# Food aggression



## MissusMac (Jan 6, 2011)

Ever since we started feeding raw, Miko has gotten a bit food aggressive. I read everywhere that raw does not cause food aggression, but it certainly seems to have happened here. 

I hand fed the pup until he was 5 months old, he always eats after we do, I always make him sit or do something before I feed him, we made sure to have people around when he was eating, I've petted him a lot while eating, so I thought I prepared him pretty well to avoid the food aggression.

Now he'll stop eating and lay his ears back if we walk by the crate while he's eating, or if we walk right up to the crate and stand there he'll growl a bit. Should we take the food away when he growls? It seems to me like we'd just be confirming his suspicion that we're going to take the food away if we come near. 

He didn't do this when he was on kibble, but obviously he likes raw a whole heckuva lot better than he did that stuff.

What do you think?


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

You are right. Raw food is a MUCH more valuable resource than junk food. Dogs are more likely to "protect" it. In my 15 years as a professional dog trainer I saw many many cases where food aggression was caused by the owners when they were trying to prevent it. Bugging the hell out of a dog while he's eating is not a way to prevent food aggression. It will cause it, not so much because he is afraid you will take the food but because he is trying to tell you to leave him alone. Have someone come up and rub your head, pull on your ears, or put their hand in your plate while you are trying to eat and you'll see what I mean.

Leave the dog alone and let him enjoy his meal. He won't be aggressive if you don't give him a reason to be. "Testing" him will only cause the problem to get worse. "Growling a bit" is NOT being aggressive. It's the only way a dog has to say in as pleasant way as possible, "Please stand back and leave me alone while I'm eating." He has no other way to do that. Respect his politeness and move away.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

What people say about raw fed dogs is that they become blood thirsty, that if you feed them raw meat they will see other pets and children as food. Which isn't the case.

Raw foods are a lot higher value to a dog so they have a higher drive to protect it from others, so food aggression is definitely something that can be exacerbated by feeding raw. 

Maybe stop feeding him in his crate, he may feel even more motivated to protect his food in there since he's confined. I would switch up the feeding spot every meal time. Possibly just sitting nearby the entire time he eats. As he gets more comfortable with you being near him, get closer and closer until he knows that you aren't a threat to him while eating.

I strongly suggest you do NOT take his food away because that will prove to him that guarding his food from you is a great idea, since he will learn you take his food away.


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

I have never had a problem with food aggression with any of my dogs (knock on wood). I have always been a firm believer to leave an eating dog alone. My kids were taught this from day one. Both my dogs have a special place they eat that is away from the normal activity of the house. When weather is nice, they eat outside. When weather is bad, one dog eats in the laundry room and the other in a quite place in the living room. 

I just don't ever give them a reason to feel threatened or like their food is going to be taken away because I never bother them. What has happened is now on the rare occasion that I bump into them or one of my kids gets a toy near by they don't even pay the slightest attention to us and keep happily eating.


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

I had a dog with food aggression a while back, and it was baaaaaaaaaad. He would start snapping at me if I came near the crate, and he'd snap at the other dogs even if they weren't look at him. I only let this go on for one night, though, because I didn't want it to be a problem later down the road, so I did the nothing in life is free method. I cut up all of his food and fed it bit by bit to him in a training session. He actually loved it. He got mental stimulation while he felt like he was getting treats, and he didn't feel like I was a threat, because the food was COMING from me! It was exciting for him. Within two days, he had no more food aggression towards me, just the other animals, but there was no helping that, as I've learned from everyone here.


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## MissusMac (Jan 6, 2011)

Thanks for all of your responses, I think I'll try a little bit of each. I certainly don't bug him, but there is a problem if I can't walk by without him growling at me. This is still my house and that is unacceptable behavior. I intend to have kids eventually, and God forbid they get close to the dog while he is eating, despite being careful to keep them away while he is eating and always supervising, I want to do what I can to help prevent him from freaking out.

Danemama, you're right, I was thinking of the myth that they get bloodthirsty, which definitely has not happened.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

If you don't want to leave him alone and ignore him whilst he eats, then I think its a good idea to go back to handfeeding meals outside the crate, just like xxshael said. I'm pretty sure thats what I would do if I had the same problem. 
Is he starting to also guard his chews, toys and treats?


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## Maxy24 (Mar 5, 2011)

I would hand feed for sure. He needs to learn that you are going to give him food, never take it. You have no interest in having his food. Hand him a piece, let him eat it, then hand another, etc. Eventually you could start stepping back after you hand him a chunk and then walk towards him again while he is still eating it to hand him the next piece. This way he gets used to you approaching him while he is eating, but learns you are just approaching to give him more.

I know with people who feed kibble I always recommend approaching them while they eat to drop a few pieces of something special in their bowls, like a hunk of left over meat from dinner. That way they learn to welcome your visit to their food bowl, not fear that you might steal their dinner. 
Raw is of course higher value so you'd have to find something even better than what they are eating to do this, their absolute favorite foods. Then while they eat you can approach and hand them a few pieces of "special" food. But this will come later, if he is already guarding you need to start with hand feeding so he has nothing to guard at first, then work up to the point where you can just drop him a few special treats while he has his whole meal. I would try to keep this up forever even after the guarding ends. Maybe not every day, but a few times a week. And have everyone in the household do it too (with your assistance if needed).


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## SilverBeat (Jan 16, 2011)

I agree that you really need to ignore him. Don't react to it, just like you wouldn't react to him howling or barking or otherwise carrying on in his crate. If you walk by and he growls, keep walking. Don't stop, don't look at him, don't let it bother you. He will soon learn that he doesn't need to warn you about trying to take his food away, because you couldn't care less.


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

Agreed that his only way of telling you to back off would be vocalizing and body language...If you're missing the body language he's resorting to vocalizing.
My dogs grumble at each other with their raw meals if someone finishes first and tries to hound another pup. That is the extent of it and I don't worry much about them attacking each other because they get the picture by the raised lips, guard hairs, and deep grumbles.

If you punish your dog for the growl, which I doubt you do :], then his next option is to snap/bite. Punishing out the growl creates a dog who will go directly into biting rather than giving you that nice warning. I agree to not take the food away like Natalie said...Also to slowly decrease the amount of distance. I sit on the floor with my dogs when they are eating...Partly because I want to be right there to make sure everyone is chewing. Which is another thing, god forbid Miko swallows a piece too large, you want to be able to get there and get that food out without him flipping out...Just work on it slowly. I think all the advice you were given here will help. :]


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## MissusMac (Jan 6, 2011)

MollyWoppy said:


> If you don't want to leave him alone and ignore him whilst he eats, then I think its a good idea to go back to handfeeding meals outside the crate, just like xxshael said. I'm pretty sure thats what I would do if I had the same problem.
> Is he starting to also guard his chews, toys and treats?


No, he doesn't guard anything else. 

I hand fed him his deer backstrap last night and after a few pieces he took it away so I called him to me and had him lay to eat the rest. I walked off and came back with more, so hopefully this would help. I kind of miss hand feeding him anyway... it means he has to work for it more


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## jiml (Jun 29, 2010)

just don't ever give them a reason to feel threatened or like their food is going to be taken away because I never bother them.>>>

you are lucky. I knew we had some work ahead when my current dog guarded the whole kitchen (at about 8 -9 weeks)like a Tasmanian devil because there was chicken bones in the garbage there


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

jiml said:


> you are lucky. I knew we had some work ahead when my current dog guarded the whole kitchen (at about 8 -9 weeks)like a Tasmanian devil because there was chicken bones in the garbage there


My dogs are only allowed in the kitchen when I let them. When I'm cooking or when we as a family are eating at the table they are not allowed to come into the kitchen area. This takes care of unwanted behavior, like begging at the table, scrounging around for fallen food while I cook, etc.

So, how exactly did you go about handling this behavior in such a young puppy?


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## jiml (Jun 29, 2010)

definitely hereditary. Her instinct to this day is to guard high value items. She is a dog that many would have given up on as she was so severe at such a young age, esp w children. She has a solid "leave it" but you still get the stare for her crate or very high value items. a lot of counter conditioning and OB overall. my wife used some of her "stuff" and made the keepaway into a game. I would not have thought this would be helpfull but it was as often she goes into more of a play mode. If she does react now - its all show - it was not when she was younger.


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

Great idea to make things into a game. The dog can't behave negatively if they are happy and playing....changing her mood so to speak...and then rewarding the happy good behavior. That's awesome that you guys didn't give up on her.


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