my friend has this mongrel pup of 5 months...the problem now is she guards her food...if you go anywhere near her when she's eating, she'll growl...at other times, she's fine...except during dinner time..
and now the problem got worse..my friend and her whole family went away for 5 days so she put board her pup at a vet...when her pup came back from the place, she seemed to be more aggressive in food guarding... my friend put some biscuits in junior's (her dog's name) kennel and junior immediately went into the kennel and guard the biscuits and tried to bite my friend when she tried to put her hand in....she doesn't behave like this before the boarding...
Of all the natural instinct, food guarding is something we want to eliminate or forego. It is going to be dangerous wspecially to children if a dog has got high food guard drive.
All pet owners should stop this when they are still puppy where they are controlable. If already too over bearing, then your job will be a lot harder if able at all.
This dog should start be fed by hand with bit by bit of food. This should continue for 2-3 weeks even up to a month without the use of his regular food bowl. Feed at random places and not only at one specific place. During feeding talk cheerfully and calmly, stroke slowly and softly during the feeding time. The dog have to learn that food comes from your hand and your hand can give as well as your hand can take the food or food bowl away at anytime.
PSD
Quote "Take this trouble for me: Make sure my shepherd dog remains a working dog, for I have struggled all my life long for that aim ."
wah.......scary :) what i did towards josie was before i get to put the food bowl down, i'll force her to sit-stay and not go straight to her bowl even before i put down the bowl.That is actualy to train her not to rush and then get choke and it kinda helps prevent her from being so growly when i want to take the bowl away from her.
Not too sure but is the pup guarding over the food bowl? ... Hmmmm....
I think PSD has recommended the best solution to counter this problem. The pup must be taught not to be possesive over food at an early stage.
I encountered this problem too but it was over my dog's favourite food. What we did was to scold her a bit and continued to stroke and talk gently to her as she was eating. After that, it was ok. This kind of problem must be nipped in the bud fast before it gets any worse...
Food guarding is an instinctive action and not really 100% related to act of dominance. This must be stopped early when the dog is still puppy which is easily solvable. Otherwise what happen to your terrier will be the result in most dogs dominant or not. Food guarding is related to survival drive. In dogs, their survival is directly related to their currency which is not $ but food. Taking away their food is liken to taking away our salary. I'm sure even we will fight if someone takes away our salary....lol
During puppyhood of 3-6 months, it is a good idea to occassional feed by hand, stroke the puppy softly when he eats, take bowl away once in a while while he eats and give him back and put yur hand into the foodbowl and move the food about when he eats. You dont have to do all those in one sessions but do it occasionally. The puppy will then grow up not having food aggression.
PSD
Quote "Take this trouble for me: Make sure my shepherd dog remains a working dog, for I have struggled all my life long for that aim ."
Rittmeister Capt. Max von Stephanitz (1864-1936)
(This post was edited by PSD on Nov 30, 2003, 5:05 AM)
I just read a book today thatmention this behaviour. Your friend should discourage this aggressiveness towards their food especially if they have children in the house.
Your friend should be firm and scold the pup for the growling. Also he should take food from his bowl to get the pup to get used to sharing his food. Otherwise, it may attack in future if another dog or child go near its food. Continual training of sharing its food will work.
My mum's mongrel actually killed her pomeranian some years ago when the pom went near his food as he was not trained.
Well If I have to throw the food everytime I feed him then I'd rather not have the dog.....lol. Remember the basics to training a dog is "all of heaven comes through me" I'm sure if all of heaven's joy comes through someone for us then we would never have bitten them rite?
I feel this dog has not much bond with the owner and is not brought up correctly a a puppy. At 4 years old may be a bit late for a change unless this dog going through an experienced behavorist.
PSD
Quote "Take this trouble for me: Make sure my shepherd dog remains a working dog, for I have struggled all my life long for that aim ."
"Remember the basics to training a dog is "all of heaven comes through me" I'm sure if all of heaven's joy comes through someone for us then we would never have bitten them rite? "
I think the method which you read abt was referring to a dog who does not hv such and extreme food guarding/survival instinct which has been brought out when he was a pup and has continued. ,-._,-. \/)"(\/ (_o_)
thanks PSD! i have told my friend to feed her pup by hand. hopefully she is patient enough to do this even up to a month.
i also told her like, to exchange food with the pup. like, she gets something very tasty and then exchange for the biscuit or whatever that the dog is guarding...to show that good things come when a hand is near, and not to take away her food.
will also practise what you told amanda: "it is a good idea to occassional feed by hand, stroke the puppy softly when he eats, take bowl away once in a while while he eats and give him back and put yur hand into the foodbowl and move the food about when he eats. You dont have to do all those in one sessions but do it occasionally. The puppy will then grow up not having food aggression."
i'm not sure if my friend has her pup do the sit first before giving her the food..but i think she does. the problem is that when the dog is eating and you are anywhere near her, she'll start to growl. can't imagine what would happen if her bowl was taken away..
yes, i agree with PSD too. would not get help if we didn't think the problem might be getting worse. i shudder to think what would happen if her dog keeps guarding her food when she gets older...
i think it's best my friend start with the feeding by hand method coz the dog is already growling when ppl are near (even if you stand a few steps behind her), which is a sign that it feels threaten. if my friend takes the bowl away from the dog, i'm sure the dog would've bitten her.
better to start step by step...if the dog knows later that when a hand comes, it gives good stuff, then we can try the taking away the bowl thingy.
Is it possible to try and tell her "stop" when u want to take the bowl away from her??All i can gather from josie's behaviour is that she'll sink her entire face into the bowl if i were to take the bowl away from her.
What i meant by stop is that , before u are about to take the bowl away, is it wise to hold him/her back when u're taking the bowl away and saying hte word "stop" at the smae time? does this make the dog confuse?
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