Food Aggression (Hand Feeding Stopped Working) - Page 1

Dealing with my male German Shepherd (1.5 years old). Case of food aggression: I have been hand feeding him, it worked for quite a while without incident but I have run into a problem. He used to eat from my hand, no issues. But about a week ago, when offered his food from my hand he growled and showed his teeth. So I did not feed him. Next time around, to not get bit, I had him platz and eat handfuls of food I placed on the floor in front of him. Worked well for a while, but today he growled, showed his teeth and false charged me. I left the room and he was not fed at that meal. Am I doing the right thing when he shows aggression, removing his food, or is there a better way to handle the situation? PS - If I just put the meal down he will growl and eat his food, but afterward he will guard his bowl for a very long time (up to an hour) that is why I went to hand feeding.

Dude, you've been at this for a year now, as far as I can see from your posts here, and it doesn't sound as if things are much improved--there's something SERIOUSLY amiss in the relationship between you and the dog, and I don't think it's something you're going to solve without the help of an experienced trainer working directly with you and the dog. You may well need to go beyond that, and enlist the help of a board-certified veterinary behaviorist, because from the sound of it, the dog is going to seriously hurt you one day. No dog that is 100% trusting and at ease with his owner is going to growl, snarl, show his teeth or 'false charge' them...there's large pieces of this puzzle that can't be seen in a venue such as an Internet bulletin board or an email list, and this has been going on for far too long. In the meantime, if you haven't already done so, start operating under the NILIF principle: Nothing In Life Is Free. Do a Google search for either the acronym or the full phrase, and you'll find several sites that describe the protocol. If followed EXACTLY, it will serve as your best bet for not getting bitten and getting some sort of rapport built up with this dog. The situation has disaster written all over it as it presently stands.

Hexe is 100% right, get help now. The thing about us offering ANY advice over the internet is that anyone who has a 'method' can talk you into doing it - and not only do you have no idea who is sitting on the other end of the internet (and with what credentials!) but no pressure for throwing out ideas on my end because I'm not the one going to get bit, right? You have a lot more at stake in order to save yourself from injury than those people sitting here. Find a behaviorist in your area.... not just a 'trainer' but someone who specializes in behavioral modification. A session with them should involve an indepth history of the dog's health, social history from birth, observation of the dog and your relationship with him, and understanding of how you've dealt with the problem from the first time you saw it beginning before advice should ever be solicited. Feel free to contact me privately to see if I can refer someone in your area or call your local veterinary college for referals. A lot of the time they even do these cases there.

I am no behavior expert by a long shot, but in 25 years of owning and training as a hobbiest, I have sat the food bowl down, let the dogs eat and never had a reason to bother the dogs while they ate. Why is this an issue? Why can you not just sit the food down walk away and not focus on the food bowl? What is the need for "having" to be able to "interact"(for lack of a better term) with the dog over this food and bowl? Like I said I am a hobbiest/novice, and learn daily, and I am really trying to understand what is going on here. Was the dog a puppy when you acquired him or was he a grown dog with this "habit"? I have even gotten grown SchH lll's and we never had this problem. Stephen

I guess I am very lucky with my dogs. They really knew who is the Boss of the pack. I can even take the food out from their mouth. Like one of my dog will take the share bones of my other dog.

<<>> ryken1 hit the nail on the head. You may have a problem with rank issue. The dog does not see you as the pack leader. Wolves in a pack..the pack leader eats first, others down the line eat after. If one of a lower rank goes over to the pack leader while he's eating he growls to warn them....HEY THIS SOUNDS FAMILIER. hexe made a good point that with this being ALLOWED for this long of a time you definitly need to get some professional to help you with this. Remember dogs can only do what Handlers allow them to do. This should have not only been addressed but SOLVED when the dog was a pup. But that time is gone and nothing you can do about it now, so get someone that can help you with this before it becomes more serious. Uwe

If it is food aggression and no other issues with aggression but the food correct? If this is the case do not make a issue of the food just feed him his food in the crate or his kennel/space and leave him alone. We had a young Zidane son who displayed this as well at a early age and when we ask the Belgium's they suggested just leave it the more you hand feed, or move the bowl and discipline the worse you can make it.

I have worked with many aggressive dogs, this is what I would do if I got your dog for training. Have him leashed with a choke, leather or chain, have the food ready in a bowl.... walk over to the food move the food around with my foot...if the dog gowls, I will hang the dog, his hind feet do touch the ground, he will fight and fling all around, it is ugly to watch and do...I will hang him until he settles and then will lower him to the ground and into a down and roll him on his side...until he relaxes compleatly. he will then be alowed to get up....he is still on leash. walk him around (where you want to go not him) then back over to the food...repeat this until there is no conflict with the food. Ok now you have to be prepared to get a bite if you are not quick enough...this is for extream situations only...and what I am hearing from you this is a "extream issue". This is an alpha issue not a food issue. You should never walk away from the dog when he growls at you....he has won...he wanted to to leave and you did. You must always be prepared, I would have the dog drag a leash so that you can correct him if he becomes aggressive at any time. I would also take everything away from him....no bed in crate, no toys, ect he needs to work to get them back....everytime. He has to get everything from you...he doesn't eat until he behaves nicely with you and his food....be prepared for confict everytime. wear a longsleave shirt, or a big puffy jacket, he will bite you..he needs to believe that you will kill him if he doesn't stop and submit... if you can't get past this with this dog then you need to send him to someone who can fix this issue and then work with you to make sure it doesn't happen again. Just hand feeding him doesn't make you the alpha...your body lauguage your tone of voice, the way you correct and the way you command will all need to be changed. This is very hard to deal with and most people can't do it....don't feel bad if you can't just find someone who can and get this fixed.

hello -- i started to read the posts : i stopeed after hjexe and nicole !! they are right on target !! words from me -- 1.- your relationship , your rearing and your interaction with this dog -- totally misaligned -- i won't go into the behavioral aspects --of which with qualifications and experienced could excpet: first of all -- this is not most likely a single episeoic event -- without seeing you and the dog and taking a history -- i would guardedly say -- this dog told you that htis was going to happen -- but your inexperience didn't allow you see it coming --- lastly --- right then and there -- you must have the mindset this dog must learn to not only feed from you hand with maneers but also show discipline , respect and self-control doping so !! ther shoul be no having to put the bowl down to feed --- that is to say this IMO a major major difficuulty which needs immediate attention !! the horse is out of the barn , but this mcan be corrected and you can get on the right track with your dog --there is hope !! : i know of two imports from europe my friend bought - -- you couldn't even feed these dogs without getting bit -- he worked with these dogs -- probably the best ring dogs, hardest fastest agressive biting dogs in the USA !! for novices : teach right from the start to have your puppy take thing from you hand and fingers without disrepect and with controlled m,anners --- this is the most simplest to teach -- jack without being judgemental -- ok --now just work with a very very qualified , i stress qualified person -- my fear is probably anopther protest in more extreme next

As stated before, I am no expert(don't train dogs for a living), but snatching a dog up in the hanging position before he gets to eat, really puts a lot of needless stress on it. I think just putting the bowl down and walking off to do other things around the house while he enjoys his meal, in peace is a much better option. Maybe I just don't get it. If the dog is territorial in all aspects of his living around the family, I understand modifying his behavior, if it is just while he is eating, my inexperience says leave him be. I would be pissed, if everytime before I ate a meal, my wife would hang me up in the air, choking my air off, as I slowly rotated around in the air, wondering, "what for?". Fight for your food? What a concept. Put my food down go away, and leave me alone. Stephen