Food aggression

[vc320]

I want to make sure that my 8 week old does not become food aggressive. He is gonna be a big boy and we have a 3 1/2 year old son and several other animals in the house.

Since I got him I have been having him sit and wait to be fed. Lunch (other than today) is used as training treats. I have been petting him, messing wish his ears/feet/etc, and putting my hand in his bowl as he has been eating. We have also been working on "give" when he has toys or chews.

However, tonight while I was petting him while he was eating he gave out a small growl.

How do you all go about preventing food aggression? And what should I do if/when he growls at me?

[cassadee7]

IMO, the best way to prevent food aggression is to not mess with them while they're eating. Let them eat in peace. Maybe toss a yummy treat at him when you walk by and he is eating.

[Jax08]

I agree with Shawn. If that bowl is on the floor then you gave it to him and you can't take it away unless you are going to give him something in return. You may hold the bowl and feed him from it but once you've set it down then don't mess with it.

If you are working on "give" for toys or treats then you should trade it for something of higher value to him. If you just continuously took my stuff from me, eventually I'll run the other way because you are no fun.

You can pet him and mess with his ears and feet when he's not eating. And you should so he's used to being handled.

I realize there may come a day that you HAVE to take something from his mouth so work on building trust instead of trying to get him used to you messing with his food.

[Cassidy's Mom]

Here's a thread about preventing food aggression in puppies: Any way to prevent food aggression?

[wyominggrandma]

Hmm,guess I have done it wrong all these years. My dogs expect me to mess with them while eating, chewing on bones, or toys and I have never had a dog with food aggression. I don't want to worry that my grandchild might walk by and pet the dog while he is eating and get bit. Or a bone or toy gets taken away while playing.
Just another part of normal everyday living, dogs don't run my home,humans do. Never know when someone is going to take away your bone or food or toy. Just accept it and you get told what a good dog you are and then get the goodies back.

[koda girl]

I agree with you wyoming. From the day my dog came home I always put my hands in her food dish, sometimes took the dish away, then gave it back. Same thing with a bone, I just walk up and lift the bone up in my hand. She is now 20 months old and no food agression at all, even at the dog park when some people feel the need to give the dogs treats, some people have to get their dogs away fast or there will be a fight. Not Koda. If your puppy is growling give him a stern "NO" and do it more often so he gets use to it. I even had strangers, well my friends do it also so it wasn't just her family doing it.

[DJEtzel]

Originally Posted by wyominggrandma

Hmm,guess I have done it wrong all these years. My dogs expect me to mess with them while eating, chewing on bones, or toys and I have never had a dog with food aggression. I don't want to worry that my grandchild might walk by and pet the dog while he is eating and get bit. Or a bone or toy gets taken away while playing.
Just another part of normal everyday living, dogs don't run my home,humans do. Never know when someone is going to take away your bone or food or toy. Just accept it and you get told what a good dog you are and then get the goodies back.

Unfortunately, this is not how all dogs operate, and it is a good way to bit or MAKE a dog food aggressive. I've seen it happen too many times by stupid people working in shelters. Maybe with strong-nerved dogs you can do that, but typically it doesn't help most dogs.

[Lakl]

I generally don't mess with my dogs while they're eating, but will remove something from their mouths if I need to. They have never shown aggression. I think you should be able to remove something from the bowl if needed, but not mess with them while they're eating a general basis. But like I said, mine have never show aggression towards food. I can pluck a big meaty bone right out of their mouths without a problem, so I wouldn't be positive on what advice to give here.

[wyominggrandma]

well I am not stupid and have helped many people and many dogs not have food aggression... It is not rocket science, its simply having the dog realize that taking food and toys and such are a part of life and they learn to deal with it. I am NOT talking about mature rescue dogs, I am talking about starting from an 8 weeks old puppy and starting it from day one, just another lesson to learn like housebreaking, commands, etc. You do it fro a young age and the puppy will learn.

[ChancetheGSD]

The problem with messing with them is in a LOT of dogs you're basically teaching them to growl and bite you because you're being a bully and taking their food away when you gave it to them. You loose a lot of respect because you're not being FAIR. If you absolutely HAVE to take something from your dog, you should always reward with something of equal or higher value. I teach my dog to "trade" when it's NOT meal time. I feel if I put something down for them to eat, they should be able to eat it. If they have something they aren't suppose to eat, they learn to trade it for something of equal or higher value. This is being a FAIR leader.

Children should be taught to not bother a dog while they're eating. Again, it's about RESPECTING your dog. If you're trying to eat a meal would you enjoy me playing with your hair, hands, feet or petting you?