I don't want to be rude, but are there still experts on this website? It feels like it has been hyjacked by people who want to be angry, and shake their finger at someone to feel important. I'm terribly sorry if I offend anyone, but if there is still an advanced trainer here who has some out of the box ideas, will they please give me some ideas to ponder? Thank you, and please let no one take this personally. I am not here to listen to anyone's high horse. My goal, whether or not you are angry, is to learn something new, so I can be better with Aries. Please, no one take it personally. It would take a long time to give every intricate detail of my situation. My dog is darn near perfect, and healthy. It would cause more stress throw a crate into the mixture. I specified: he needs to be fed outside. If there are ideas for me to not have to back him into a starvation corner, I welcome ideas.

OK, so here's what I'm getting from all of your posts above, Nicole:

Being fed ALONE OUTSIDE is either Too Distracting and/or Too Frightening for your dog to ever EAT his MEALS...

So, why can't you use an "airlines" crate with a lightweight sheet draped over it in an out-of-the-way INDOOR nook to feed your dog ??? Do it the Last Thing before bed-time & leave him ALONE with his food OVERNIGHT in Peace & Quiet -- If you are Scared the raw diet would Spoil before morning, then remove it after just 15-30 minutes, and repeat that process the next night ... Your dog WILL eventually Settle Down and eat normally, if you continue to feed him in a place where he feels SAFE & SECURE

Nicole, I'm certainly no expert but is there any chance you can work at increasing the distance between your dog's food and yourself over time? This might take weeks or even months but I wonder what would happen if you just take a single step back the next time you feed him? After a few days, and hopefully he continues to eat at that distance from you, take a second step back. You get the idea. Every few days of, hopefully, successful feeding, increase the distance to the point where you are near your door. I would also make a point of talking to him through the feeding, each time praising and reassuring, but at increased distances. Then slowly work your way out of sight. Just a thought. I'm not sure what to do about the fearfulness, however, due to outside noises. I would think the increased distance would also decrease his sensitivity and dependence on you guarding his food. Good luck!

Hi Nicole, if I should have offended you, I apologize from all my heart. First of all I didn`t expect you to tell here in detail what are your personal difficulties which lead to you`re momentary situation. This is really none of our business.

Second, I`m really convinced of crates and what I wrote about them. But then I had the impression your dog had to spend most hours of his day in the crate. That`s why I said I`d look at this as animal cruelty. This is my true opinion. But if I misunderstood you and it is not like that I apologize again.

I also told you that I do believe you love your animals. It was a thought from me while imagining what the dog would have to endure during so many hours of boredom and loneliness and I wanted to make you aware of this. I thought you suffered from a great lack of time and were completely overwhelmed. If all this is different and your dog can spend enough time with you it is another thing. But sorry it sounded like that.

One thing you can believe, no one here felt offended of what you wrote. It was obvious you are looking for good advice. And you`ll get it here (I don`t mean from myself, I`m not at all professional), I simply thought that having your dog nearer to you and farer away from distractions which frighten him might be of some help.

Is this ok for you?

I just read Greg`s answer, which must have entered while I was writing. Great advice, I think!

 Quote: Greg Meyer

Nicole, I'm certainly no expert but is there any chance you can work at increasing the distance between your dog's food and yourself over time? This might take weeks or even months but I wonder what would happen if you just take a single step back the next time you feed him? After a few days, and hopefully he continues to eat at that distance from you, take a second step back. You get the idea. Every few days of, hopefully, successful feeding, increase the distance to the point where you are near your door. I would also make a point of talking to him through the feeding, each time praising and reassuring, but at increased distances. Then slowly work your way out of sight. Just a thought. I'm not sure what to do about the fearfulness, however, due to outside noises. I would think the increased distance would also decrease his sensitivity and dependence on you guarding his food. Good luck!

I'm not claiming to be an expert, either, but my ideas are along the same lines as what Greg posted. Try gradually desensitizing him by moving just a little bit further away from his food dish. Done in very small increments, maybe you will see some positive results.

My other idea is along the same lines. If you are thinking you would like to teach him to be comfortable with your mother and/or daughter taking over feeding duties, you might try having one of them stand next to you while you are feeding your dog. Then, as he hopefully gets comfortable with one of them present in addition to you, then you can gradually move away and see if he can get comfortable with just them. When you think he's ready, you could try having one of them actually put the food dish down and so on.

Whichever way you decide to go, either teaching him to eat alone, or teaching him to accept a different person, make your changes on a very gradual and slow basis.

I don't think any of the answers you got here were meant to be "high horse" or anything other then what has worked in the past for those giving their advice.

I also think anyone who responded about anyone else's recommendations did so out of trying to find solutions for the op.

I also didn't feel there was any "finger shaking" so hopefully you take the different advice in the spirit of how it was intended.

To approach the problem from another angle what I'm seeing is a noise sensitivity. Is this evident even when not in the feeding situation?

If it is I would spend some time hanging out in the yard with some wonderful treats. When the noise starts treats start. Or you can sit with his daily meal and he gets chunks of it when the noise starts. Do short sessions. Mind set work is hard for dogs and people. You may have to break his meal up into two smaller meals if that's feasible with the style of raw you feed.

What are you actually doing while the dog is eating? Standing right next to him? How do you react to a noise that causes him to lift his head? Do you talk to or encourage him while he's eating?

If you're standing over him and clearly "guarding" him I would start gaining some distance by acting more distant emotionally. I would have you pull up a chair and read a book while he eats. Noises happen and he lifts his head without any comment or reaction from you. Gradually you can start gaining some physical distance when you see him start to gain some confidence that things are okay without you having to babysit.

If he's the type that follows you around the house and lays at your feet all day I would teach him a place command. I would put your cot or mat far enough away so that he is clearly on his own but it can still be close enough to be companionable. He may overall need more structure and confidence building exercises.

It's too late for me to edit my post above, but where I referred to your mother, I meant to say grandmother.

 Quote: Cathy Goessman

To approach the problem from another angle what I'm seeing is a noise sensitivity. Is this evident even when not in the feeding situation?

If it is I would spend some time hanging out in the yard with some wonderful treats. When the noise starts treats start. Or you can sit with his daily meal and he gets chunks of it when the noise starts. Do short sessions. Mind set work is hard for dogs and people. You may have to break his meal up into two smaller meals if that's feasible with the style of raw you feed.

What are you actually doing while the dog is eating? Standing right next to him? How do you react to a noise that causes him to lift his head? Do you talk to or encourage him while he's eating?

If you're standing over him and clearly "guarding" him I would start gaining some distance by acting more distant emotionally. I would have you pull up a chair and read a book while he eats. Noises happen and he lifts his head without any comment or reaction from you. Gradually you can start gaining some physical distance when you see him start to gain some confidence that things are okay without you having to babysit.

If he's the type that follows you around the house and lays at your feet all day I would teach him a place command. I would put your cot or mat far enough away so that he is clearly on his own but it can still be close enough to be companionable. He may overall need more structure and confidence building exercises.

http://www.hayneedle.com/product/barnhomedoghouse.cfm

I would also get a cheap E-Z-2 hose clean extra-large plastic Dog House for the yard, so I could feed him IN IT where he would feel more SAFE & SECURE while eating his meals