Food protecting

[daisy_doo]

Hi, Daisy is 15 weeks old today. She was off her food over the weekend but I gave her some mashed veg on Sunday to get her to eat something which she loved, my husband thought she was at the door wanting to go out but she went back to her bowl for a scrap of food she had left. As he was about to encourage her out she snapped at him. I then tried touching her and she went for me too. I know the old saying 'never touch a dog who's eating' but I believe that she is bottom of the pack and we should all be able to at least touch her when she is eating.

She was poorly over the weekend so I forgave her that once but she has done it again today.

I have 2 small children and although we tell them not to touch her when she's eating I don't want this resource protecting to carry on to other things.

I have started hand feeding her each meal. Making her sit and wait for each handful.

Has anyone else done this? If so, how long do you suggest we do this type of thing for and any other tips please?

Thanks in advance beagle friends...

[star0513]

Hi there,

I think you are on the right track by hand-feeding. I actually did this with Sebastian when he was a baby to prevent any type of guarding behavior, and it worked beautifully. I would highly suggest a book by Ian Dunbar called "After you get your puppy". Fantastic resource that deals with many common puppy problems! (Also a really easy read, not a boring textbook) I did find a website that had an excerpt from the book regarding food guarding:

Raising a puppy: Preventing object guarding | Dog Time - Master trainer Ian Dunbar on keeping your dog from turning into an object guarder


Hope this helps you, and I'm sure others here will have more advice!

Keep us updated

[Tucker]

That article was good. We used to have a problem around the food bowl, but we taught Tucker that he is not the top dog and we could take the bowl if we wanted. Also we just randomely petted him while we were eating so he learned that touching wasn't bad.

Another good thing is to make them work for food or treats. No food unless you sit, go down, whatever. An no lunging for food ever. We are having a problem with the 2 girls when we give them treats as they lunge for it. Everytime they lunge, we take the treat back and make they wait until they behave better. Yuki figured it quick, so she got the treat first. After everyone else is eating and Niko still doesn't have hers does she realize that she has to sit nice and not lunge before she will get hers. Of coarse Tucker is always first. We use to make him go down then place the treat a few feet away and make him wait a minute before he could go get it. But with the girls it won't work as they will go after it and then Tucker gets mad and fur goes flying. We still have work to do.

[dudley]

when mine are young i take their food away frequently. if they object i scold them and shake the penny can at them or spray them with the water bottle. if they settle down and sit they get love and their food back. sometimes because they love it and i want them to be okay with me stealing their food i return it with a treat on top.(mine love dry cat food)now any human can pet them while they eat, or take their food and they dont mind. the cats on the other hand better steer clear.

[RosCole]

Gino did this at first but, we too hand fed him and took his food/treat away if he snapped. It didn't last long at all once he realized he and his food were safe. Every so often I will go put my hand down by him while he is eating to make sure he is still ok, and he is Good luck and just remain consistent.

[daisy_doo]

Thanks for all your comments, links and reassurance. I am still hand feeding Daisy and despite her hating it at first, being really stubborn and not wanting to eat from my hand she is now happy to do it!! Will carry on doing this for a while and then go onto taking the bowl away until she is happy to remember she is not 'topdog'!

Thanks again!!