Thread: Drives while eating

Andrew Raw meet and bones are high yeild food and because it is higher yield food than say dog biscuits it will trigger some dogs to defend the food. You do not want her to rehearse it too many times. It is not something you can use. If I had her I would pick up the stainless steel food bowl I lovingly feed her with every sunny morning. And if she would so much as look at me sideways, while eating, I would smash her one. High food drive dogs are not always possessive over food.

[=Neville Patterson;16499]Hi Andrew,
That's resource guarding and is not a nice behaviour to become a habit. I agree with Vendo that it needs to be stopped as it will get worse and affect training down the track. You could try hand feeding her for a bit to project the food is yours that you allow her to eat. They can do the same with toys and the pup needs to learn that you own and control everything.

Cheers
Nev[/]

Yep, Resource guarding, With young bub's, you should move the bowl around, place it in a different spot while food is in it, move it with your foot,show them you are only getting this on my terms, etc growls,hackling start grab the pup back and take bowl, pup stops RG and you return it. Simpler to start with babies, then they know not to do it as older pup's....Same with any toys,bones etc

Actually, she is a baby, start moving that bowl and use your voice too, you are boss not her.

[=Monika Kawecki;16498]Vendo - my dogs get fed all natural diet so bones and meat are not of a higher value then any other food as this is the same.
Maybe my dogs a pussies but I have never had a dog growl at me when eating. They might growl at each other on occasion, and my young bitch will on occassion guard the kitchen sink where the meat is defrosting, but only from other dogs.
I have never smashed any of the dogs, what I did do is Triangle of Temptation - a program by Steve Courtney, or some other version of it.
And I also did exchanges of food, where I would take one bone and give another bone to the dog. Or something better then the bone. So the dog always sees that if I take I will give something even better.
[/]


Monika you are not wrong, in fact if you have not got the problem you have developed your dogs well without going to that extent. All my dogs are fed on occasion by my kids ( while I supervise). And any dog I have had from a pup my kids could go and take the food out of the bowl with their hands and the dog would not react. Like you I do not have the problem.

However occasionally I will get a dog in for a while and 1/2 will have food possession, it is something I just do not tolerate.

""I don't have a problem with correcting the dogs, but would like you to explain the theory of it to me. I would think that if the dog is guarding something, you smash the dog and take the thing away the dog will consider you the bastard that beats him up and takes his food. Wouldnt this put a dint on the relationship and trust that the dog gives to you? Wouldnt this make the dog to take its food and run away with it in hope you never come after him?""



Not when it is guarding something .. when it is guarding food. Big difference.

Monika I just believe in establishing a strong pack order at my place. All my dogs know that the food they are eating is mine and I am allowing them to eat. Generally I look at dogs in a pack order or in the wild and imagine what they do. My dogs will all eat together in the same yard on occasion simply because I believe they need that bond of a pack ( just my stuffed up theory ). Dogs in a pack chastise each other not for a prolong amount of time , it is quick , never more than needed. It dose not need to be a hit with a bowl use what you are comftable with but make it significant. I am just lazy.

I never take the food, and if done right you might never have the problem again. No dint in the relationship because they already learned not to run away, ........only in the bottom of the bowl

[=Neville Patterson;16505]Monika,
Resource guarding depends on the dog and it needs to be acknowledged IMHO that a particular training program is successful when used on a dog that is a genetic resource guarder, not dogs that don't have the trait. It's a bit like saying a particular program works well as a foundation against dog to dog aggression that works well on dogs that are not dog aggressive, but it needs to be proven on dogs that are dog aggressive genetically to determine how well the program works. Dents in relationships through aversives rarely happens with dogs of sound nerve strength expected of a good working dog and generally has the opposite effect I have found. An old experienced dogman told me once as his bible law, a strong, dominant aggressive dog needs to know the handler can kill him and the dog will respect, admire and love you!!!. I have never had a dog challenge me raised on that principal or had the need to heavily correct a dog once that has been established in the relationship. Over correction of weak dogs is the essence of dented relationships I have found generally???

Cheers
Nev[/]
Well said