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Comment by Dez Hunter on July 10, 2009 at 12:21pm

Thanks a lot Beth, you're awesome! *adds you* Haha!

Comment by Beth on July 10, 2009 at 12:19pm

And don't worry too much; right now he's treating you like he would another puppy. Jack was a little growly around food when he was little and after we got past that, he's never been food or toy aggressive.

Comment by Dez Hunter on July 10, 2009 at 12:18pm

"Here, I forgot the icing!" and gave it back you'd think mom was clever and wonderful.

Hahaha that sentence was awesome! You're definitely right. I guess what I meant when I said "take" it from I sorta meant "move the bowl" - as in to drag it across the floor. I really would never take the food for no reason, because you're right that would be weird! Hahaha! I have never had a puppy before, and I don't have any kids so this "thinking like a kid/pup" is new for me. I'll definitely try the "forgot the icing" thing, and I'm pretty confident that he'll be responsive. I love how Corgi's are fast learners!

Comment by Beth on July 10, 2009 at 12:12pm

Whoops, forgot to add something: I read a trainer who said if you frequently take the dog's food away, just to get him used to it, you can actually cause food aggression.

Think of when you were a kid. Dogs aren't kids, but it gives you a point of reference. If your mother gave you a wonderful big piece of birthday cake, and then just sometimes took it away for no apparent reason, you'd probably be upset too, and maybe not really think your mom knew what was best. But if she took it and said "Here, I forgot the icing!" and gave it back you'd think mom was clever and wonderful. And if then later she, on rare occasion, took something from you and said "That's bad for you, here you don't want that," you'd be okay. But if she periodically took away your food for no reason you'd think she was weird or mean or something. Right? It's a little like that with dogs; you want them to know that you're the boss, and if you say they can't have it, then that's the end of the story. But you don't want them to think you are someone who randomly will steal their food for no good reason.

Comment by Dez Hunter on July 10, 2009 at 12:12pm

^^ Ah, I see! I like this advice, and I'll certainly try to hand feed and give him yummies while he's eating. I think I was just in shock and I didn't really think when I took the treat after he snapped. O___O He has never done anything like that before, and I was just shocked! He is normally so laid back about everything. ^___^ It is definitely something I want to work on, though and I appreciate the good advice.

Comment by Beth on July 10, 2009 at 12:07pm

Hello. A good way to deal with food-guarding is to add tasty things to his bowl while he's eating. Give him his food, while he's eating approach his bowl, get his attention and give him something really good (a small piece of cheese or something). Alternate hand-feeding it and dropping it in the bowl.

After you do that a few times, you can show him the yummy thing while he's eating to get his attention, then pick the bowl up, put in the yummy thing, and give him the bowl back. This worked with Jack and now I can take food right from his mouth.

Some people use hand feeding near the bowl as well.

If you remove the food after he goes for you and don't give it back, you are inadvertently showing him that his fears of having things stolen are well founded. Eventually you can work to removing food that he already has (but only do it very rarely), but it's better to try to offer him something good while he's eating, then if he growls he doesn't get the good thing added.