this case you have the benefit of a lack of aggression on your side - it sounds at this point like we're just dealing with an excitable youngster with no manners.

I just feel that this behaviour that we are seeing goes far beyond just "eating supper", but rather it's a foundation skill that the dog is lacking right now, and will continue to lack unless it is addressed and worked on. And that is respect of dogs' space and possessions. It's easy to prevent problems by feeding in crates, I agree, and if it comes to that then that's fine (I myself have recommended such procedures as prevention) but it will not then fix the problems of the dog being pushy in other contexts as well, and at some point in this dog's life, the issue will need to be addressed, and it's better to address it before it escalates to aggression. Prevention is the key to most things in life, but I do feel that at some point dogs need to learn to cope as well, because if all we do is prevent, without teaching other behaviours, then a dog doesn't learn to cope with its environment but instead just reacts to it.

Kim_MacMillan

Human ego has nothing to do with it (I actually think that's a bit condescending to say, sorry), teaching the appropriate skills does, so that dogs can learn to respect other dogs' space, and can learn that just becaue there is food, it doesn't mean I can have it. And it will go much farther into the dog's life to benefit from respecting other dogs' space

Kim_MacMillan

I just feel that this behaviour that we are seeing goes far beyond just "eating supper", but rather it's a foundation skill that the dog is lacking right now, and will continue to lack unless it is addressed and worked on. And that is respect of dogs' space and possessions. It's easy to prevent problems by feeding in crates, I agree, and if it comes to that then that's fine (I myself have recommended such procedures as prevention) but it will not then fix the problems of the dog being pushy in other contexts as well, and at some point in this dog's life, the issue will need to be addressed, and it's better to address it before it escalates to aggression. Prevention is the key to most things in life, but I do feel that at some point dogs need to learn to cope as well, because if all we do is prevent, without teaching other behaviours, then a dog doesn't learn to cope with its environment but instead just reacts to it.