When given a knuckle bone, Jack will lay elsewhere - Doberman Forum : Doberman Breed Dog Forums

dobriety · 12-09-2012, 04:28 PM

Please help me fix this, I must have done something wrong along the way.

When I give him the knuckle bone, something he's always enjoyed immensely, he seems reluctant to enjoy it, eventually laying down away from it and looking at me with big eyes and his ears pinned back.

I feel bad. Somewhere along the line, when I was trying to stamp out what slight resource guarding issues he has (always around a bone like this - though it has only happened a few times in the two years since he was a pup) I must have been too heavy-handed, for lack of a better word (as I never hit him, just raised my voice), but I must have scared him or something because now, here we are...and he acts all timid, and despite circling about to lick it a few times, he just doesn't seem like he can enjoy it, though if I were to make to go grab it quickly, sometimes he'll get up and go towards it, as if he doesn't want to see me take it away, despite his supposed disinterest.

What can I do to reverse this scenario? This problem only began a few weeks ago.

Rosemary · 12-09-2012, 04:39 PM

Are you sure he doesn't have a sore tooth, or something else going on with his mouth?

DogsR4Life · 12-09-2012, 04:41 PM

Maybe it's the knuckle bone. I gave chase pressed potato chew for dental, he loved it. After a few chews, the last one he had he just walked around with it, laid it down and gave me sad eyes. I think it's just an item he didn't want at the moment, but wanted to keep it safe. So I traded him a cookie for the chew.

After a long walk and dinner, he settled down and got right to work with the chew.

dobriety · 12-09-2012, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rosemary

Are you sure he doesn't have a sore tooth, or something else going on with his mouth?

Yes, fairly sure. He chews pretty hard on his nylabone, and I didnt notice anything when I did a cursory inspection.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DogsR4Life

Maybe it's the knuckle bone. I gave chase pressed potato chew for dental, he loved it. After a few chews, the last one he had he just walked around with it, laid it down and gave me sad eyes. I think it's just an item he didn't want at the moment, but wanted to keep it safe. So I traded him a cookie for the chew.

After a long walk and dinner, he settled down and got right to work with the chew.

He's done this with three different knuckles now, so I think it's me/here/whatever. He had also done this once with a frozen peanut butter Kong I gave him, but when I replicated it at my parent's place (unfrozen, incidentally) he went right at it. That said, I don't think this is an issue with frozen stuff; the knucklebone has been fully defrosted a couple times when I've given it to him.

lolonurse · 12-09-2012, 05:03 PM

does he have a crate? what if you put it in his crate, which he probably knows is his 'domain'? maybe he'd feel like it was all his? or - what if you held it and let him lick and gnaw it a bit while you talked to him softly, so he'd perhaps understand that you were ok with it? otherwise, just switch to marrow bones or something that has no negative association.

dobriety · 12-09-2012, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lolonurse

does he have a crate? what if you put it in his crate, which he probably knows is his 'domain'? maybe he'd feel like it was all his? or - what if you held it and let him lick and gnaw it a bit while you talked to him softly, so he'd perhaps understand that you were ok with it? otherwise, just switch to marrow bones or something that has no negative association.

Not sure if it was a good idea or not, but I got rid of his crate a while back. In retrospect, I think I wish I still had it around.

I've held it for him a few times and he'll lick it a bunch but will leave it, if I recall.

Nice idea on the switch. I'll considerate that.

Beaumont67 · 12-09-2012, 06:01 PM

I would sit on the floor (your eye level brought down lower equals less intimidating) and hand hold the exciting bone, that you intend to lovingly share with good boy Jack - provided the resource guarding and proper soft bite work, is trustfully up to par and in control.

Sherryh · 12-09-2012, 10:52 PM

I love to see my girl chew her knuckle bone but when its small and they can swallow it's in the trash. My girl chews her bone once in a while and a good point to always check the teeth.

**MeadowCat** · 12-10-2012, 09:15 AM

I'd recommend getting a crate again, for a whole host of reasons. Shanoa always gets her knuckle bones in her crate. It keeps the mess down, and she doesn't feel the need to resource guard from the other dog.

OldDrumDobes · 12-10-2012, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MeadowCat

I'd recommend getting a crate again, for a whole host of reasons. Shanoa always gets her knuckle bones in her crate. It keeps the mess down, and she doesn't feel the need to resource guard from the other dog.

Ditto This

I will not give raw anything on my floor. So my dogs often get them outdoors I do chores and can watch them chew. Anyone eats too much or too rough I just take it away. Maybe your dog would feel more comfortable in the yard with more space.

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