Hi guys, my 6.5 month old gsd is still showing signs of food aggression. I have posted this before but I'm still unsure about what steps to take to correct this behavior or if it even can be corrected. I have been doing obedience training with her, and she knows sit and down well, just a matter of letting her know that you mean what you said. So in the obedience training area, she obeys pretty well and has never shown me any aggression during training. During feeding times, however, she would growl whenever I pet her on the back and her hairs would rise on the back of her neck. I know this is clearly a sign of defense and aggression, and I want to let her know that I do not tolerate it. I have thus, corrected her with prong collar whenever she would growl at me when I pet her during feeding times. I have been trying to get the message across for more than 2 weeks now, and I think she is just not getting it. I think because she sees me as the alpha dog, sometimes she would actually walk out of crate and offer her food to me it seems. So I think instead of telling her not to growl, "I'm not taking your food", she thinks she has to give up her food. I have never removed her bowl during feeding times nor have I ever taken her food. Is it possible to correct this behavior, if not, is it something that I, as a pet owner, should tolerate. I just want what is right between her and I and I certainly do not want to punish her unnecessarily. I have also tried dropping food in her bowl to show good faith, but she seems to be so concentrated on her food that nothing matters. By the way, I have her sit and down before feeding so I do make her work for her food. Please help me with this dilemma or share some of your experiences with this. Thanks and I really appreciate your time.

I think Ed's got an article on that. I've never had a food/bone aggressive dog but I would suggest feed the pupper in the crate/kennel and heed the advice of my dear beloved father: "Don't F with a dog while he's eatin and don't F with me when I'm drinkin' "

Try hand feeding her for a couple of weeks like this: put a handful of food in her bowl, and hand feed her another handful from your hand (which you take from a different container)...then put all the food in her bowl, keep it in one hand just beyond her reach, and hand feed her from there...then put the bowl on the ground, and take the food from the bowl and hand feed her. If she get's impatient and tries to go for the bowl, just lift it like it's no big deal, say Ah! Ah! Ah! and start over...then have her eat with the bowl on your lap...the put the bowl on the ground and move it to your lap, etc, etc.

The objective is to teach her YOU give the food...and you're not there to take it away...YET.

Later on you may want to teach her to give up her food, or some other hazardous item she may have in her mouth.

If you act in a hesitant manner, she'll take longer to come around...act confidently. I would suggest you leave the prongs out of this for a few weeks.

Hope it helps.

Andre, when ever I get a pup I always feed it by hand for a while. I've done this with three dogs so far and had good results with it . Is that preventing the problem? or I havn't run into a truely drivey, aggressive dog yet.

Sorry, didn't mean to mispell your name Andres

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Is that preventing the problem?

Yes.

That's an awesome advice, I will start that tomorrow and see how she does. Thanks!!

Hi Andy, i never understood the food aggression thing. i make them sit, then i let them eat, they eat in under a minute, then feeding time is over, why do you have to pet the dog while he's eating? i have 3 dogs and none have food aggression, but once they sit for their meal, i let them eat, you posted the dog is fine otherwise, right? why look for a fight when you don't need to, good luck,
AL

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Hi Andy, i never understood the food aggression thing. i make them sit, then i let them eat, they eat in under a minute, then feeding time is over, why do you have to pet the dog while he's eating? i have 3 dogs and none have food aggression, but once they sit for their meal, i let them eat, you posted the dog is fine otherwise, right? why look for a fight when you don't need to, good luck,
AL

Fully agree with Al. I had a very food aggression/dominant alpha male GSD, I learnt very quickly leave them eat alone, trying to win them around only hightens their drive for the food and normally ends up with both party's getting hurt.

Think about it how many times have you put in a hard days graft, come home really hungry, sit down to eat youe food in peace and people keep taking your plate away when you have just started. I think most people would get p***ed <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

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I learnt very quickly leave them eat alone, trying to win them around only hightens their drive for the food and normally ends up with both party's getting hurt.

Andy,
The important thing is to have some type of protocol so nobody gets hurt. I have a male that's very dangerous when being fed. For me its: Food placed in the crate, dog called, crate locked, leave and secure the area. In five minutes return and collect the bowl.

In my case food is the only resource he will guard.

Robert