How to stop my dog from biting my deaf, blind senior dog at mealtime?

Mealtimes are a common trigger for aggression between dogs in the same household - this may be a resource guarding issue related to the food itself, or could be redirected aggression that is happening when Harvey gets excited and/or frustrated while waiting for his food. The simplest solution would be to put both dogs in separate rooms with the door closed (or in their crates, if they are crate-trained) prior to getting their dinner ready. Feed them in their separate areas (again, in different rooms with the door closed if possible - separate parts of the same room isn't enough), then let them out once they have both finished eating. Pick up the bowls and put them away afterwards to avoid any resource guarding issues with the empty bowls. If this doesn't help, or if you are interested in a more detailed training plan to work on this behavior over time, I would recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist. He/she can evaluate both dogs in person to hep determine what is causing this problem, and put together a detailed plan for you to work on the problem. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

This is not a terribly uncommon problem and should be somewhat easily resolvable. I would consider feeding the dogs in an area that you can keep them separate but still in visible contact with one another. If you are able to keep the two apart with a baby gate that could probably work fine. Another option would be to feed one of them in a crate, which is actually what I do with one of my own dogs. Another option might be to feed your female with a bowl that requires her to eat more slowly. This might give your other pup some additional time to eat in peace. This has the potential to backfire however, if Xena gets annoyed by the difficult bowl and just decides that her son's is easier to eat from. Hope this helps and at least gives you some ideas about how to resolve the issue. If none of this seems possible, you may need to consider some additional training for Xena including some commands to force her to come to you when she is called, and to divert her attention away from the other food bowl.

Aw they are so cute! Growing and being protective over food is a natural and expected behavior for dogs so there's no real way to "train away" the behavior. I recommend feeding them in separate rooms and removing the food bowls before they are allowed to interact to avoid any fighting or injuries. You can also get an Adaptil diffuser for the household which may reduce some overall stress. Most importantly, however, is keeping everyone safe by providing separate feeding areas, separate water bowls, and not allowing your dogs to interact around food. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and best of luck!

Until you are able to consult with a qualified trainer, I would advise feeding them separately. (Feed them in separate rooms, and pick up the food after 20-30 minutes if they don't eat it right away). Don't leave food out for "fair game" feeding. When the possibility of a fight over food is removed in this manner, it can alleviate stress for everyone. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Your worry is very valid! It is best to make sure the two are only playing together when you can directly supervise them and that puppy and your older dog are separated when you are away so that an accident can't happen - even the most well intentioned of a dog can cause an injury! If the puppy starts playing too rough, a "time out" of a few minutes for everyone to calm down can also help and teaches your puppy that too rough of play is frowned upon. Diverting with treats and toys is also a great way, so keep that up.

Have her spayed. This will decrease hormones which can drive certain behaviors. Slowly acclimate Panda to one dog, then another and another. Do this on "neutral" ground and on leash. Correct any aggressive behaviors immediately. Use praise and small rewards as she progresses. The use of a pheromone product, such as the Adaptil collar, may also help to ease her anxiety/aggression.

That sounds like a tough situation and I hate to hear this is happening. Most humans cannot correctly read canine body language without additional training. Unless you know what the dogs are saying to each other, it's impossible to know how to modify and train the dogs behavior. Canine aggression is a complex behavior as it can stem from dominance, possessiveness, fear, anxiety, resource guarding or a combination. I recommend to work with a professional trainer. This will give you the best and fastest results. Researching on your own will also be helpful. Familiarizing yourself with canine body language and dog training can help you to recognize what your pet is trying to say. You can find many books written on the topic and there is a trainer named Victoria Stilwell who I think is particularly helpful. Best of luck.