Hello all,
I am writing this to get some perspective from others. I am currently training a 8 or 9 m/o Chessie for major food aggresion. (draws blood, won't let his owner within a few feet of the food bowl)
I have already evaluated the dog and decided my approach and goals. I am seeing good results after four sessions. I am posting this to see what the board members have to say. Like I said, in order to keep myself from becoming too tunnel visioned, I want to see this from other's perspective.

Here are the details:
1. 8-9 m/o neutered male, bought from a show breeder as pet/hunting quality
2. runt of the litter, last one bought
3. owner-single female mother of one, softer handler, but getting tougher since this has started
4. had begun Koehler method training I think, but never finished due to distance to trainer
5. good food motivation (not suprisingly)
6. very smart young dog, not shy or fearful
7. very contentious for his age
8. behavior first noticed at about 5 months
9. did have some e-collar work

I know most will say that you don't see true dominance issues at this age, but my impression is that he has been testing the waters with his handler and has learned what works. Also, I do feel as though there is some amount of poor genetics at play, but I don't feel like the dog is unmanageable.
About me: I have been training professionally for a few years. I did not attend any type of academy although I did apprentice under a trainer with 30+ years experience for about 1 1/2 years. I am not a Koehler Trainer but definately not a Halti/Clicker Trainer.
So like the movie, What do you do?
Thanks all,
Daniel

Hi,

I would not push the issue on food aggression with a dog. I don't know why people do this! Just put the food down and let him eat in peace with NO other dogs around him and NO people around him to bring out the food aggression.
There can be a lot of other stresses that might go on in training, why would you want to add another unnecessary stress to his life?
Just my thoughts............John

Food aggression = handler aggression i have seen this time and time again. Any one that says that this is unheard of in a dog this young hasn't spent much time with the working breeds. In my oppinion you take this dog by the scruff and shake the living *#%* out of it. It has been testing the waters you are correct there but the owner will expereance problems when a child reaches for the food bowl and that by the way is "why we do this ". You need to get this owner to toughen up a lot more or someone is going to get emergancy room hurt. The dog being the runt may have had to fight for his food so you need to teach him that he will loose this battle every time . He will still get to eat but under your terms not his. its gone on long enough . use an e-collar if you want but I feel the dog gets it more when alpha dog A.K.A. the owner teaches the lesson personally.

Two words: Hand Feeding.

I agree with the hand feeding. Depending on the abilities of the individual, scruffing an agressive 8-9 month Chessie can be an invitation to disaster. They can be TOUGH dogs.
When you hand feed, the food is placed in the bowl a little at a time while you sit in a chair while holding the bowl. DO NOT sit on the floor with an an agressive dog. You need to be higher than he is. when he eats the small amount you gave him, place a little more in the bowl by hand. He will learn that YOU control his food, not him.

100% agree about the hand feeding. I'd also probably feed him out of hand in the beginning (not use the bowl until later), and make him work for what he gets (sit or down at least) for the the food. And make sure she know when to correct and/or stop feeding the little snot so she doesn't teach him to be an extortionist as well <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

This can take a lot of time day to day, depending on what she's feeding, and she'll probably want to find some place to stash the kids while she's working with him, if they're not old enough to stay out of the way and let her concentrate on the dog.

I've meant some Chessies who were real tough guys. They were great working dogs, once they knew where they stood. I'd not expect to need or want to "shake the $h1t" out of this guy. I'd guess the owner'd rather not have a dog doing her plastic surgery. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Hand feeding is a great way to build bridges and establish hierarchy.

hand feeding is nice but it has failed me on a few occations and it works fine for the adult but not the children.the dog must learn that the behavior will not be tollerated regardless of the circumstances. hense the grab and shake.hand feeding may work but not all of us has the time or know how. some time you need to get down and dirty. thats what mama dog would do so why can't it work for people too.

For the safey of the child involved in this scenario, why not just let the dog eat in peace? I agree with John on this. Why not just shut the dog in a room, garage, etc. by himself, and let him eat undisturbed? Feed the same time, the same place, everyday. There are plenty of other times to treat, handfeed, and train.

I've always fed my dogs in their crates. It always amazed me how many people feed multiple dogs, running around loose, at the same place and time, and then get upset when there is a fight, or agressive food guarding. Or, for example, giving the dog a bone in the family room, with kids running around, when the dog has food issues. That dog would just simply never get a bone, nor the opportunity to act out over it.

Good input from everyone. As far as not doing anything about it, Chris is right. Food aggression does equal handler aggression. The dog occasionally snaps at his owner for putting it into it's crate (getting better now, although we have barely worked on that specific issue). When she first started seeing the food aggression problem, a trainer told her to just leave the dog alone to eat in peace. Problem is that the dog began to understand that biting got him his way. Where most dogs try avoidance or the "I don't understand" routine, this dog learned to bite to get his way and generalized this behavior to other things. (Not as intense, he's broken skin over food, nothing else) Another consideration, she does have a 5 y/o son, also what happen when the dog picks up a dangerous item outside? I do think food aggression must be eliminated. Any other thoughts? When I get more time I'll wite about specifically what I did with the dog.
-Daniel

Daniel

The dog should be CORRECTED for snapping at his owner, and biting should NEVER get the dog his way. It sounds to me that HANDLER AGGRESSION is the main problem here, and NEEDS to be dealt with.

Food aggression might never come up, IF the dog is fed all by himself.........like Sandi said "why not just feed the dog in a room by himself and let him eat undisturbed."