Guarding of bones and carcasses, but not other raw food - how to manage?!

[Finster]

Hi

Our 5 month old still guards food fed to her on the bone, but not any other kind of food. She is the most cheery, universally friendly, cuddly pup, right up until then. Later, once the bone is partial clean, she stops guarding.

When I give her raw meat and mixed goodies in her bowl - which she will eat first, in prefernce to a fresh bone lying right next to it - there is no problem at all and never has been. While I hold a bone for her, she's OK, though she may do a slight deferential pee, which is odd. I do lots of praise and reinforcement. After I have let go, she starts the guarding...

Sometimes she will weave around me humbly, just holding the bone - I give more praise and reinforcement. Then she'll start eating it while I'm still patting her so I give lots more praise and reinforcement. But once she moves half a pace away from me she starts this scary guarding behaviour, regardless .

It's giving me quite a lot of "OMG, I don't love my baby!" moments because I find myself feeling really angry toward her, which is not a normal thing for me at all. Then I get upset and turn into a big wuss afterwards.

If I get angry enough with her at the time she will sometimes drop the bone, which is not what I intend; I want her to stop snarling and get with the program - "I am giving this to you, you daft dog!!!". It seems illogical to threaten to bite the hand that feeds you but doggy instincts are different, I know. Can someone please explain this behaviour and advise me how to make it go away?! It sure isn't making raw feeding easy!!

Thanks folks.

[jjcj]

Well my male will to some extent more if my female is around but if figure i don`t like people taking things of my plate either so i don`t bother him while he is eating.
He eats in his pen and Mandy eats beside the pen Most food is gone in 5 min so i give them both that time witout bother either of them.

Both are snuggle bugs every other time

Well Casey can be like that over a good chew bone to but again i put him in his pen and let him enjoy

[sarweim]

My guarder goes in his crate to eat. Every time. Even with things I don't _think_ he'd guard. Just safer for everyone, and he feels more secure, too, knowing that no one can come take it away. My little girl is so easy that I could take absolutely anything from her and she'd just look at me with a sad, "Why, mommy?" wagging her tail, hoping to get it back. She even lets the cats right in her face, licking at the skin of whatever she's eating.