Big Paws Only Dog Forums

Hi Everyone,
I miss BPO!  I haven't been on in forever and feel like I'm missing out!  Summer is just flying by though and we have so much to do-the baby, the animals, renovating 2 houses...  The crew is doing well and Sophie is enormous- almost as big as Binky already.  Leo (the baby) is almost walking!  He loves Sophie and is intrigued by her feet- see pic.  We had a big cookout last week and about 12 kids were here.  They loved visiting the "zoo."  The dogs were so wonderful with them- Binky was so calm and patient and even Sophie, who has become quite rabunctious, was great.  I posted some pix of some of the kids and parents playing with the dogs and the goats.  Hope everyone's enjoying summer and hope I'll find a few minutes to get back to BPO once in a while.

I just want to thank you all for your kind words about Sigfried.  Although I am still very upset, it was a comfort to read your posts and thank you for your support even though Sigs wasn't quite a big paw -or a dog

Sophie the Leo pup is now just over 3 months old and is very sweet and adorable and GIANT-35lbs last week!  However, she is very aggressive with food and I do not know how to handle it.
For those of you who don't know, we have 3 other dogs and we free feed from one bowl.  I have NEVER had an issue with any of the dogs being aggressive or competing for food.  If one is eating, the others will wait or stuff their noses in and take what they want, no problem. The same goes for table scraps and treats.
Sophie was getting fed separately, in her crate, but would not eat in there so I put her food by the other bowl.  She not only snaps and growls at the other dogs (and cats!) when they go near her food, she won't let them near their own.  If anyone else tries to eat, even if she's asleep, she'll get up and chase them away. 
She is getting increasingly bad about it and bit Chicklet (who is 3.5 lbs) today!  If I feed her treats by hand, she will bite me in her haste to get it.  I am trying to teach her "easy" but am tired of being bitten- she broke the skin on the back of my hand.  She does NOT growl or snap at me if I take her food dish or put my hand in it.  Can anyone help?  I do not want her to turn into a giant food aggressive dog so I need to nip this in the bud!

I asked the vet about exercising Sophie (12 week old Leo) and he said I can walk her for as much as I want as long as there's no running and no hills.  I know I have to be careful about her joints but the vet said that as long as exercise is low impact, it's OK.  We usually walk on dirt roads or in the woods- yes, we're in the boonies, so no pavement and I imagine that is less impact.  I just don't want to over-do it with her, but she does have a lot of energy and loves to walk.  I feel bad leaving her behind when I walk the rest of the dogs.  What do you all think?

I took Sophie to the vet today for her second round of shots.  I had to take the baby too and was not happy to see the waiting room packed (first come first serve).
There was a Keeshound, a Springer spaniel, two Rhodesian Ridgebacks, an Aussie, a shepard mix and a coonhound and a guy with no animal.  So I took Sophie and baby and sat next to the guy without an animal.  He immediately said "I'm a dog trainer."  Umm, OK.  So all the dogs settle down and the guy looks at Sophie and says "What's she, six months?"  I said no, almost 12 weeks.  Someone asked what she was and we started talking about Leos.  The "trainer" pipes in that his cousin had one but it was all black and weighed 200lbs. I ignore him.  Then the Springer got up to look at Sophie.
The "trainer" GRABS THE ELASH FROM HER OWNER and puts her in a sit!  Then he tapped Sophie's nose and told her to sit!  WHAT?!!!  I didn't know what to do.  Then he proceeds to tell the Rhodes' owners that their Aussie was causing "bad pack mentality" in the room and was the pack leader!  So wrong, the Aussie was obviously submissive.  Then he started telling everyone "advice" on training.  He was crazy-like he's watched one episode of the dog whisperer once and was now an expert.  He put his hands on every dog in the room and actually took Sophie's leash off my lap!
I had to wait an hour and a half with this guy!  It was all I could do not to snap!  Turns out he was waiting for his GF who was having her cat put down-um, why didn't he go in with her.  Then he asks me if I have any free kittens?!!!  Seriously, WTF!  Sorry, just had to get this out!

So, the goats do NOT like Sophie and I can't let them out together.  Sophie is terrified of them except when she sees them through the door!  Notice it looks like she's eating Jasper's nose!  She "licked" Jasper through the glass for about 10 minutes -as I had just washed the window, I was pretty happy about that   It was cute until Jasper started head butting the glass!

Sophie went to the beach today.  So much for Leos liking the water- I had to carry over a stream in the woods and when we got to the beach she was NOT impressed by the ocean!  She did enjoy eating shells and seaweed though

So, I am crating Sophie at night but she wakes up every two hours and I take her out to pee.  I don't give her water after 7pm. Does she really need to go this often or can she hold it for longer?  I don't want her to be uncomfortable but I'm afraid I'm reinforcing her getting out of the crate whenever she howls and cries.  Should I keep this up?  She's 9 weeks old.