I'm almost at a perfect place with my dogs. I was a stay at home mom, and in love with large dogs. I rescued a coydog, and my husband bought me the german shepherd pup of my dreams (working line), for Valentine's Day 3 years ago. I discovered some awful facts about my husband which necessitated finishing my med-degree. I am now short on time, and with a baby. My german shepherd is amazing. He is the most obedient dog, even without treats. He loves to work for me, in fact, he has to have it! My issue is, he refuses to eat unless I stand guarding the food. I understand his psychology; I am his alpha, and he won't eat unless he is comfortable I will keep him safe. I initiated this by feeding him raw, and outside. My city has grown much in the last year, and now he refuses to eat unless I am standing guard. It is a huge pain! A dog will bark from a mile away, and he will back away from his food until he is sure it's safe. The other night, I was "standing guard," and a neighbor had a drunken argument with his wife, which kept my pup from eating. I thought like a trainer and assumed he would make up for it (being extra hungry the next night), but the next night there was an audible dog fight keeping him from eating. I'm wondering if anyone has advice for feeding raw (which has to be outside in my situation), and helping him to feed independently without fear of predators- humans and other dogs- outside our fence.

I should also report, he is a soft dog. He is tough, but submissive. He takes corrections like a tough guy, but he rarely requires much. Even in the face of high predatory drive, like a bunny, he comes when I call him.

My only thoughts on most issues of not eating other then health issues are to take it up after 10-15 mins.

Even if it takes a few days the dog "will" soon get hungry and eat.

I don't think any dog starved to death because it didn't want to eat alone.

I hear where you are coming from, and normally I would agree, but Aries is extremely diligent. I finally learned to stand guard after he had already starved himself for 5 days. I assumed as you did that he would eventually get hungry enough. When I started back up in school, my grandmother and eldest daughter tried to feed him for me for a few weeks. That's when all this started. He would go a couple of days without eating because someone else was feeding him. I realized he only trusted me, but then he began insisting I stand over his food for him to eat. Like a mother spoiling a child, I kept up. He gradual increased his sensitivity, and now I'm at a loss to remedy it. I have no doubt he will wait until he is on the brink of starvation before getting back with the program. I'm worried resorting to those measures with ruin his personality. Like a dog that has experienced aggression once- and was permanently changed, I worry his experience of famine will change him

Hi Nicole, have you consulted a vet? Are medical problems excluded? Without being sure about this everything you can never know what is right or wrong.

Like Bob (although much less experieced) I`ve never heard or read about a dog who starved himself to death.

You write that your grandmother and your daughter tried to feed him for A FEW WEEKS !!! Does that mean, he was starving for all that time? Or does it mean, you assumed this task again after a few days?

Couldn`t it be, that you reinforced this behavior with your regular presence? Perhaps this has become a habit for him. Again, provided that medical reasons are definitally excluded i`d let him starve. Once this association of eating and your presence is broken, he will eat, as real hunger hurts.

Other question. Is your dog crate trained? I mean in the correct way, so that he feels snug in his private place? If yes, I`d put his food in there and leave him alone. If he`s not, I`d start crate training him, gradually, so that he will like this place and feel safe.

Maybe within a crate you`d also be able to have him indoors for a certain time. I guess this would lessen his fear about what`s happening around him.

Just some thoughts. Hope you can solve the problem.

 Quote: Christina Stockinger

Hi Nicole, have you consulted a vet? Are medical problems excluded? Without being sure about this everything you can never know what is right or wrong.

Like Bob (although much less experieced) I`ve never heard or read about a dog who starved himself to death.

You write that your grandmother and your daughter tried to feed him for A FEW WEEKS !!! Does that mean, he was starving for all that time? Or does it mean, you assumed this task again after a few days?

Couldn`t it be, that you reinforced this behavior with your regular presence? Perhaps this has become a habit for him. Again, provided that medical reasons are definitally excluded i`d let him starve. Once this association of eating and your presence is broken, he will eat, as real hunger hurts.

Other question. Is your dog crate trained? I mean in the correct way, so that he feels snug in his private place? If yes, I`d put his food in there and leave him alone. If he`s not, I`d start crate training him, gradually, so that he will like this place and feel safe.

Maybe within a crate you`d also be able to have him indoors for a certain time. I guess this would lessen his fear about what`s happening around him.

Just some thoughts. Hope you can solve the problem.

Yes, my thoughts also: Feed him In an "airlines" Crate INDOORS without you standing there -- My dogs' routine is: Last walk in the PM, then Feed IN their CRATES, where they Spend the Night ... They don't come out again until their first walk the following AM (Works-4-Us!)

I`m absolutely for crate training. But the crate must remain a very positive part of dog`s daily life, He must have enough liberty, training, exercise and fun too. A dog being confined most of the time in it`s crate wihtout enough enrichement of his life whenever will become perhaps an obedient, but unfortunately submissive and fearful or in some cases even agrressive dog.

A dog has his needs and we have the task to see and fulfill this. A crate is only part of a solution for a dog`s day. He`s an animal who absolutely needs enough exercise and possibilities to waste energy. If not, we are not giving him, what are his needs and his right, and we are adding problems for ourselves too, on and on.

Like this we don`t make him feel snug in his crate. Like this the crate will be his prison, not his private home. The being outdoors with all uncertainties will also be a prison, for he isn`t socialized at all. That`s where his fright comes from.

Be aware, this is animal cruelty, although you don`t want this. I am fully convinced that your situation is very difficult and I do believe honestly that you love your dogs.

Nonetheless some difficulties are partly self created, sorry, but this is the truth. If your situation at the moment is so difficult, that you can`t give your dog a life with enough fun, don`t wonder that he is frightened of such a lot of situations.

If you can`t change this, you should try to find a good other home for him. Going on like this neither you nor your dog will have a chance. You`re overwhelmed, which everyone here can understand, but your dog is overwhelmed with his restricted life too.

Christina-
Of course I did not starve my dog. Aside from my children, he is my pride and joy. I would feed him before myself if I needed to; I'm not saying that is right, but that is how I feel. I think, perhaps, I have not made myself clear: I am fully admitting to this issue being my fault. I did cause this by adhering to his desire for me to guard his food so he would eat. He has become conditioned by my adherence. I know I can remedy this in a power of wills (he does not have a medical problem), but I am hoping for expert advice to keep me from resorting to that method. Thank you for trying to help! I assure you I only wish to hear some pointers, and I have no intention of letting harm come to Aries.

I am aware of how to fix this problem; I am simply hoping there is a better way. I would like to explore options to see what will work best for us. Thank you!!!

And Aries spends all day with me, not outside. He only feeds outside, but spends the rest of his time with me, and goes almost every place I go.