[Dailydrool] No Feeding Issues, But Toy Guarding...That's Another Story

[Lilie Basset]

I feel like odd man out when I read of the feeding situations of most people 
who post.  There is always food and water out for the 2 Bassets and the 
Yorkie (Wellness), and of course, cat food for Smokey the cat (but up on a 
table...I'm not completely stupid.)  The girls don't overeat and usually 
just complain if they run out of water.

There is no food aggression for meals or cookies or carrots.  Now, when I 
hand out rawhide bones to Lilie and Daffodil, Lilie gathers both in her 
mouth and only lets Daffodil have hers when it has been determined that it's 
not better tasting than the one she received.  That's not really aggression, 
more a dominance issue.

Daisy the Yorkie used to be dominant but the minute Daffodil entered the 
household at the age of 4 months, Daisy immediately passed on the role of 
top dog to Lilie and retired to never ending playtime with Daffy.
Lilie is having a bit of trouble with the alpha dog role because no one pays 
the least bit of attention to her.  When she attempts to chastise or limit 
Daffodil in some way, Daffy simply talks back (very, very loudly) and does 
whatever she was doing in the first place.  It's tough to be queen when you 
have no quaking subjects.

Toy guarding is another thing altogether.  The other day all three had toys 
that they were individually guarding.  Since no one wanted the others' toys, 
I could only assume that they were guarding them from me.  There is a lot of 
growling and sometimes some very noisy screaming and snarling as Lilie seems 
to go after Daisy.  I used to be worried about it until I realized that it 
lasts only about 10 seconds, and that Daisy is not only unharmed, but goes 
right back to get the last word.  That girl's not a terrier for nothing!
I'm cracking down on the toy possessiveness mainly because they are so 
darned noisy and it's driving me crazy.  I am the leader of the traveling 
dog pack...I move from room to room with the entire gang going with me.  No 
fun to put on a show if there isn't an audience, I guess.
Katie, Lilie, Daffodil and Daisy the Yorkie