# food aggression



## nicmel (May 23, 2009)

My 5 month old female golden recently bit my son, while she was chewing on a cet chew, he laid in her bed next to her and she bit him in the face. The trainer suggested feeding her every 3-4 hours until she begins to leave food in her bowl and no longer feels threatened that there isnt enough. Although she may gain weight he said we could control that after we get the aggression issue under control. Also giving her treats while we put our hands in the bowl. Does this make sense?


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## amy22 (May 11, 2008)

Im so sorry that that happened to your son..how is he? I never heard of feeding alot to stop food aggression..but I have heard of hand feeding and touching food while they are eating, but I think\k there is a progression..Im not sure what that is. I hope someone with more knowledge answers you. Good luck and let me know what happens.


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## chubbs_mcfatty (Jan 30, 2008)

Having enough food is a good suggestion. A starving dog will develop food aggressive behaviour. What you also need to understand is that dogs view kids as "puppies" and will always do so. Puppies will bite other puppies as a display of dominance. Most likely your dog did not want to be disturbed while eating and "corrected" your son for being in her space while she was eating. 
If your dog has other issues around the house like jumping up on people, rushing/bark at the front door, pulling on the leash, then I would seriously consider calling in a trainer. Not a Sit/Stay puppy class, I mean an actual behaviour trainer. 
In the mean time keep you son away from your dog while she eats. Find a low traffic area of the house and feed your dog there. This will help reduce the stress if having people around all the time while she eats.


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## nicmel (May 23, 2009)

My son is fine but he did actually need stitches. We are still surprised as she is so gentile and submissive. This is however our first female golden as our other were males and I see a more dominant behavior in her. We have been working on hand feeding and putting the treats and and praising her with a high voice when she eats so hopefully she will turn the corner soon. She just really charges at her food and inhales it when she eats!!!


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Not sure the corelation between a satiated belly and guarding a prized possesion.


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## amy22 (May 11, 2008)

Im so glad that your son is ok..that sure must have been a scare. Sounds like your trainer is giving you good advice.


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## wagondog (Aug 24, 2007)

The food resource guarding is as real as your son being in the dogs bed. The dog is going to guard the bed as well. I agree that the behavior cannot be tolerated and training will help but why add more resources for your dog to protect??? Many resource guarders sleep in the owners bed and react and bite when the owner tries to get them off. Not being critical at all, I would allow my kids to do the same thing unless I am aware of the problem and realize I have a guarder.
Wagondog


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Hope your son is okay. That had to be scary.

An over-fed, fat Golden will still guard a bone if he is a resource guarder.

The answer likely lies in teaching your dog that humans near prized posessions are no threat AND teaching your son that the dog's bed belongs to the dog. IMO, kids should not be allowed to invade the dog's personal space, such a crates and dog beds - especially when the dog is trying to enjoy some quiet time chewing a bone.

If more food was the trainer's best advice, I'd be looking for a new trainer. In the meantime, keep the kids away from the dog when the dog has chew bones. I'd also suggest a house rule that nobody messes with the dog when he's on his bed or in his crate. They deserve down time just like we do.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I have to agree with this 1000% percent, I'd be finding a new trainer right away if more food was the trainer's best advice. That does NOT address the issue of guarding "high value resources" at all. So if the dog guards the bed, do you just put more beds out? I think not.
Further, I agree totally that dogs need a quiet place where they can go and not be disturbed, such as their own bed (not yours!) or a crate. 
Find a good behaviorist who will help you work thru resource guarding. The answer is NOT supplying more food.




FlyingQuizini said:


> Hope your son is okay. That had to be scary.
> 
> An over-fed, fat Golden will still guard a bone if he is a resource guarder.
> 
> ...


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## GoldenOwner12 (Jun 18, 2008)

I would also consider doing nothing in life is free program this will tell your pup that you are pack leader. Asl owhat i think may work is when she is eatting stand near her take it slowly. So stand where she feels comfortable to continue eatting, Each night step a bit closer till you are beside her. Then slowly start patting her from the bottom working your way up to the head, If she feels uncomfortable at all and stops eating stop patting her. When you get to the head start working down the side of the head,down to the chest till you reach the food dish, Do not touch the food dish if she feels uncomfortable. If she shows signs of not liking what you are doing take a step back and pat her where she does feel comfortable. Keep doing this till you can actually put your hand in her food dish with her still eating.


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## my4goldens (Jan 21, 2009)

just so I understand this, the dog bit your son, to correct it, we give the dog all the food he can eat until he gets fat, plus treats, so the dog realizes that there will always be food for him. And what happens when the food supply is cut back? The dog thinks there will be a shortage of food and he bites again? I think I have heard everything now. Find a new trainer, don't let your son near the dog until you have his aggression under control. Listen to what others have advised you here. And don't reward the dog for biting.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I am so sorry for your son and hope it doesnt make him afraid of her now. Have to agree with the others that the training by feeding more and more food will not work because eventually you will have to cut back unless you want an overweight dog. Meet with another behaviorist on how to handles things like the NILIF (nothing in life is free) method. You can also google it online to get an idea of what we are talking about. 
When a dog has a special treat in their special place, I would not be laying down next to her especially until it is under control. Do you use a crate? If not, then I would get one. And give her the special treats in the crate so she can feel comfortable eating them and also for a down time place to relax. I dont know how old your son is but I would also set some rules down with him on what he can and cant do with your dog. Doing obedience training with all ofyou and the dog will also help. It will also show your son things that he can teach her and how to handle a dog. 
It can get better but it will take time and effort. Good luck!!!


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

The advice from the trainer is not at all helpful to fix the problem you're having. Hand feeding your dog will help, keeping children away from dogs who are eating or chewing on bones will help, and gettiing a trainer who knows what they're talking about will help. Hope the bite doesn't scar your son, physically or emotionally.


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## nicmel (May 23, 2009)

Thanks for all of the advice, she actually has no problem with me putting my hand in the bowl or petting her while she eats. I think what the trainer meant and he is a behaviorist, is that he wants her to feel like food in not an issue, my other dogs used to leave food in the bowl all of the time. Our new puppy came from a little of 12 and she had to fight (not literally of course) for every bite and drop of milk. So if she is not hungry all the time maybe she wont be so aggressive with her food. The more frequent feedings was not meant as a permanent solution just a temporary problem solver.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

nicmel said:


> Thanks for all of the advice, she actually has no problem with me putting my hand in the bowl or petting her while she eats. I think what the trainer meant and he is a behaviorist, is that he wants her to feel like food in not an issue, my other dogs used to leave food in the bowl all of the time. Our new puppy came from a little of 12 and she had to fight (not literally of course) for every bite and drop of milk. So if she is not hungry all the time maybe she wont be so aggressive with her food. The more frequent feedings was not meant as a permanent solution just a temporary problem solver.


But your dog wasn't guarding the food bowl. He was gurading a special item in a coveted spot, the dog bed.

I agree that there is some logic to plentiful free feedng in *some* circumstances to relay the idea that food is abundant and not something to stress over. However, I strongly believe it's comparing apples to oranges in your situation, and the fact that it was the initial advice from your trainer concerns me. As does the fact that he calls himself a behaviorist. Generally speaking, unless you are a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (MA degree or higher in a related field) or a Certified Veterinary Behaviorist (vet degree + extra study specifically in animal behavior) it's thought to be in bad form to call yourself a behaviorist. There can be trainers and trainers who maybe specialize in behavior mod (vs. just teaching basic obedience behaviors)... but in my experience, a non-behaviorist (as definied above) calling himself a behaviorist usually has more to with ego than actual credentials, education and experience. Just my opinion.

Regardless of how you decide to handle the situation, I hope you're able to find a management protocol that works for your family so that everyone is safe and comfortable throughout the learning process.

Best of luck to you! Please keep us posted!


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## GoldenOwner12 (Jun 18, 2008)

Trust me feeding more will not work. Shelley my 13 month old female eats poo and alot of it. Well my family and I reckon it was cause she was hungry well we feed her more. It didn't work she kept eating her poo and other dogs poo, If anything feeding her more added more weight on her joints. Trust me it is easier to put on weight then it is to take it off. For a 5 month old puppy i wouldn't feed more then what she needs as to much weight on her joints will do damage. The weight will put to much pressure on her joints which in turn will give her pain, She will most likely will refuse to walk,run etc due to the pain. 

I found out the hard way my 13 month old Shelley is on a diet she is only 21inches tall grom foot to back and weighs 70.6 pounds. She was getting 2 cups of food a night, Now she is only getting 1 and half cups of food a night. I can't imange feeding her more cause if i did i think she would be the size of a house lol. My dogs get plenty of exercise 2 hours a day offlead runing,walking. We are always on the move on our walk no stoping or resting unless they really need it. 

May i surguest taking her to obedience training this may help some too. Also is a good bonding tool. I would say to keep your son off the dogs bed that should be left alone for the dog only so she has a place to go for some piece and quiet. If your son wants to pat or cuddle the dog he should call her to him. What training has been done with the dog? does she hop down from places when told? before i even pat my dogs they know they have to sit down first, When i tell them sit,drop etc they do it straight away. When they come inside at night for couple of hours Shelley jumps on my bed which is a no no i say Shelley down she hops down. Punishment if she doesn't hop down she gets sent outside for 5 minutes. Timeouts work really well with dogs might be something worth to try. I also think the NILIF ( nothin in life is free), You are the first to walk out and in gates,first to be feed etc.


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

My Lucky has been known to growl around the food bowl....but he is extremely unpredictable with a chewy. Now he doesn't growl at his immediate family around the food bowl. But I will never trust him with a chewy. Thus...he gets none.

A puppy is more unstable and more inclined to bite in my opinion. Lucky bit my girl when he was four months. That was the only time. At that young age he hadn't quite figured out where he stood in our family and had a tendency to "show his oats". 

Though he does not get "chewies" Lucky has guarded a couple of things as an adult...a lead pipe:doh: and a squirrel's severed tail. Both times I was able to get the objects away, with my hands...because he saw me as the leader. Well...ok...we wrestled....but he respected me enough not to bite.

So I think training and helping your pup know that he follows you and your kids...and not the other way around is very important. The interaction in training really helps relay that message.


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