How to stop my younger dog stealing toys and food from my older dog?

Question

Hello. I have two dogs. One is 3 years old named Scout the other is about to be a year named Spencer. Spencer always takes toys, food, attention away from Scout. Any time I give scout something or touch him or play with him he bites Scouts ear or takes the object away from him. This is odd as Spencer is the puppy and Scout never stands up for himself. What causes this and how can I correct it?

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

It sounds like Spencer is a bit more "pushy" than Scout, in general - dogs have different personalities, just like people do :) To a certain extent, this is often just something that you have to live with - it usually bothers owners much more than it bothers the dogs, in my experience. If Scout was bothered by Spencer's behavior, he would growl or snap at him; since he doesn't, he may simply not care overly much about these things. It usually doesn't work to try and force dogs to share with each other and be "fair" - these are human concepts that they don't understand. It's often best to manage situations like this by separating the dogs (using a baby gate, or crating one or both of them) when you want to give them some type of special treat or chew item so that they can both eat in peace. You can also have one-on-one playtime with Scout if you need to, while Spencer is in a different room with the door closed or in his crate. Another option would be to keep Spencer on a leash, and practice rewarding him for leaving Scout alone while he chews on a bone or plays with a toy. Many puppies become more polite and less pushy once they grow up a bit more, so you can watch for this as well. If you're concerned and would like an in-person opinion on whether there is anything else that might be helpful, I would recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate both of your dogs together and help you put together a more detailed plan for them. You can search for one in your area here: www.dacvb.org

How to stop my younger dog stealing toys and food from my older dog?

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