Food aggression - since feeding RAW

Perhaps technically this shouldn't be in this section but as it is linked to me now feeding Ranger on raw I thought it may be the most relevant.

Been feeding Ranger raw since monday now, and he's LOVING it lol. Already has more energy (as if a pup needed it ), much healthier poos, and is enjoying his food so much. HOWEVER, he has also started to become food aggressive if anyone goes near him whilst eating, and this is not something I want to continue at all Does anyone else have this problem with their dogs and any advice on how to overcome it?

Hi Alex, I've moved this to the Behaviour section for you as I think it will get a better response here.

Thanks Azz, wasn't sure

I think this can be a common problem for some people, coz the raw food can be such high value food. Thankfully, the only issue Jake has, is that he prefers to have some privacy to eat

I haven't had any first hand experience with this, but if Jake became food aggressive I would start by feeding him by hand. How is he if you feed him by hand? This might not help if he would snatch, or grab, the food from you though... but, I would then teach impulse control

I'm sure others will be along soon to give you more help

I've never had a food aggression problem with raw food but it did crop up today via Flynn with his huge cow's leg. I can, and have, taken chicken carcasses, bones etc straight from his mouth when he's stolen them from the other dogs and he's never challenged that but today I just glanced at him whilst he was gnawing this big bone. He stopped what he was doing, fixed me with a stare and started growling at me. I thought 'i'm not having that you sod' so approached closer and it escalated into a bark. He never offered to snap at me though but he did continue with his growling whenever he thought I was looking or had moved too close.
I'm 99% sure he wouldnt have bitten me but in the end I distracted him from the larger bone by tossing him a smaller one to the side and removed the big bone when his back was turned. That worked well and he didnt argue about it.

My advice might not be the best as i'm of the opinion I give to the dogs, therefore I can take away and it's not up for debate.

This is perfectly normal if not desirable behaviour.

Dogs are hard wired to resource guard after all in the wild he who has the most valuable resources "wins" eg lives longer and better.

It is nothing to worry about as it can easily be fixed.

Eating for some dogs is a "high arousal activity" and this is heightened when you give them something which is the equivalent of Hotel Chocolat to me!

Kibble does not generally elicit such a response and the same is true for humans, eg you can remove the brussel sprouts from my plate easily, but touch my steak and you will feel my fork!

What you need to do is avoid confrontation, because let us face it, your dog is equipped with 42 lethal weapons, is much stronger than you and will always win when push comes to shove.

A male GSD that wishes to resource guard will if pushed take matters into his own hands.

But you can avoid confrontation by teaching the dog that You + Food = even BETTER food.

NEVER be tempted to take the food away as you will teach the dog one thing and one thing only, that he was RIGHT to be concerned about your presence; you DID steal "his" food and thus next time you appear, he may not be so tolerant.

Start off by putting several empty bowls down and dropping a small mince meat ball into each as he finishes one and moves on to the next.

You are teaching him that YOU are the source of good things.

When you can do this you can start putting extra food into the bowl he is eating out of.

Soon he will voluntarily back off the bowl in expectation of your adding someting better or more.

Then you can start asking him to sit for you to approach and add food.

You can also feed by hand however I would caution AGAINST feeding bones etc by hand.

Why?

Because the dog will win a tug of war with you so start with small mince balls in your hand.

Again gradually ensure that he backs off the food by keeping your hand closed over it, when he backs off even ONE step, open your hand and feed from the PALM of your hand.

HTH

http://www.deesdogs.com/documents/re...ndfoodgame.pdf

A good book that all dog owners should read IMHO is Mine! A guide to resource guarding in dogs by Jean Donaldson, it gives step by step advice in how to prevent and cure resource guarding of any kind.

This is very good advice, thank you

Double post with me and SB - glad I have similar if not the same advice - at least I'm not steering you the wrong way

I too like Leanne are of the same opinion but I would say hand feed him - as yucky as it is, it is the only way he will get used to it.

As pups, Sadie and Louie were both interfered with when eaten, Sadie had to has she was living with and unbeknown to her would be living with more young children. To this day she will eat around a hand in her dish, she will follow that dish around if Bailey (now 2) is dragging it around (he has been taught not to now - he's still learning too) and even at mine - if I give her a bone or a meal that is higher in value than a bowl of kibble - I can do as I please, I can move it, remove it, call them off it etc. Louie was hand fed until about 10 weeks - I gradually moved my hands into his bowl when feeding his kibble.. I did everything Sadie had done (but not the toddler bit) and I can take whatever I want off him, no aggression or even growling, both just give me the look of "please don't take it away" with waggy tails but they get it back and get fussed whilst eating and it's made them better dogs for it.

Today Benjie and Louie had a cow pelvis between them. Louie - no problem to approach or fuss or walk by. Benjie will growl and no doubt if pushed he would bite - I know he has previously. He is the same with kibble too although not as aggressive. This probably stems from him not being taught as a pup - as he was dumped in rescue at 9 months old.
But unlike the other two with Benjie I am in the camp - if he has something leave him alone.. I couldn't even get within 10 feet before teeth were bared today with the cow's pelvis. So he has allowances and if any children visit and it's feeding time - the dogs and children will be separate. Especially with Benjie. I can't fix this as attempts will be pointless when certain family members who he lives with (during the week) will ignore and wind him up as they have done so previously probably forging more distrust between humans and food.

I did walk one Rottie who was the only 1 of 13 pups to survive - so never had to fight for her food and was used to getting it. From 8 weeks old she was food aggressive to the worst level (she was badly bred too - but that's another story) and it got to the point where she was fed out in the garden and for that time she was eating - the kids were inside and only when she had finished could they go back out again.. The father sustained 11 stitches when he attempted to remove it from her. I got closer - I held the bowl every day whilst she ate and in the end I could get close but I couldn't take it off her or she would have me.. but without anything around she was a total sweetheart.

Anyway enough about that. I would hand feed him for a while and tell him good boy, make fuss of him. Walk past his dish throwing pieces of meat in (that make his meal) gradually getting closer to the dish each time - watching his body language. Also I'd make him wait for his food whilst you put it down and say he can eat. Have the bowl in between your feet and tell him he can eat it - don't look at him or make eye contact but praise for him being good. This will get him used to you being around. For the time being though - I do not advise you take anything off him, just get him used to you being around whilst food is about.

If the above doesn't improve anything then I would either get a behaviourist in or a behaviourists opinion or leave him like Benjie and just insist no one goes near him when he eats.

HTH

Thanks SLB

We already make him wait before he eats his food, so that's not a problem doing that. The rest of it makes great sense (even if my stomach is turning slightly at the thought of handling the meat piece by piece ) and we'll be starting that tomorrow morning

I agree with Smokeybear. This is very similar to the route I went down with Rupert when I first got him and I have absolutely no food guarding issues. He knows if I go near him while he's eating I'm either just passing by or I'm giving him something else.

It also worked extremely well with my horribly food aggressive collie. He died before we could completely solve the issue but we got to the point where we could at least move while he was eating without him snarling.