my worst fear confirmed..food aggression

sandysmommie · Post-a-Holic - Give this person a rabies shot!

my worst fear confirmed..food aggression

dusty082155 · ~Best In Show~ Senior Board Member!

you said youre boyfriend got him from a petstore. that could explain the aggression with food. he was more than likely never fed as much as he should have been, and given a low quality food.so basically he was starving to death. he is just being protective of what he has now. he also never had to share with others, so he doesnt know any better. poor guy. get a stick and put a glove on the end of it. slowly put it by his food while he is eating. when he growls or snaps. give him a firm no and remove the food for a few minutes. keep doing it until he realizes he is doing wrong. it takes time, but he is young and can be corrected.

sandysmommie · Post-a-Holic - Give this person a rabies shot!

Yeah it is most likely because he was bought from a petstore, but you should have seen him in there, you have seen how big jd is, the kennel they had him in was a tiny display window with a tiny bottle of water, the poor guy

He is slowly learning, I am making him sit before I feed him but he still wants to be sure that his food is his and no one else gets to it

dusty082155 · ~Best In Show~ Senior Board Member!

he will get over that. he just hasnt realized that he will be getting fed on a regular basis yet. its so sad the way they treat the animals in pet shops. whats even sadder is that now that jd is gone , they probably already have his cage filled . they dont really care about the animals. its all about the money.

sandysmommie · Post-a-Holic - Give this person a rabies shot!

its so sad, some of them stay there for up to 4 or 5 months! Some of the puppies there are already fully grown, i hate going there but they have the cheapest dog food and supplies lol

dusty082155 · ~Best In Show~ Senior Board Member!

i cant handle it. its too sad. i feel worse for them on really hot days. they have to be soooo miserable behind that glass. but what can you do? for every one that finds a home , they replace it with two or three more ! disgusting !

nikkispnce · 5:33 PM, 08/05/05

I haven't read any of the other responses so sorry if its a repeat but I've heard hand feeding can eliminate this behavior.

-- Edited by nikkispnce at 18:34, 2005-08-05

sandysmommie · Post-a-Holic - Give this person a rabies shot!

Im almost afraid to try hand feeding, he might bite my hand but i will give it a try, thanks

puttin510 · ~Grand Champion~ Gold Medal Poster!

Yep thats what I heard try the hand feeding. Hand feed him his kibble, make him sit for it too, or whatever command you want him to do. Make him know you are the boss. Soon enough he will know that your hands are to be assosiated with food. Something he loves.
That is just so sad that people will not feed a pup enough to make him like that. He thinks he's not goig to get enough so has has to hoard it.

PrettyDobie · ~Best In Show~ Senior Board Member!

That happened with me and my room mates dog. I couldn't take it any more so I pinned him down with a chair and picked up his food bowl. He tryed it one other time and he got smacked. I know thats bad but if I wouldn't have done it he would have got me. I have heard that pepper spary works. Its kind of like water and cats. At least thats what I have been told. Trinity was food aggresstive towards my mothers dog but only the other dog. I don't really know what to tell you but I hope it all works out.

dusty082155 · ~Best In Show~ Senior Board Member!

i watched a show on animal cops. it showed how they work with food aggression in dogs. they use a stick with a hand on the end of it. it associates the dog with the human hand. they take the food up as soon as the dogs shows agression. and then they pet him with the fake hand and put it down again. they keep doing this until the dog gets used to the food and hand being together. jd is still a pup so he will be easy to break from it. its just being constant with it . he will learn.

PrettyDobie · ~Best In Show~ Senior Board Member!

Yea I have seen that dusty the one thing that does worry me about what JD is doing is that I have also seen dogs put down for the same thing that they say JD is doing.

dusty082155 · ~Best In Show~ Senior Board Member!

thats why she needs to get a handle on it now while he is still young. it will be alot harder to break him of it once he is full grown. she has to show him that she is the alpha . and he cannot keep doing what he is doing. it takes being consistant to get through to them.

PrettyDobie · ~Best In Show~ Senior Board Member!

Maybe if she bites him back he will back off. LOL J/K

puttin510 · ~Grand Champion~ Gold Medal Poster!

When I first got sasha, she had those tendancies. But soon after she started feeling at home she was fine. With her I will never let my guard down 100%.

PrettyDobie · ~Best In Show~ Senior Board Member!

Y? because of the way she was when you first got her

Ivy · MAD DOG!

That's not good... need to stop it now while still a pup. The Puppy has to see you as the pack leader- always. / When mine where little ... I would run my hands all over them, paws, ears, mouth, along the teeth.. the whole 9. Getting them use to being touched all over. [vet visits are a breeze =) ] The food was given by hand at first and then by bowl. At first food was given and I would ask for it back.. I did have to *take* it back in the beginning….I was firm, calm and persistent…. Now when all 3 are eating ( and they all eat out of the same food bowl or off the same plate at the same time.) I can put my hands on them or in the food.. no growling, no nothing. And if I put my hand flat palm up they will drop what’s in their mouths.

PrettyDobie · ~Best In Show~ Senior Board Member!

Yea just be patiant

dusty082155 · ~Best In Show~ Senior Board Member!

i have never had a problem putting my hand near their food. they all will eat together fine. the tiffs happen when i disperse the treats. lol

PrettyDobie · ~Best In Show~ Senior Board Member!

LOL thats weird but of course I have never seen a couple of dogs share food.