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 Expert
Posts: 1432
  
Location: Never in one place long | I recently got another foster dog who is a 2yr Pointer/pit mix. He is friendly to people and other dogs so far as I can tell but when it comes to food, he can get aggressive, when I was feeding my dogs (I have 4 plus him) they all have their own dish, he ate a few bites of his, went over to my other dogs dish and when my dog growled they got in a fight and he wasn't letting up at all, I should have been more alert but it happened so fast I wasn't expecting it. Got them apart without incident and then when I gave our other dog a dish to lick out, he went at the other dog trying to steal it from her and another fight started. I know it's a whole new environment for this dog and it takes time just wanted to make sure I'm doing the right thing when this happens and what I can do to prevent it, I've got him on a leash with me at all times now and am being careful when I give treats etc but I want him to learn he cannot act this way. Any tricks or training advice please? | |
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Addicted to Baseball
 
Location: Where the stars at night are big and bright, TX | We rehab fighting dogs and bait dogs and in our experience, food aggression is their number one problem. Kept in an extremely stressful situation with horrible people, they are time bombs and most often at feeding time with other dogs.
I would first start with not feeding him in the same area as the others, nor letting him wander where they are while eating. Don't put him in situations where he's going to fail. Let him settle into the home to start with for a month or so, when his anxiety over everything has decreased. Let him eat behind a door, alone, where he isn't feeling threatened or worried his food will be taken away from him. And don't turn him out with the others when others haven't finished yet. We don't work with them on picking their food up while eating...that just reinforces in many dogs that something negative is coming at meal time and they continue to fret about it.
Work on some non-food games to start with, with a favorite toy, of "drop it" or "leave it". This starts to also move you into the pack leader role. Eventually it can translate to food as the tool but not while dealing with this food aggression. Your other dogs need to be solid on these commands too. You want them all realizing you are the leader, so eventually, when you work on this with all of them as a group even, they all respond the same and it's not a pile-on triggering him again. But no rush with them as a group, just him as he settles in. No public treats, no group treats, avoid the food rewards and games for a time.
Don't get confrontational with him. Just keep him alone and feeling mentally safe at mealtime, pick up the bowls for everyone ahead of time, don't play with food treats and work with some obedience with him, establish yourself as the pack leader - while also allowing him to let down about mealtime when alone. These are good places to start and since he's got to settle in, you don't need to jump in with too much to work on. Good luck. | |
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  Rebel Without a Cause
Posts: 2758
Location: Adopt a homeless pet - www.petfinder.com! | Tilt The Kilt - 2014-12-31 11:35 AM We rehab fighting dogs and bait dogs and in our experience, food aggression is their number one problem. Kept in an extremely stressful situation with horrible people, they are time bombs and most often at feeding time with other dogs.
I would first start with not feeding him in the same area as the others, nor letting him wander where they are while eating. Don't put him in situations where he's going to fail. Let him settle into the home to start with for a month or so, when his anxiety over everything has decreased. Let him eat behind a door, alone, where he isn't feeling threatened or worried his food will be taken away from him. And don't turn him out with the others when others haven't finished yet. We don't work with them on picking their food up while eating...that just reinforces in many dogs that something negative is coming at meal time and they continue to fret about it.
Work on some non-food games to start with, with a favorite toy, of "drop it" or "leave it". This starts to also move you into the pack leader role. Eventually it can translate to food as the tool but not while dealing with this food aggression. Your other dogs need to be solid on these commands too. You want them all realizing you are the leader, so eventually, when you work on this with all of them as a group even, they all respond the same and it's not a pile-on triggering him again. But no rush with them as a group, just him as he settles in. No public treats, no group treats, avoid the food rewards and games for a time.
Don't get confrontational with him. Just keep him alone and feeling mentally safe at mealtime, pick up the bowls for everyone ahead of time, don't play with food treats and work with some obedience with him, establish yourself as the pack leader - while also allowing him to let down about mealtime when alone. These are good places to start and since he's got to settle in, you don't need to jump in with too much to work on. Good luck.
I just gotta say you ROCK!!  | |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | We feed all of ours in their crates. They have their own space and we've never had one develop food issues. Plus, it helps to make the crate into a more "happy" place for the dog. Ours are crated during the day. Otherwise, they tend to destroy things. lol | |
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 Chatty Kathy
Posts: 6635
Location: In Ky following Barrel Races & Walker hounds. | barrelracr131 - 2014-12-31 1:13 PM
We feed all of ours in their crates. They have their own space and we've never had one develop food issues. Plus, it helps to make the crate into a more "happy" place for the dog. Ours are crated during the day. Otherwise, they tend to destroy things. lol
This! So much safer for everyone involved and eliminates the possibility of a problem before it starts. | |
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 California Cowgirl
Posts: 14973
Location: California | Tilt The Kilt - 2014-12-31 9:35 AM We rehab fighting dogs and bait dogs and in our experience, food aggression is their number one problem. Kept in an extremely stressful situation with horrible people, they are time bombs and most often at feeding time with other dogs.
I would first start with not feeding him in the same area as the others, nor letting him wander where they are while eating. Don't put him in situations where he's going to fail. Let him settle into the home to start with for a month or so, when his anxiety over everything has decreased. Let him eat behind a door, alone, where he isn't feeling threatened or worried his food will be taken away from him. And don't turn him out with the others when others haven't finished yet. We don't work with them on picking their food up while eating...that just reinforces in many dogs that something negative is coming at meal time and they continue to fret about it.
Work on some non-food games to start with, with a favorite toy, of "drop it" or "leave it". This starts to also move you into the pack leader role. Eventually it can translate to food as the tool but not while dealing with this food aggression. Your other dogs need to be solid on these commands too. You want them all realizing you are the leader, so eventually, when you work on this with all of them as a group even, they all respond the same and it's not a pile-on triggering him again. But no rush with them as a group, just him as he settles in. No public treats, no group treats, avoid the food rewards and games for a time.
Don't get confrontational with him. Just keep him alone and feeling mentally safe at mealtime, pick up the bowls for everyone ahead of time, don't play with food treats and work with some obedience with him, establish yourself as the pack leader - while also allowing him to let down about mealtime when alone. These are good places to start and since he's got to settle in, you don't need to jump in with too much to work on. Good luck.
Agree 100%. | |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 459
Location: La Vernia, TX | Also, consider getting this book: Don't shoot the dog by Karen Pryor | |
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