Food Aggression

[Borismonster]

Val, this is something that I would really suggest you get a trainer for. Or, talk to Karen (Pugasaurus), she has a lot of really great advice when it comes to situations like these.

When we first got Sadie, we could not go anywhere near her when she was eating. One time my husband was walking past her and she lunged toward him and almost bit his foot. I don't know her history, but I think she was worried that she wouldn't get another meal or something, so she would guard her food and gobble it down. This is an issue that hasn't been resolved 100%, but it is better. I think your situation is different than mine though. But, what I did was feed her by hand for a few days, and I make her sit and wait for her food. And we keep the pugs separated when they're eating.

I really hope you can resolve this situation. I know how scary it must be for you. Please keep us posted. I know you'll do your best to make things better!

[colleen]

Bella is only food aggressive with other dogs - never me or my husband - but we've never had food and kids around her at the same time - I feel like they might treat a small child and food the same as they would another dog - kind of like a pack thing - she's that way as she was on the streets and had to fight for food

[Pugasaurus]

It does sound like resource guarding. And most dogs know they don't have to listen to human children like they do an adult so I'm not surprised she's snapping at the kids.

Resource guarding is something you can retrain with lots of patience. I would start with you feeding her her meal out of your hand so she learns that good things (like her dinner) come from human hands. Do this for a week. Then take her food and instead of giving her food from your hand, start dropping it in the food bowl and let her eat it out piece by piece. Do this for a week. Then some some really good treats, cheese, chicken, the like. Drop a piece of her food in the bowl, reach over and take it out, then drop a piece of cheese or chicken in, and drop her food back in so that not only does she get the tasty treat, her food comes back too. Do this for several weeks. She should start to look forward to your hands coming towards her food bowl.

Now do the above with your husband and other adults that live at your household. It should take several weeks to do this with your husband, another several weeks to do it with any other adult.

By now, human hands coming near her bowl should mean good things. This is where the kids are added in. If she is still snapping at the kids even after all the above, I'd definitely call in a trainer. but if all goes well, she'll not be snapping at the kids and then the kids get to go through the above process. If need be let the kids wear gloves while practicing and it goes without saying that you will be there to watch the proceedings.

There is also a book called "Mine" by Jean Donaldson that deals just with resouce guarding. It's available from my favorite dog book website, www.dogwise.com.

Good luck!

[M'Dear Pug]

I often watch the Animal Planet programs that deal with Animal Control efforts in big cities - Detroit, Chicago, Houston, etc. The show breaks my heart but sometimes, more often than not, the rescued animals do appear to find new homes.

I was kinda' surprised by something I saw on one of these programs recently. A dog, irregardless of how pitiful it may be when rescued, will be nursed back to health. It'll respond to love and attention and look so happy and excited - but then the staff will do a food aggression test and if the dog is aggressive, it is euthanized; it is deemed non-adoptable under any circumstances.

They put food in a bowl, the dog begins eating, then the food is approached by a realistic gloved hand on a long handle. If the dog snaps at the "hand", that's it, they're euthanized.

Ann

[HoneysHumans]

We also worked with Paco from when he was a puppy to make sure that he was not food agressive. Either of us can remove his food and he knows that he will get it back.

BUT ... Paco use to be quite "treat impatient" He would snap it right out of your fingers the second you gave it to him. (He did sit nicely until you gave it to him, he was just very fast once he went for it). He never bit us .. until the time that I was standing in the kitchen holding something at my side and he jumped and tried to grab it, biting my finger in the process. I don't think that he was being aggressive, just greedy. So we started giving him treats in a closed hand and he learned to be patient. We keep our hand closed until it is under his nose, and then we open it. And now rather than snatching the treat as soon as he can, he calmly takes it out of your hand (but he's actually still not that great if you don't have a closed hand. )

[mindee]

I often watch the Animal Planet programs that deal with Animal Control efforts in big cities - Detroit, Chicago, Houston, etc. The show breaks my heart but sometimes, more often than not, the rescued animals do appear to find new homes.

I was kinda' surprised by something I saw on one of these programs recently. A dog, irregardless of how pitiful it may be when rescued, will be nursed back to health. It'll respond to love and attention and look so happy and excited - but then the staff will do a food aggression test and if the dog is aggressive, it is euthanized; it is deemed non-adoptable under any circumstances.

They put food in a bowl, the dog begins eating, then the food is approached by a realistic gloved hand on a long handle. If the dog snaps at the "hand", that's it, they're euthanized.

Ann

I seen that too...but if the dog bit the fake hand...the shelter wouldnt take the dog because they were deemed " un adoptable"

Which I understand...its a time and $$ consuming thing to train a dog. Both of which non profit shelters have.
Its quite sad...that someone didnt take the time to properly train the dog..and they end with beahviors that were able to be prevented if someone took the time...


VegasMOM...you are a good puggy mommy. I know I always said Id get rid of either dog if they bit... But sometimes you have to take a step back..like you are. And assess the situation. Its not an unprovoked bite...and you KNOW you can fix it. Good Luck...and hope you get some positive reaction real soon.

[Binney]

Val,

how are you making out with this???

[puglover22]

I just read something recently that said it a dog is resource guarding the food bowl, one good way to work on breaking it is to add more food to it when they're 1/2 done because then they associate someone coming to their bowl as a good thing!

[Fla. Pugs]

You can train this. But it takes time and patience. Cyril is only food aggressive with other dogs, not with me. I can take his treats, his food, ANYTHING out of his mouth. Your children MUST leave your little girl alone right now while she's eating!

You start by feeding the dog by hand. Piece by piece. Then slowly switching to a bowl from which you take piece by piece and feed the dog. Then by lowering the bowl and taking it away and then putting it immediately back. This should occur over the course of a week or so. Continue to remove the bowl at intervals and put it back. Eventually the dog learns that, even if you take it away, that the food reappears. This can also happen with chewy treats, like bully sticks. So your kids should also NOT bother her when she's got one!

Thank's Alice for explaining this. I had the very same situation with my Bubba after we brought him home. I did exactly what you have mentioned and yes it worked very well for us.