Fighting Over Food

[Clyde]

1400673372[/url]' post='6489124']

Not really practical separate them in the yard.

But there is no resource guarding. Esky has no interest in well...anything..

It's never really practical here at feed time. Six dogs need to be totally separated here. One inside, one on verandah, one in back yard, one in paddock, one in front garden and one in driveway. If you have food aggressive dogs meals become about management rather than whats quicker, easier and more practical.

[Brandiandwe]

I really hope you get this sorted. The only and most serious scuffle we've had between our girls was over resource guarding. I turned my back for less than a minute and Brandi nailed Paige, just missing her jugular and her eye. $700 the week before Christmas. This was also after getting Hermon who was given up for adoption because of resource guarding and food aggression.

We manage it by feeding in the same order, same places every time. I am always there watching. No one can approach anyone else's bowl until the others step away when finished. No one approaches or eats till I tell them OK and I send the others away so everyone eats without disturbance.

Everyone now knows that I don't tolerate aggression or inappropriate behaviour. Everyone knows that I will protect their food so they don't need to. It's really the same way I've managed leash reactivity - now they know that they can trust me to look out for them and take charge, they are calmer.

Good luck!

[Trisven13]

1400673372[/url]' post='6489124']

Not really practical separate them in the yard.

But there is no resource guarding. Esky has no interest in well...anything..

It's never really practical here at feed time. Six dogs need to be totally separated here. One inside, one on verandah, one in back yard, one in paddock, one in front garden and one in driveway. If you have food aggressive dogs meals become about management rather than whats quicker, easier and more practical.

Yep - no dogs get fed together here. Everyone is crated separately and fed and I NEVER have to worry about a fight over food.

[Simply Grand]

I'm interested to know, and it isn't necessarily related to Esky, but there have been many comments saying "I don't tolerate/allow guarding or aggression". What does that actually mean? As in, how do you actually communicate this to your dogs?

[megan_]

I think those are people who don't have dogs that really resource guard :-). . I could say the same thing but I'm lucky I don't have dogs that do this .

[Brandiandwe]

I don't have bad resource guarding. But what I meant was if I'm in the kitchen, dogs can be there, but any attempts to guard me or the food, and everyone ends up outside the kitchen. A dog can be snuggled up next to me in bed or on the couch, but can't guard me from another dog - human furniture is mine so to have that resource the dogs need to share it.

I've also worked hard to make sure I can take high value things like bones away from my dogs through trading up. They know I don't take their food or treats away unless necessary and that they will get something awesome in return so there are no problems. Because I always want to be ready to get that roast chicken, pill bottle or whatever off them that they've got that is dangerous.

[*kirty*]

I don't know if it's just luck, but none of mine resource guard anything. My dogs all eat next to each other (that's seven dogs at present) and know that I will make sure nobody steals their food. I don't mind if they growl if another dog gets too close to their bowl, but aggression isn't tolerated. When they have bones, they swap and share and I can take them away if I choose (but I'm not that mean :D). I have always fed my dogs this way right from an early age and everyone is expected to behave. I watch them eat and take bowls away afterwards. As I said, not sure if it's just luck but it works for us.

[Dory the Doted One]

"Don't tolerate" around my place means any posturing, pushing and shoving, stirring with intent to annoy etc. is headed off at the pass before it escalates and those involved find themselves deprived of access to the item in potential dispute.

Headed off includes: separation, verbal warnings (such as, "Oi"), or put outside/crated and blockiing/distraction. Headed off does not include physical punishment, I'd really rather avoid it getting to that extent.

Rightly or Wrongly this what has worked for me over the years.

If I've had dogs that are continually in each other's face, it's separation at all times unless under close scrutiny and control.

[corrie]

I am another lucky one who's dogs don't tend to resorce guard.

I feed them in seperate areas anyway to avoid them gulping their food as the closer they are the faster they tend to eat. I think it takes the pressure of them and probably make their dinner more enjoyable.

I don't take the risk with bones regardless so they are either fully supervised or seperated.

[The Spotted Devil]

I am another lucky one who's dogs don't tend to resorce guard.

I feed them in seperate areas anyway to avoid them gulping their food as the closer they are the faster they tend to eat. I think it takes the pressure of them and probably make their dinner more enjoyable.

I don't take the risk with bones regardless so they are either fully supervised or seperated.

I fall into this category too. Even the cats are fed separately and removed from where the dogs are eating as they are both piggies and will try to pinch the dog food.

I am quite a good observer (my other half not so much which is an interesting comparison) and can pick up very subtle behaviours in my own dogs and others I come across. In the long run this probably means that I nip any unwanted behaviours in the bud in my own home very, very quickly so they don't ever get to the point where we need to have a "show down" if that makes sense. So how much is management and how much is genetics is anyone's guess.

Edited May 23, 2014 by The Spotted Devil

[HazyWal]

Stan doesn't have a mean bone in his body...except when it comes to food. Mine are fed in seperate rooms where they can't see each other and I watch them both, Maddie eats quite slowly and Stan's a pig so what will happen if they're not supervised is he scoffs his and then will just go and push her out of the way and eat hers. Even if she just sees him she will walk away from her bowl in fear. She has never once reacted but I don't take the chance that one day she may just have had enough of him taking her food.

[*kirty*]

Pia is the slowest eater! She nibbles each bit of kibble and takes a good 10 minutes to eat her dinner. The others all potter around hoping she will leave them some, but they know not to try and steal her food. Once they have all finished, I have to pick up the bowls straight away otherwise Champa takes them all away to lick clean lol.