Growling over a bone

[Oliver]

We have a 9 week old Goldendoodle (Oliver) and a 7 year old chihuahua (Chloe). For the past few weeks that we have had Oliver he has shown respect toward Chloe, i.e. acknowledging that she is higher up in the "pack." Chloe gets treats first, goes in the house first, etc. When he gets on her nerves, Chloe will give a short growl and he will step away. She never bites or tries to bite him...in fact, she is very tolerant of him playing with her, biting her tail, etc.

However, a few minutes ago Oliver was chewing on a bone and Chloe came up to him (probably growling to try to get the bone away from him to have for herself) and for the first time, he growled back and they started growling and lunging toward each other. Since Oliver is bigger he easily got on top of her and I don't want to say he had her neck in his mouth, but he was growling at her neck. I was a few feet away when this happened and quickly ran over and picked up the bone (he is perfectly fine with giving and taking away his food/bones/toys to a human, but this was the first time he didn't let Chloe get her way). As soon as I did this, all was better and they acted like it never happened. He is now trying to play with Chloe again. But...it scared the CRAP out of me.

I'm not sure what to do next...For the past few days when I give both of them bones they each enjoy their own respective bones for a while and then decide they want to "switch" because the other OBVIOUSLY has a better bone...However, this time, Chloe had already finished her bone and was now ready to have Oliver's. I'm not sure who was at "fault" here...Chloe because she instigated it by growling and wanting the bone, or Oliver since he took it to the next level (and I think scared the crap out of Chloe). Or is this completely normal and I should let them work it out themselves and only step in when I must?

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

This is always going to happen when it comes to bones......Don't worry ...It looks MUCH worse than it actually is....One will always want what the other one has.....No matter the situation....

[2hl9mp3c2fuam]

No matter how many bones I have they ALWAYS want the same one!!!LOL!! Mine do not fight though...they play to see who can get it. It is actually pretty funny. I'm sure after a while they will work it out themselves. Of course step in when you have to. Good luck.

[Mary Beth Sancomb-Moran]

Well, it is normal, but I'd still nip it in the bud. If Oliver gets the idea that he can do that and get his way, he'll try with other dogs (and maybe even people.)

We have three dogs - a rat terrier (who, though the smallest, is In Charge), a golden retriever, and our doodle. We finally got to the point that we refuse to buy bones for them. They normally play well together and don't guard their food. But there was something about those bones....

[Tamara & Giada]

I agree with Mary Beth, you should nip this in the bud. Mine always want what the other has, but NEVER growl over it. giada has always been VERY submissive to Summer.

[Danielle]

Koda was never a growler, but about a year ago he began doing the same thing over toys. At the time it was just me and him normally and he had plenty of his own toys, but when we went to my cousin's house to visit her and her dog he began giving the possessive bark/short growl whenever she would go for one of her own toys. He began claiming toys then and now, at my mother's house he literally steals all the toys and bones and hides them in my room when we are there. I think it is only child syndrome. He has to claim all his things - even sometimes when they are not his.

Bones are the worst though. He literally army crawls up to the other dogs and reaches his paw out for their bones to steal them, and drags them away from the other dogs when they are not looking! Nothing has escalated yet thankfully. In fact, he even gives his possessive bark/growl to the cat if he gets too close to Koda's bone. Something about those bones though!

[Ali]

I kinda think this is going to happen more as your Oliver grows to be a lot bigger than Chloe and their roles will soon change. Oliver is going to constantly test Chloe's leadership. I am not sure how to nip this in the bud, maybe talk to a trainer, if it continues. Good luck with everything.