Sudden Food Guarding - Need Advice!!!

**goombagirl** · 04-24-2012, 10:53 PM

My 6 month old lab mix is suddenly and excessively guarding his food. Since we got him at 8 weeks old, we have trained him to sit and wait for his food until released, which he is marvelous at. We also all (mom, dad and 3 kids) took turns periodically removing his food mid-meal and making him sit and wait a second or two before replacing it. He did very well until about 4 months old when he started growling and/or barking if you came near his food. It could still be taken from him without biting. So at that point we all took turns at different meal times hand feeding him his entire meal. We did this for about a week and he went back to being submissive. We have had to do this periodically in the last 2 months to remind him who is in charge of his food. The last week or so he has been very protective of his food, not really wanting his dinner but running to his bowl if anyone went into the kitchen and baring his teeth and growling if we came too close to his dish. And tonight he was very agressive and actually bit ME while my 12 year old was hand feeding him. I immediately commanded him in a down position, which he did, and took his food to finish hand feeding him. Calmly commanding him to sit and wait for his food and hand feeding are the only tips our dog trainer has been able to give us and now it doesn't seem to be working. Any other advice out there? He is actually going to get neutered tomorrow and I am hoping that helps although I've heard it is a myth that male dogs lose their protective instincts after neutering. He really isn't an agressive pup otherwise. Thanks for any advice or experiences you share!

**Samson** · 04-25-2012, 12:40 AM

Start feeding him by hand until he knows that the food is yours. It may take a while. Don't let him get into the situation where he can guard his food until he allows you to pick up his bowl and eventually take his food away.

Go to advanced search top right of the page and enter guarding. Lots of suggestions there.

**Tanya** · 04-25-2012, 07:07 AM

get another trainer. if yours can't help - find someone that can.

so, the dog learned that humans randomly take away his food while he eats and now protects his bowl to ensure that does not happen. For the future, you don't have to take a dog's bowl away mid-feeding to "prove you are alpha and make them submit". The sit and wait for release was quite enough.

I recommend working with a trainer but some tips would be to hand feed, then eventually put a few kibble in the bowl and feed most by hand and bit in the bowl. Stand near but not too close while he does that. Throw kibble in the bowl. over weeks move closer to the dog as they eat and slowly increase food in the bowl. DO NOT TAKE THE BOWL AWAY EVER. NEVER. ADD to the bowl, yummy treats so that they eventually equate you near the bowl to extra treats. but again, I recommend talking to a trainer about this.

**BigBrownDog** · 04-25-2012, 07:46 AM

Agree with Tanya - I read this late last night and my initial reaction is that you made your dog a food guarder by giving him a reason to think that his access to food is tenuous. You do NILIF with dogs who have behavioral issues - not with all dogs. I CAN take my dog's bowls if there was some odd reason to do so - but I don't by habit. I CAN remove a high value item from my dogs - who will drop a piece of bacon for me if I tell them to "leave it" (have done this) but I don't do something like that simply to exercise "dominance".

It really makes me sad when people buy into dominance theory and screw up their relationships with their dogs. Few dogs angle for the leadership role in their environments. It is a fallacy and the programs on TV that sell this idea (dominance theory/pack theory) really do dogs and dog owners a huge disservice.

Do people often not exhibit appropriate leadership with their dogs and wind up with behavior problems? YES - but that is not about dogs being dominant - it is about people not understanding canine behavior and character. I've never "alpha rolled" a dog of mine and they have all completely understood their role. I don't force them to enter and exit a room behind me so that they know I am alpha - what a bunch of crap that is! It's entirely based on the notion that dogs operate socially like wolves. Dogs are not wolves and the current research into wolf social behavior also undermines a lot of the previous thought about pack theory.

They are very much like children - provide clear structure, communication (where you understand what THEY are saying too) and positive leadership and you will do fine.

**goombagirl** · 04-25-2012, 01:38 PM

thank you for the tips. for the record, i am doing the best i can and love my dog very much. before we adopted him my husband and i read several training books from several different sources. i have never rolled him and do not act like a tyrant over him. his training has ALWAYS been done with positive reinforcement and not with anyone trying to be his alpha. he has been in obedience classes since he was 11 weeks. forgive my error in removing his bowl periodically during feeding. it was for a couple of seconds and he WAS rewarded for his patience. i can totally see how that may have affected him and will try the extra treats in his bowl as well as continuing to hand feed him. and i too can get him to 'drop it' or 'leave it' with anything. even his favorite treats. it was just this one thing thing.... i can see everyone's point that i did it wrong and was very confused by his reaction as he is so loving and obedient otherwise. so again, thank you so much for the good advice.

and i didn't mean to make you so sad, sharon. but you don't know me or how i raise my dog. my relationship with him is not screwed up. and i intend to fix this feeding situation asap with the constructive comments and advice i received.

**lizandriley** · 04-25-2012, 06:04 PM

Hi!
Sorry to hear that you are having problems!

You need to let your dog know that all food in your house belongs to you! And by reading what you have said it seems you know this!
When you are sat at the table eating with your family put your dogs bowl, with his food in it onto the table or on kitchen work surface and leave it there until you And your family have finished eating! Then give your dog the food!
Pack leaders/ alpha dog eat first, they are in charge of what the rest eat!!
By taking away food while they are eating is not a good idea as they will protect their food, it's only natural to them!
I hope you manage to get this sorted, it's not a nice feeling when problems like this happen!
Good luck!

**Tanya** · 04-25-2012, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by lizandriley

H
When you are sat at the table eating with your family put your dogs bowl, with his food in it onto the table or on kitchen work surface and leave it there until you And your family have finished eating! Then give your dog the food!
Pack leaders/ alpha dog eat first, they are in charge of what the rest eat!!
Good luck!

I personally do NOT agree with this theory. the dog isn't thinking anything other than "give me my food, give me my food, give me my food". Putting it on the table and eating first means nothing to a dog. nor would i ever put a bowl of dog food on my table much less when I am eating.

dogs are not deviants trying to overtake the humans we don't have to keep showing them we are alpha we are boss (and again, food on the table and the eating first thing isn't going to make the dog thing you are alpha)

I agree with the below posted earlier in the thread:

Originally Posted by BigBrownDog

It really makes me sad when people buy into dominance theory and screw up their relationships with their dogs. Few dogs angle for the leadership role in their environments. It is a fallacy and the programs on TV that sell this idea (dominance theory/pack theory) really do dogs and dog owners a huge disservice.

Do people often not exhibit appropriate leadership with their dogs and wind up with behavior problems? YES - but that is not about dogs being dominant - it is about people not understanding canine behavior and character. I've never "alpha rolled" a dog of mine and they have all completely understood their role. I don't force them to enter and exit a room behind me so that they know I am alpha - what a bunch of crap that is! It's entirely based on the notion that dogs operate socially like wolves. Dogs are not wolves and the current research into wolf social behavior also undermines a lot of the previous thought about pack theory.

They are very much like children - provide clear structure, communication (where you understand what THEY are saying too) and positive leadership and you will do fine.

**Sophiesmama** · 04-25-2012, 08:09 PM

You have gotten good advice, and it sounds like you have listened well. Try not to beat yourself up over taking his food dish away. You did probably create the guarding problem by taking his dish away mid meal, but now, you just need to help him unlearn the fear that his food will taken away. Just keep reassuring him and reinforcing positive behavior. You didn't know you were doing the wrong thing. So now, just move forward and try not to blame yourself.

**goombagirl** · 04-25-2012, 08:42 PM

Pam, THANK YOU!!!

Tanya, I also agree, and I never said I was raising my dog with any type of 'pack mentality' where I am the alpha. That was Sharon's mistaken assumption. You know what they say about assumptions, right?

**Diesel_Dawg** · 04-25-2012, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by Tanya

I personally do NOT agree with this theory. the dog isn't thinking anything other than "give me my food, give me my food, give me my food". Putting it on the table and eating first means nothing to a dog. nor would i ever put a bowl of dog food on my table much less when I am eating.

dogs are not deviants trying to overtake the humans we don't have to keep showing them we are alpha we are boss (and again, food on the table and the eating first thing isn't going to make the dog thing you are alpha)

I agree with the below posted earlier in the thread:

Originally Posted by BigBrownDog

It really makes me sad when people buy into dominance theory and screw up their relationships with their dogs. Few dogs angle for the leadership role in their environments. It is a fallacy and the programs on TV that sell this idea (dominance theory/pack theory) really do dogs and dog owners a huge disservice.

Do people often not exhibit appropriate leadership with their dogs and wind up with behavior problems? YES - but that is not about dogs being dominant - it is about people not understanding canine behavior and character. I've never "alpha rolled" a dog of mine and they have all completely understood their role. I don't force them to enter and exit a room behind me so that they know I am alpha - what a bunch of crap that is! It's entirely based on the notion that dogs operate socially like wolves. Dogs are not wolves and the current research into wolf social behavior also undermines a lot of the previous thought about pack theory.

They are very much like children - provide clear structure, communication (where you understand what THEY are saying too) and positive leadership and you will do fine.

Very well said you guys. The whole alpha/pack mentality is ancient nonsense.