Yeah, I don't plan on my children being around the dogs while they eat...we will soon be in a different situation where the dogs will be separate from the house area and that will make things easier. But, at the end of the day, the problem wasn't with my children but the boy dog and me. I decided that wasn't acceptable.

Well that's why we'd like to know how it works out.
I've found there are easier and better ways to deal with possession issues myself.
Making them insecure around their food dish always seemed to create more difficult issues to deal with farther down the line.

Any ways good luck, I hope everything works out between you and the dogs.
What kind of critters do you keep? Sheep? Goats?
If ya got any young'ns the dogs probably should be hanging about the barn them.

Chickens, sheep, goats. The 5 children are around them all the time.

David, if he growls at you again, what will you do?

It should be a given that the dogs are fed without a chance that your young children could be bitten. This is not difficult to do, and as a responsible parent I'm sure you will make sure that your children are kept away from the pups when they eat.

The real issue is how you are dealing with your male pup. Remember that at 4 months old, your pups only know what you have taught them as their pack leader and what comes to them instinctually. Guarding food is an instinct, stronger in some pups than others.

There are better ways than bopping your pup on the nose to teach him not to growl at you. Eliminating growling may result in a bite with no warning, since in effect you are teaching your pup that growling is a behavior that incurrs a punishment. If provoked, he may bite, intead of growl.

At 4 months old, you should be working on building a strong bond with your pup, based on trust and fair treatment.

Let him eat in peace. Ask for a sit when you are giving him his food, and wait until he looks in your eyes before placing his food down. Then leave him be.

Sorry David, I wasn't real clear about what I meant.

I wanted to say was enre to the critters you keep.
You want the dogs to bond to the flock.

We have some one around here the keeps pyr's and critters.
Darn I can't remember her name.

Anybody have any help with that?

Willie Tilton

 Quote: david jones

I should mention that I have 5 children 10 and under and so that is the reason I have been touching them while they are eating. There is a good chance that my 3 year old or my 1 year old could do the same thing and I would rather her or him not get bit.

David you said here that the reason you were touching the dogs while they eat was because of the kids, now that you are going to have a different living situation, could you not CHOOSE to leave the dogs alone to eat.

If you are not there to be growled at you will not have to fear being bitten by your dog.

I'm sorry if it seems that I am picking at you. Please don't take it to heart. But think of it like this. If the next time you try to back the dog off the food and he bites you, are you going to say, "whoa, that was my fault, should have let him eat" or are you going to put the dog down for being too aggressive? In the end, the dog will be the one to suffer for something that was 100% preventable.

Please consider what everyone here has been telling you, we all have you and the dogs best interests in mind

 Quote: randy allen

... Making them insecure around their food dish always seemed to create more difficult issues to deal with farther down the line.

I don't want to create a pile-on, but I do want to say that this is darned good advice, IMHO.

I've seen more than a few serious food-aggression problems stemming from creating uncertainty and anxiety around the food that the pack leader gave that dog.

The thing is, the trust that is built up around the food, the knowledge that there is no need to fear food appearing and then disappearing -- this leads to a dog who is at ease around his food.

I do understand that you thought about it and made your choice and this is JMO.

I would never put a dog down for doing that and while I understand everyone is trying to help...it seems like everyone is skipping the part where I have mentioned that this dog has challenged me before during totally unrelated issues, like me correcting him for mouthing me or when he has knock over my 1.5 year old because he shoved his face in my child's face. So as I said, this was not an isolated issue that solely revolved around food but has happened before. Though not to the this degree.

I'm sorry that it has gotten everyone so stirred up...

 Quote: David Jones

...it seems like everyone is skipping the part where I have mentioned that this dog has challenged me before during totally unrelated issues ...

I'm not.

When I pick my battles, food anxiety isn't even in the running.