Author Topic: Food aggression-help please!  (Read 6782 times)

Offline Binky

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Food aggression-help please!
« on: April 28, 2008, 12:36:10 am »
Sophie the Leo pup is now just over 3 months old and is very sweet and adorable and GIANT-35lbs last week!  However, she is very aggressive with food and I do not know how to handle it.
For those of you who don't know, we have 3 other dogs and we free feed from one bowl.  I have NEVER had an issue with any of the dogs being aggressive or competing for food.  If one is eating, the others will wait or stuff their noses in and take what they want, no problem. The same goes for table scraps and treats.
Sophie was getting fed separately, in her crate, but would not eat in there so I put her food by the other bowl.  She not only snaps and growls at the other dogs (and cats!) when they go near her food, she won't let them near their own.  If anyone else tries to eat, even if she's asleep, she'll get up and chase them away. 
She is getting increasingly bad about it and bit Chicklet (who is 3.5 lbs) today!  If I feed her treats by hand, she will bite me in her haste to get it.  I am trying to teach her "easy" but am tired of being bitten- she broke the skin on the back of my hand.  She does NOT growl or snap at me if I take her food dish or put my hand in it.  Can anyone help?  I do not want her to turn into a giant food aggressive dog so I need to nip this in the bud!
Binky-Great Pyrenees
Sophie-Leonberger
McDougal-Papillon
Chicklet-Papillon
Sigfried-Cat  RIP Sigs
Spooky-Cat
Jasper-Nigerian Dwarf goat
Ferdinand-Nigerian Dwarf goat

Offline FXgirl

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Re: Food aggression-help please!
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2008, 01:05:16 am »
I must say that you have a very unique feeding situation for a multi dog household.  Pyrs and toy breeds have much different eating habits than leonbergers and especially puppies.  But you didn't ask for advice on feeding your whole crew so I'll just stick to Sophie.

I would keep with the hand feeding and every time she nips or gets too rude I would close my hand up with a "YELP!"  Wait for her to give you eye contact, praise and open your hand for a reward.  You should see definite improvement if you keep at it.

Offline patrick

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Re: Food aggression-help please!
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2008, 01:57:08 am »
I free feed multiple dogs but also have multiple bowls down - when I do have food aggression with a new dog I just separate the bowls farther away- she can't guard bowls if they are in 2 different rooms!  I also would use a squirt bottle and when she is snapping and snarling at the other dogs blast her- she needs to stop this now and getting a face full of water when she goes to attack another dog will definitely change her perspective on things.  She is still a baby and this should be easy to fix  Binky's suggestions are great too- there should be no reward for rude behavior!

Offline Binky

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Re: Food aggression-help please!
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2008, 02:03:20 am »
I must say that you have a very unique feeding situation for a multi dog household.  Pyrs and toy breeds have much different eating habits than leonbergers and especially puppies.  But you didn't ask for advice on feeding your whole crew so I'll just stick to Sophie.

I would keep with the hand feeding and every time she nips or gets too rude I would close my hand up with a "YELP!"  Wait for her to give you eye contact, praise and open your hand for a reward.  You should see definite improvement if you keep at it.

Thank you- I will try the closed hand, I hadn't thought of that!  
We do have a different take on feeding.  We have always started puppies eating their own food in their own crates and then gradually weaning them to adult food and free feeding.  I feel this is a good way to make sure everyone gets what they need and keeps them from wolfing their food down and possibly getting bloat.  Everyone is at their ideal weight and it has worked well-until now :)  
I hope that Sophie will learn to adjust her habits to this system.  Everyone told me it was ridiculous to free feed a Pyr, but Binky hasn't had any problems.  Is it unlikely that a Leo will do OK with free feeding?  Sophie has had access to her food since day one and seems to be moderating it on her own-is this a bad idea for Leos?  I keep track of her intake and it is about 4- 4 and 1/2 cups a day.
Binky-Great Pyrenees
Sophie-Leonberger
McDougal-Papillon
Chicklet-Papillon
Sigfried-Cat  RIP Sigs
Spooky-Cat
Jasper-Nigerian Dwarf goat
Ferdinand-Nigerian Dwarf goat

Offline NarniaMals

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Re: Food aggression-help please!
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2008, 03:09:32 am »
I am no help with free feeding - I wish we could do that in our multiple dog house, but....  We have 2 Mals and were warned that food is a touchy issue with the breed.  We also have an Alaskan Husky who I swear is ADHD and anorexic.  Free feeding would have caused a major war in our house so I originally feed each with their own special bowl, but at the same time. UGHHHH Talk about wild.  Racing and competition were insane.  After a battle that actually made me a bit nervous (between the mals) I began feeding individually.  Life is soooooo much better.  In our case it is definitely a breed issue and as I have said we were warned.  Now everyone eats more slowly and no one rushes and everyone knows the routine so there is no upsetment.
As far as treats our Jadis was rough and a nipper.  We did the closed hand - but we also tried a wide open hand - allowing the treat to be flat in the palm - and that worked really well.  After a few days of working on "leave it" at puppy school, we moved back to the closed hand and then to a normal hold.  SUCCESS!  She now takes a cookie without the nip.  I can treat all at once - as long as they all are in the sit or down position without their noses touching.  The house rule is "don't throw treats" - make sure they are directed at a specific dog and hopefully we are using their name - then all is well!

Good luck - I am envious of the success you have already had with your others - I am sure your newest will figure it out and work with the others!
Marianne and the MALS
Jadis (Queen of Narnia - The White Witch) and
Vander  (One of her loyal guardians)
also Maulgrim (our Huskey - Head guardian and our little alpha dog!)

Offline FXgirl

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Re: Food aggression-help please!
« Reply #5 on: April 28, 2008, 05:17:51 am »
Sure it's possible she could do well with free feeding. We have no food aggression issues here but I know that my guys would end up either over-eating or under-eating if we weren't there to supervise mealtimes. And not all my dogs eat the same food either. 

My leo pups have always had a "healthy" appetite and will over eat if given the chance but once they grow up(about 2 years) they are really good at regulating their own diet(so they say....I don't have much experience with that being that I have a 6yr, 1.5yr and 10 month old).  Rarely do you see an over weight adult leonberger. 

How do you stop Sophie from eating the other dog's food when it is left down all day? 

Bosco who is now 10 months old was a major chow hound and really needed to learn his manners at mealtime.  He'd bark, jump, twirl around and within a week was sitting quietly for his meals.  He was also very nippy when taking treats from the hand when he was very excited.  They learn......som etimes it takes a bit longer. 

I wish I had answers for you regarding the food aggression.   

Good luck!!