TLDR - DD (10 ) tried taking food tray dog ( almost 3 ) had taken from the bin. Dog has growled and barked at DD. Never done it before.
Took his crate down today but now wondering if I should put it back up
We've had Ddog since he was a baby, hes almost 3. Hes been raised alongside my children ( 8 and 10 ) and 4 cats.
He has always been absolutely fantastic with us and is a very loving boy. He has always been a food thief 🤣 cant leave anything out or he will have it. Hes never been bothered about having things taken off him that he shouldnt have. He's always had a very large crate and has always been fed in his crate. He's been protective of his food with the cats and would growl and bark at them if they went near his crate whilst he was eating ( not a regular thing I've fed them in separate rooms for years now )
His crate is really large and takes up a good chunk of my front room so I took it down today ( given hes nearly 3 I was hoping I could get rid of it, I only got it because he used to chew as a puppy if I had to pop out )
I've been tidying up and had a bag of rubbish by the door to take it out, I nipped to the toilet and Ddog has gotten part of a food tray with a bit of left over food on it and DD has gone over to take it off him. Hes growled at her and then barked at her. I've rushed off toilet calling down and DD has come upstairs to tell me
I've come downstairs to take it off him and he moved away from it and didnt growl or bark when I took it.
I told him to get on his bed and took the rubbish outside. He was very shameful when I sent him to his bed ( yano what dogs are like when they know theyve done somthing wrong )
after about 10 minutes I got DD to make his dinner and give it to him. He listened and did as asked when she asked him to sit and wait
Do you think I should put his crate back up? Obviously I dont make a habit of leaving rubbish by the door, when DD fed him earlier I made sure he had his space and none of us were near him.
I'm just worried this might now transfer onto his toys ect.