# Food Aggression?



## MMcCoy (May 12, 2016)

I started feeding Lay raw about a month ago and for the first week or so she was actually aggressive with her food (has never been an issue) we've just about corrected it (I don't ever want to say we are completely over an issue because IMO if there was an issue that is something that needs to constantly be watched). 

I am just wondering if anyone else had an issue of sudden food aggression appear after starting raw?


----------



## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

I haven't, but I feed them and leave them alone. Maybe I've been lucky, but I've never had any of those what if's that get mentioned for needing to take food away, and as far as a bone, out or drop it is the same whether its a toy or a bone. Its just trained.


----------



## Bramble (Oct 23, 2011)

The second or third time I my pup a venison bone I had to go by the pen I had him in and it bumped him while I was going by and he grabbed the bone and snarled. He'd never shown any sort of guarding behavior with food before so I think it was brought on by the high value raw meat and bones has. I didn't freak out over it since I didn't think it was actual aggression more fear I was going to take away his bone. So I worked on giving him a bone, leaving him alone with it for a bit then coming by and tossing some meat scraps into him or having him come to me to get a piece. I built up to him bring a bone to me when asked, rewarding him then giving it back to him. I think some food guarding is instinctual with pups to make sure they keep what they gets vs letting littermates take food from them. I've heard hand feeding can also help establish you as the giver of food rather than the one that takes it away. My boy is a year old now and gets raw bone regularly without any issues. He's even found some my older dog left in the yard, and I didn't want him to have, and will give them right to me. 

Generally if I give my dogs something to eat or chew I leave them be it until they finish it. I don't do the walk by and stick my hand their bowl, or try to take something, from them, though like I mentioned I will teach them to bring something to me. In my opinion bugging a dog who is eating or chewing a bone is more likely to escalate or cause aggression rather than decrease it. Every time someone comes near them while eating they have to worry that whatever they have might be take away. I make sure mine have a safe place to eat or chew a bone where no one will bother them.


----------



## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

Like Bramble said,sometimes if they have something new and in their mind FABULOUS!! they can be a little touchy.Doesn't have to become a problem.
Work some more on the leave it command and eventually work your way up to her leaving alone a super tasty raw treat.Handy if you need to get a hold of something FABULOUS but dangerous for her.

I don't mess with my dogs when they're eating either.Just my personal choice.With some dogs it can create anxiety and issues with guarding that didn't exist before.


----------

