Comment

Comment by Yuki & Ellie on November 1, 2011 at 12:26pm

Wow, scary!  I can totally understand why you would react with taking away the food.  I won't say that it was wrong at the time, because, as I said, I can understand why you did it.  Take away the food and you won't be bitten.  Now that Beth, Jane and others have given you lots of great advice, hopefully you'll be better prepared if it should happen again. 

 

I agree that this is an issue that must be addressed or you with have a very real problem on your hands.  If he were to bite you it would be horrible.  If he were to bite someone else, then you're in a whole different situation.  If you are really unsure or unable to follow through with the methods already described, then please consult a trainer in your area and get help with this. 

 

I also agree that crate feeding will be the most reliable way to let Meeko eat in peace and prevent a misunderstanding between Meeko and your brother if he were to approach and pet during a meal.  If your brother can't reach him, then there is no chance of a bite.  If you do choose to crate feed, though, you'll still need to address the guarding problem.  What if you have to board him, or leave him with someone overnight, or someone comes to visit and they don't know about his guarding issue? 

 

Having said all that, one thing that will help him immensely is if you try to remain calm.  I know this is far easier said than done, but if you start to tense up and remain "on guard" whenever you're around him or around his food, then he's going to pick up on your tension/anxiety and you won't be able to get things better.  I do hope that you find a solution that you and Meeko will both be happy with and I hope that you don't give up on this.  He can be helped as long and you consistently work toward your goal.

Comment by Beth on November 1, 2011 at 11:25am

I also agree with crate-feeding.  I'd still work on the issue, though, so there's no problem with dropped food or someone giving a treat or something. 

Comment by Sandy Stickney on November 1, 2011 at 10:22am

Addendum: just read Jane's post, who is also well versed in dog training issues and see that she also suggested crate feeding...sorry for being repetitive!

Comment by Sandy Stickney on November 1, 2011 at 10:19am

Hi Christine,

 

I am not a dog expert, training expert or a dog training expert, but, you mention that you are worried that your brother may happen upon the dog while eating and want to pet him.  I think you should definitely heed Beth's advice, because I think she does have a lot of dog training experience from what I have seen of her posts.  I would add a suggestion that if you have a crate for Meeko, you may want to consider feeding him in the crate.  Maybe that would remove the possibility of your brother petting while Meeko is eating?  I have 2 corgis that are OK with me messing with their food, but they are very protective when the other dogs are around.  I have made the mistake of letting the dogs mix while eating, and the situation escalates so quickly that it is very difficult to get them under control.  Just a thought.

Comment by Jane on November 1, 2011 at 9:49am

Beth has already give you very good advice. Taking away his food when he snaps is not the answer. He needs to learn that someone coming by his food bowl means that something really yummy is coming, not punishment and pain. Feeding raw is totally your choice, but it certainly wouldn't kill him to get some kibble while you work on his resource guarding. In my opinion dealing with the food aggression is way more important than the very slight difference in nutrition he might be getting from raw.  

 

If you have someone in the house with autism that cannot be taught to respect the dog's space, then I personally would just feed him in his crate. It's not fair to him to expect him to be a perfect angel when people are hovering around and putting their hands all over him. Would you want to eat like that?

 

I would highly recommend a good positive based private trainer as well, if the extra funds are there. Even just one or two sessions could help immensely.

Comment by Beth on November 1, 2011 at 7:13am

And you say "I really need to teach him that someone by his food is NOT a bad thing."   Yes, I agree completely, and that's what the ASPCA method does.  It teaches your dog that someone approaching the bowl is a good thing because they bring stuff, they don't take it away.  Dogs don't think being petted while eating is a good thing, even friendly dogs who love being petted.  I have one who is a submissive cuddler who would die for a belly rub, and she makes very "Ick, mom, I tolerate this because I'm a good girl BUT..." faces if I try to pet her while she eats.  Trust me, almost no dog likes it---- maybe the odd dog who is a very indifferent eater.

Comment by Beth on November 1, 2011 at 7:11am

Look, I don't mean to sound harsh, and again I know you mean well, but dogs who bite tend to get euthanized, and while you THINK you are getting your dog comfortable with people while he eats, you are actually doing things that virtually guarantee the resource guarding will escalate.  You are feeding a very high-value food (raw meat) to a resource guarder; you are hovering near him while he eats by petting him, AND you scruff-grabbed him and took his bowl when he did snap.  If he meant to bite your face, he would have; dogs have good aim. He meant it as a warning, and again while I understand your reaction what you actually did was escalate by ignoring the dog's warning and taking his stuff.

 

Please, please, please read and follow the ASPCA link.  They use this with shelter dogs who resource-guard, and it WORKS for all but the worst dogs (wolf-dogs, for instance, are morely likely to bite for daring to touch their stuff from what I've read by behaviorists).

 

The ASPCA link talks about what to do if you feed raw.  The answers are all there.  

 

Here is another link with some video.  http://www.aspcapro.org/blog/2010/12/playing-it-safer-with-food-gua...

 

They used the method on 50 food-guarding dogs in the shelter and did follow-up studies.  Of the 50, 48 had no good aggression once placed, one did for a few weeks but it resolved, and one had a more serious possession-aggression issue that is much broader than food-guarding.  

Again, please please follow the link or the behavior will worsen and someone will get hurt, and the dog will ultimately pay the price.  Once training is complete, your dog should be left in peace to eat except for the occasional refresher.  No hovering around the bowl.  

Comment by Mollie, Mom of Merlin & Morgana on November 1, 2011 at 1:47am

it sounds insane, but go get one of those silicone baking mitts. its easy to clean, keeps fingers AWAY from the mouth, and still gets the concept of hand feeding across. We used this with our Malamute, since he had a bad habit of grabbing fingers during handfeeding.

Comment by Carolyn and Gracie on November 1, 2011 at 1:04am

Pardon my ignorance, I'd never heard of feeding raw meat. Been reading up on it. Not for me, but good luck with it.

Comment by Christine and Meeko on October 31, 2011 at 11:47pm

Yes, Raw food and raw bones do not splinter cooked bones do.

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