I have a vizsla, H, who had 7 pups and only one, let's call her pup T, is left to stay with us. T is a female pup and now 7 months old.
Both mother and daughter share one big crate with plenty of space. They're both used to eating and sleeping inside the crate and then playing outside.
But recently, H has been fighting T over food—as in, I would give them both food, H having more than T and as soon as H finishes her food, she stares at T, who is a slow eater so will most likely be eating at the time, and then suddenly fights her for the food which is totally counterproductive because the fight will send the bowl toppling over and then no food will be left after they fight so no one will get to eat the remaining food.
I had to guard them while they eat recently and even then, H will always fight T and the only thing I could do to stop them is bang loudly at the crate to startle H. Just earlier, I tried distracting H while T eats but T kept stopping to look at me excitedly because she thinks she'll also play then. It worked for a bit until T is down to 1/4th of her food but then a cat passed by the backyard that got H's attention and one moment I turn back, suddenly H is fighting T again and the food bowl is toppled over.
I'm thinking maybe I should let out T and have her eat outside the crate while H eats inside, vice versa but I feel like both dogs, when one is outside the crate while the other is inside, goes in a barking spree to be let out too.
What should I do?
Both mother and daughter share one big crate with plenty of space. They're both used to eating and sleeping inside the crate and then playing outside.
But recently, H has been fighting T over food—as in, I would give them both food, H having more than T and as soon as H finishes her food, she stares at T, who is a slow eater so will most likely be eating at the time, and then suddenly fights her for the food which is totally counterproductive because the fight will send the bowl toppling over and then no food will be left after they fight so no one will get to eat the remaining food.
I had to guard them while they eat recently and even then, H will always fight T and the only thing I could do to stop them is bang loudly at the crate to startle H. Just earlier, I tried distracting H while T eats but T kept stopping to look at me excitedly because she thinks she'll also play then. It worked for a bit until T is down to 1/4th of her food but then a cat passed by the backyard that got H's attention and one moment I turn back, suddenly H is fighting T again and the food bowl is toppled over.
I'm thinking maybe I should let out T and have her eat outside the crate while H eats inside, vice versa but I feel like both dogs, when one is outside the crate while the other is inside, goes in a barking spree to be let out too.
What should I do?