Onyx doesent like when I touch him while he's eating?

zevy · 01-02-2013, 09:33 PM

My pup is 13 months old. Whenever I give him his food hes happy to eat but if I pet him or touch him while hes eating he immediately stops eating and lowers that part of his body away from my hand, he shows no agression of any kind and it seems to be some kind of fear behavior even though he has no others. I pet him and play with him all the time and it never bothers him, only when he gets his food. Anyone know whats going on here? have you seen this before? when he was younger it never bothered him used to be able to touch him while he was eating and it didint phase him at all.

Verivus · 01-02-2013, 09:34 PM

Is there a reason why you're touching him when he's eating? He just doesn't want to be bothered. I don't pet my dogs while they're eating; I let them eat in peace in their crates. I can take my dogs food away at anytime if I have to with no aggression from neither dog.

zevy · 01-02-2013, 09:38 PM

Im not touching him for any reason and don't do it often and he doesn't show any aggression I just noticed it recently and it just seemed odd im wondering if there is an issue with this

onyx'girl · 01-02-2013, 09:40 PM

Let him eat in peace. I may be in my dogs realm observing while they are eating(to be sure they are eating their supplements and if one goes to another's bowl), but I never play with, or pet them while they eat.
That is comparable to having the dog beg and paw at you while you are trying to eat.
It is annoying!

If you have to take something away, different story, but let the dog eat in peace.

**Lauri & The Gang** · 01-02-2013, 10:11 PM

I firmly believe that anyone should be ABLE to touch their dogs while they are eating and not have the dog react.

That doesn't mean you have to do it all the time.

Your dog is exhibiting signs of food guarding. I have a training plan on my website on how to deal with this and teach the dog that you approaching them while they are eating means GOOD things.

Food Guarding

Jag · 01-05-2013, 04:34 PM

Could be the beginning of a problem. If he's hanging his head low over the bowl when he stops eating, I'd do something about it now. Before you have growling or a lip curl. My pup is the opposite. If I'm not in his face, he won't eat.

If he stops eating, it's to lick my face and then he starts eating again. No head hanging at all. Tail wagging all the while he's eating. Since this is a change from his previous behavior, I'd be concerned.

01-02-2013, 09:33 PM	#1 (permalink)
zevy Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Airmont, NY Posts: 50	Onyx doesent like when I touch him while he's eating? My pup is 13 months old. Whenever I give him his food hes happy to eat but if I pet him or touch him while hes eating he immediately stops eating and lowers that part of his body away from my hand, he shows no agression of any kind and it seems to be some kind of fear behavior even though he has no others. I pet him and play with him all the time and it never bothers him, only when he gets his food. Anyone know whats going on here? have you seen this before? when he was younger it never bothered him used to be able to touch him while he was eating and it didint phase him at all.

01-02-2013, 09:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
Verivus Elite Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Tucson, Arizona Posts: 1,098	Is there a reason why you're touching him when he's eating? He just doesn't want to be bothered. I don't pet my dogs while they're eating; I let them eat in peace in their crates. I can take my dogs food away at anytime if I have to with no aggression from neither dog. __________________ Chrissy Pookie, Papillon 4/17/09 Kaiser, GSD 4/14/11

01-02-2013, 09:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
onyx'girl Crowned Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: SW, MI Posts: 21,189	Let him eat in peace. I may be in my dogs realm observing while they are eating(to be sure they are eating their supplements and if one goes to another's bowl), but I never play with, or pet them while they eat. That is comparable to having the dog beg and paw at you while you are trying to eat. It is annoying! If you have to take something away, different story, but let the dog eat in peace. __________________ Jane~ Kept by Onyx, Kacie and Gideon v Wildhaus aka Karlo

01-02-2013, 10:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
Lauri & The Gang Moderator Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: SouthEastern WI Posts: 13,752	I firmly believe that anyone should be ABLE to touch their dogs while they are eating and not have the dog react. That doesn't mean you have to do it all the time. Your dog is exhibiting signs of food guarding. I have a training plan on my website on how to deal with this and teach the dog that you approaching them while they are eating means GOOD things. Food Guarding __________________ Lauri & The Raw Fed Gang Raw Dog Ranch Winnie CGC - Corgi Mix Chimanes Spice it Up Piquin (Kaynya) - Chinese Crested Nator von Triton HIC CGC (Mauser) - LC GSD Piquins Some Like it Hot (Spike) – Chinese Crested Piquins Too Hot To Handle - (Fuego) - Chinese Crested Piquins Wasabi (Sabi) - Chinese Crested Piquins Super Hot (Clark) - Chinese Crested Banzai, Cloe, Mocha - Felines Extraordinaire Neke, Tessa, Remi, Sadie, Riggs, Sasha, Tazer - DK, Mozart, Zoe - Gone but not forgotten

01-02-2013, 09:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
zevy Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Airmont, NY Posts: 50	Im not touching him for any reason and don't do it often and he doesn't show any aggression I just noticed it recently and it just seemed odd im wondering if there is an issue with this

01-05-2013, 04:34 PM	#6 (permalink)
Jag Knighted Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,683	Could be the beginning of a problem. If he's hanging his head low over the bowl when he stops eating, I'd do something about it now. Before you have growling or a lip curl. My pup is the opposite. If I'm not in his face, he won't eat. If he stops eating, it's to lick my face and then he starts eating again. No head hanging at all. Tail wagging all the while he's eating. Since this is a change from his previous behavior, I'd be concerned.

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