Trisven13 Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 We have a litter of manky pups who have obviously had irregular access to food and who also had a heavy worm burden. They have been wormed and provided with quality food 3 times a day. One of the pups is really, really pushy about food and I'd like some thoughts on whether what I'm doing is right. I will admit to rousing on pups who fight over food - a quick growl and a scruff and normally within a couple of days they're all eating nicely. This boy is still being a real brat though. He stands in the bowl and covers the food with his body as he eats - if any other pup tries to eat out of that bowl he has a go at them. I will provide enough bowls for each pup but he moves from one bowl to the next doing the same thing. Today I just got jack of it and removed him completely from the other pups and hand-fed him his lunch. This could get quite time consuming though so I'm wondering what else I could do? I understand that food is a very high value resource for him given his history BUT he needs some better manners about it before he can go off to a new home. Whilst he wouldn't have a go at a human for food he is not nice to the other pups at all. In all other respects he is lovely though. He is middle of the range too for size - he has a brother who is bigger than him but easier-going and a smaller sister who cops most of his nastiness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 Feed him separately in a crate. His anxiety about getting enough to eat may be eased by not having to defend it. Or it may not Trish.. but you can try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 As poodlefan says feed him separately, but bear in mind that his aggressiveness over food may not be related to missing out on food earlier in life, he may simply be a very dominant, strong minded puppy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve K9Pro Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 K9: Train (especially) the dominant pup in the TOT, pinned at the top of the training forum, this will teach him to use his head instead of his muscle when it comes to gaining food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trisven13 Posted August 18, 2009 Author Share Posted August 18, 2009 Thanks K9 - will read through that again to make sure I get my head around it as that is what I'm trying to teach him - he has to work for his food, hence the hand-feeding for lunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve K9Pro Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 K9: the tie back & handler not holding or forcing the dog teaches the dog that being calm & looking to the Alpha for directions is more effective than pushing & fighting. Plus who ever adopts the pup can also continue the routine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ons Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 my last foster coolie Lizzy was like this and attacked every dog or cat in the kitchen when food was being prepared, she had been starved. Normally she was a very sweet natured girl. simple solution was that she was always put in the garage before meals were made and fed in the garage away from the others. Over time she settled very quickly especially when she learnt that no matter what 2 good meals a day were still provided to her. Having said that TOT is a wonderful method and I would try that as well. I just think that once pup knows that food is going to be on a regular basis that the food agression may well ease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trisven13 Posted August 18, 2009 Author Share Posted August 18, 2009 K9: the tie back & handler not holding or forcing the dog teaches the dog that being calm & looking to the Alpha for directions is more effective than pushing & fighting. Plus who ever adopts the pup can also continue the routine. So I was probably kind of doing that when I was hand-feeding him as I was only giving it to him when he was calmly standing still in front of me. I sat on the floor and gave him food when he stood still. If he jumped on me or put his paws on my hands etc I withheld the food. I will have to find a place to tie him whilst I do it. I've had lots of starving pups who've had issues with foods but this boys are a bit more extreme than most AND he has a fabulous temperament outside of the food issues. K9 - I would imagine that once I put his bowl down, even with no other dogs around, he will be straight back into standing/lying in his food bowl. He does this to control his food - how do I deal with THAT part of it or will it fade in time as he learns that I'm in charge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve K9Pro Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 K9 - I would imagine that once I put his bowl down, even with no other dogs around, he will be straight back into standing/lying in his food bowl. He does this to control his food - how do I deal with THAT part of it or will it fade in time as he learns that I'm in charge? K9: well eventually, he wont be able to fit in the bowl lol but until then, you can elevate the food bowl or have two tie outs, one that keeps him in place & the other to allow him to reach the food only, not lay in it. Once he knows no one else will take it (feed him separate to begin) then he will be fine. The upside is that if he has developed a good food drive, this can be a great training tool / motivator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trisven13 Posted August 18, 2009 Author Share Posted August 18, 2009 Thanks I will keep working on training him with food too to keep his drive up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helen Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 (edited) I agree with poodlefan about feeding him separately and another very important thing for you and the pup's owners when it is old enough to leave do is get the puppy very used to having different people present when the puppy is eating from it's bowl - if you download Ian Dunbar's After You Get Your Puppy book from the internet it explains a great way of teaching pup to accept people around while the dog is eating - http://www.k9events.com/AFTER_You_Get_YourPuppy.pdf - in fact if you ever breed it is a good thing to do with your own puppies occassionally Edited August 19, 2009 by helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helen Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Here are another couple of great links to deal with/prevent food aggression that were added to another thread - http://www.petrescue.com.au/newsletter/aug05/#food http://www.positivepetzine.com/food_guarding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trisven13 Posted August 19, 2009 Author Share Posted August 19, 2009 Thanks Helen. Thankfully he is not bothered by people around his food but I will add those links to my collection :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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