So when I have a puppy I feed him kibble and slowly introduce raw food. I know that Ed Frawley recommends petting the puppy gently while the pup eats, and making it clear you're not trying to take the food. What I do with kibble is make the pup sit, put the food in his crate, then once he starts eating I go to the kitchen and grab a handful of kibble so that I can add it to the bowl. I'll let the pup eat out of my hand while I pour it into the bowl, or beside the bowl. Today I gave the pup a beef neck bone, and I wasn't expecting he'd want the kibble and figured there was a chance of the pup growling since it's a high value food. Of course he growled while I was setting the few pieces of kibble beside the bone.

My question then, is it better to use one of these techniques or just let the pup be? You're clearly causing stress to the pup by petting him or putting your hand in the crate, and I don't think it's natural for dogs to have their space invaded while eating. So would a better method be, I eat first, give the dog food after he sits and just walk away as if I have no interest whatsoever in the food?

If someone was pestering me the whole time I ate my dinner, I would most definitely retaliate.

I leave my dog alone while he's eating. If both dogs are loose when its time to eat, they get separated. I don't want him to gobble up his food in a 5 second frenzy because he thinks its going to get taken away. I give him enough food rewards during the day just through training that I know he respects my hand in relation to food. I would rather he be relaxed for meals.

Not saying this is right or wrong, this is just how we chow at the Pedicord residence.

Feed you dog & let him alone. You are creating problems that most likely would not exist if you wern't making him feel like he has to protect his food. Unless you have a very dominate dog (which I am sure you don't or you would have lost a hand by now doing that crap) I would not worry about it. The dog knows where the food comes from, you. Enough said. Very dominant dogs are a whole other story & 99 9/10th of the dogs out there are not dominant.

Just because I can take high valued items from my dogs doean't mean that I do or should. In the canine world, pack leaders eat their fill & then let the lower members eat in PEACE. They don't harrass them.

Thanks, I should have mentioned that I only do this with a young puppy for a short period. I don't do it with my adult dog, even though I could take his food away. And I never take the food away from the pup. I was starting to rethink the whole thing (getting into the pups space by adding more food), and moreso after he growled. And that's a good point about marker training teaching the dog to respect hands, since he's getting food right out of my hand countless times throughout the day for training.

Maybe I should clarify- I have a puppy too. And that's an even better reason not to do it. Puppies are impressionable. You could be setting behaviors in stone for the rest of its life. Your puppy should be learning to trust you right now. You are the provider of food. That's a strong message in itself.

Rightly or wrongly, I have a slightly different opinion. While I don't think dogs or puppies should be routinely harassed while they are eating, I do make it a training exercise with my puppies that I gently touch them while they eat--and I touch their food bowl, I put things into the food bowl while they eat, and I teach them to trade things (they give up what they have for something even better from me.) This is all done with lots of praise, reassurance, and treats.

For me, none of this is about dominance. As Jessica said, I give them the food and that sends a strong signal that I am the provider. What I want to be able to do is to take anything away from my dog if I have to--I want them to trust me enough that they will give me whatever it is they have, even if it's in their mouth--even if THEY think it's food. IMO, I need to be able to stick my hand in any of my dogs' mouths to grab something they might choke on, or poison themselves with--or anything I don't think they should have. I can't feel like putting my hands into their eating space is a risk. That's just me.

Once I'm confident that I COULD touch their food or take it away, I don't ever need to again. And I don't. They eat in peace.

That license does NOT extend to other dogs in the household. Every dog at my house gets his own bowl, and his own space to eat in, and no dog is allowed to touch the others' food. When everyone is finished I do let them inspect each others' bowls for any remaining molecules of food. ;-)

This works for us.

I teach my dogs a 'LEAVE IT' command & use that if they have something that I don't want them to have in their mouths. They are taught as pups to drop whatever they have, when the command is given. They are trained from pups with markers & treats.

I have also taken chicken necks & backs out of the throats of my pups & older dogs on occasion without having to bother them at meal times to be able to do it.

If you have good leadership & your dogs trust you, I don't see any of this as an issue. JMO

Hand feed out of the bowl, you can also put a little bit of food in the bowl and when he finishes it pick the bowl up and put more yummie stuff in it, get the pupper to think every time you pick his bowl up it is to put more treats and food in it. I don't bother my dogs while they are eating and for added safety my kids feed the dogs.

 Quote: Dennis Jones

I don't bother my dogs while they are eating and for added safety my kids feed the dogs.

:laugh:

I'm also a big believer in letting the dog eat undisturbed, but that being said, since she was a pup I always gave her one light pat on her back after the food went down (kibble). I still do it, every time. I want her to be comfortable enough with me in close proximity to her when she's eating that it doesn't elicit a growl.

With raw, when she was a pup (5-6 months old) I fed her oustide with the bowl gripped between my feet. I don't do this any more, but for this particular dog and raw I felt it was necessary for her to be comfortable eating a high value food at close proximity.
(IMO, in either case, I wasn't 'messing with' the dog's food)