Advice for Concerned Friend [Black Lab]

[chester1234]

I had a text this morning from a friend of mine reg's her black lab. He's probably 3 now, and has always been a bit

very sweet, just nutty.
She asked me if I knew someone who's opinion I could ask, so I thought I'd try in here?
The text was..
'It's weird. If we give him a treat or something to eat he goes in to a massive growling fit then leaves whatever we have given him, comes up to me, puts his legs between my legs, still growling badly and shaking loads. We don't understand it cos he doesn't do it at any other time. I'll record it next time and send it to you in an email or something so you can see.'

Any ideas?

 

[MurphysMinder]

How strange (sorry thats not much help). Does she mean any food, or just chews or similar. Could it be he has a sore mouth or throat and this is a pain response? Cayla might have seen something like this and have some suggestions.
Another thought, is he the only dog, if not is he being intimidated by another dog when given a treat?

 

[Vizslak]

Wow that is an odd one! I'm not sure what to suggest accept that perhaps a trip to the vets would be in order. It does sound likely that its a pain response, can she coax him to eat eventually? Yes also like MM says, is he an only dog? Is it possible he's been in a bit of a scrap over food while she wasnt watching (and he lost!).
I hope Cayla may be able to shed some further light on the subject for you and he gets sorted quickly, sounds like he's very unhappy about something poor boy.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I would go to the vet as soon as, it might be a neurological issue or as mentioned, a pain response.

His legs between her legs I am not quite visualising but he may be asking for 'help' or comfort - my fella has a bad back and there are times when he comes up and 'offers' himself to me, he reverses into my legs because he knows I will scratch his croup, which seems to offer him some sort of relief.

 

[CAYLA]

It's a hard one to try and make sense of without lots of other questions.
Have they had him since he was a puppy?
Does he display this behaviour with his food/not just treats?
Does is show any other alarming behaviour?

As suggested it could be pain based, so it is always the most obvious factor to get him checked by the vet, and maybe take some footage along to show what he is doing.
How does he react with a chew when no one is around? does he try to hide it or does he proceed to eat it?

I have seen dogs display this behaviour when they actually do not want the /food/toy/chew.....but they also do not want it left lying around and cannot dispose of it......it's a natural for a dog to hide food they do not want as they do not want anyone else to get it yet they do not want it at this time, they become pretty stressed, just to remove the item is enough to stop the behaviour.
I have also seen it in dogs that do not want to be watched over whilst eating they literally get so stressed they will pace the area or food and they will tremble and growl, also as suggested I have also seen it in neurological problems.

I would definately video the session even for a behaviourist to see the owner reaction and how they handle the situation, and for the vet so they can thoroughly check him over, and I would video him alone with the chew, and she is he tries to hide it/leave it/or chew it? this may give a good insight.