# 6 month old is aggressive with food



## AURORAMOM (Apr 1, 2017)

My GSD is 6 months old and in the past 2 month has become really aggressive with her food. 

I have read some previous post that advise to give the dog treats while eating or trade it with something more appetizing. Issue is that my dog is on a raw diet and well treats and other food is not appetizing more then her raw meat. She is fed twice daily and I always feed her breakfast as I am up earlier. 

She does not sit in the kitchen while I or my husband prepares the food. She sits in her bed and waits as we place the food down. She also sits and waits while the bowl is down and does not approach unless we say "okay go".

When we come near her bowl while she's eating she growls. We have tried to take possession of her food and though she is much better with my husband she is still overly aggressive with me and growl and eats really fast. Recently she took a nip at my leg when I tried to take her food back.

I just want her to not growl, eat so fast or bite if we approach her food. The reason we are doing this is because we are trying to have children and I don't want her to have this behaviour while shes older. I wonder what would happen if the baby goes near her when she is eating and she bites the baby.

I have hand fed her her food before and she isn't aggressive and gentle when she eats from my hand. But its a different story in bowl. We also do not leave her bowl on the ground all day, only during feeding and it is removed once she had completed eating. 

Does anyone have any advise or have they dealt with this behaviour when they are on a raw diet?


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Shut the crate door and leave her alone when she is eating. 

You sticking your hands in and trying to take back her food ate proving her right. That she NEEDS to protect her food from you because you keeps messing with it. Stop messing with her food. 

Just back off for a while. Let her eat in peace. Then inna few months, without either of you messing with the poor dogs food, you can start by adding things into her bowl.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

gsdsar said:


> Shut the crate door and leave her alone when she is eating.
> 
> You sticking your hands in and trying to take back her food ate proving her right. That she NEEDS to protect her food from you because you keeps messing with it. Stop messing with her food.
> 
> Just back off for a while. Let her eat in peace. Then inna few months, without either of you messing with the poor dogs food, you can start by adding things into her bowl.


Right on! You could also change the feeding routine by feeding her in another spot from a different bowl. Then ignore her while you "do stuff" in the general area while she is eating so she knows you are not a threat but that can take a while since you have to prove yourself to her.


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## girardid (Aug 13, 2015)

make her work for the food. Keep the food bowl up and feed her little by little until the meal is done. I do this with ground raw and kibble. THis way the meal is a training session and she associates you with giving food not taking it away. If you dont hand feed then give the dog the food and leave her be.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

dr. my thumb hurts .
Oh? what are you doing?
hitting it with a hammer.

well then stop doing that.

old joke 

"When we come near her bowl while she's eating she growls." -- leave the dog in peace and quiet while eating.
Don't create problems . Stop doing that.

Dogs eat fast -- they "wolf" down their food. 

when you hand feed you are giving. Your food-bowl-training , you are competitive and you are TAKING .

the pup is 6 months -- you will create other areas where the dog won't trust you.

try that with a baby -- something yummy , an ice cream cone . They lean forward look lovingly into your eyes , get their tongue and mouth all over and are "nice" waiting for the next opportunity.
GIVE the ice cream cone to the young child and try to take it away. That ice cream might be flying backwards through the air in an attempt to keep you from getting it. It might be mashed into their front clothing , covered by their elbows and a crying screaming fit to boot.

don't make problems


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

You created this problem. Give your pup his food and leave him alone. Taking away, or messing with a dogs' food is old school. It doesn't work. Some dogs are prone to guarding food and some are not. My hound is a guarder. He came from the shelter that way. My shepherd is not a guarder. You could stick your head in her bowl and she wouldn't care. Messing with her food would have no negative impact. Messing with the hounds' food would have cost ya an arm. Fortunately, the hound and I have built a bond of mutual trust and respect. He sits up and begs. I give him his food. I leave him alone. No problem.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

You are creating the food aggression with your actions. Stop taking her food. Stop messing with her when she's eating.

If you dinner in front of you and I kept sticking my hands in it and taking it away from you....would you not eventually get angry? This is what you are doing.

Start by leaving her be when she's eating. If you are going to do anything, put half her meal in the bowl and when you walk by, drop food in the dish as you go by so she associates you with a positive instead of a negative.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

I used the example of the baby and the ice cream cone because that is a very desirable treat .

you wouldn't have had the scenario if the food which you want to swipe from the baby is a lettuce leaf or a piece of steamed broccoli .

straight from Coppinger's Dogs -- as the quality of the food increase so does the aggression (to have some) 

eating is more than ingesting nutrients . It is an experience . The more relaxed you (or dog) are the better you digest things.

restaurants often rely on ambience and service to transport a mediocre meal into a perception of something better.

on the other hand a superior meal in a greasy spoon dive won't have the same resonance either.

peace when eating.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

OP: also remove the bowl, ONLY after she has left the area. Don't stand there like some waiters do and take it away before you are convinced that you are done (causes me to raise my hackles too)


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## Femfa (May 29, 2016)

I'm not a dog, but growing up my brother would always randomly steal my food from me. It got to the point where if I knew he was in the kitchen, I would immediately cover my food and tell him to back off. He wouldn't always be there to take my food, but since he had a history of doing it I was always on the defensive. We're now 25 and 27 and we're still the same 

I basically relate it to that... if you're just going to randomly pick up food for no reason, with no better exchange, then yeah. I'd expect a growl or two. Especially if it's been repeated and your dog has no grasp on why you're trying to take it from them.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I have never had an issue removing food from any of my dogs, in fact it's not even negotiatable. It comes in handy when they have a bone and it gets to small--that can be very dangerous for the dog. Anyone can walk past them, over them, or take the bowl away without a peep. What I find interesting is lots of people don't think its good to humanize a dog, but don't have a problem comparing how they feel when someone crowds them or takes the plate away. Dogs are not human, therefore we can't compare how they feel to how we feel when it comes to food. It's a training issue that needs to be dealt with early on. I do not bother my dogs when they are eating, but if I needed to I can without issue--that is the goal.


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## Nurse Bishop (Nov 20, 2016)

Always feed the dog in peace in his crate- problem with toddlers getting bitten solved. The scars of a bite cannot be undone.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

llombardo said:


> I have never had an issue removing food from any of my dogs, in fact it's not even negotiatable. *It comes in handy when they have a bone and it gets to small--that can be very dangerous for the dog. *Anyone can walk past them, over them, or take the bowl away without a peep. What I find interesting is lots of people don't think its good to humanize a dog, but don't have a problem comparing how they feel when someone crowds them or takes the plate away. Dogs are not human, therefore we can't compare how they feel to how we feel when it comes to food. It's a training issue that needs to be dealt with early on. I do not bother my dogs when they are eating, but if I needed to I can without issue--that is the goal.


But food is different, IMO. If I need to remove something from my resource guarders' mouth, I do it. He is also solid on the 'drop it' and 'leave it' commands. I have no reason to remove his food from his mouth. He is almost 5 years old now and has been conditioned to know I will not take his food from him. His routine is - beg, bowl down, pat butt, walk away. He is no longer concerned, if I walk by his bowl, because I never, ever take it from him.

If I were the OP, I would work on the drop it and leave it commands, before I would attempt to stick my hand into the dog's mouth. Taking the dogs' food away has broken the trust. The reason I can stick my hand in my resource guarders' mouth is because he trusts me. I also don't remove things from his mouth without a darn good reason. To 'practice' removing things from the dogs' mouth, at this point, would be contraindicated. 

I have no idea what happened to my hound, prior to coming to me. I got him as a 12 week old shelter puppy. He had already been adopted and returned, before I adopted him. He was on death row, because he had demodex. Maybe he had to fight for his food, in the shelter. Maybe the first family to adopt him teased him, or took his food. All I know, he was an over the top, out of control resource guarder, when I got him.

Was he prone to be a resource guarder? I'd say, "YES!" Were mistakes made with him? Most likely.


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## newlie (Feb 12, 2013)

llombardo said:


> I have never had an issue removing food from any of my dogs, in fact it's not even negotiatable. It comes in handy when they have a bone and it gets to small--that can be very dangerous for the dog. Anyone can walk past them, over them, or take the bowl away without a peep. What I find interesting is lots of people don't think its good to humanize a dog, but don't have a problem comparing how they feel when someone crowds them or takes the plate away. Dogs are not human, therefore we can't compare how they feel to how we feel when it comes to food. It's a training issue that needs to be dealt with early on. I do not bother my dogs when they are eating, but if I needed to I can without issue--that is the goal.


Have the greatest respect for you, Lombardo, but I disagree with you on this. 

My Newlie has never resource guarded his food. I leave him alone to eat but every once in a blue moon, I will have some reason to remove his bowl temporarily and it is never a problem. Maybe it's good nerves, maybe the fact he has never gone hungry, maybe it's the trust he has in me, but it's never a problem. He is a hearty eater, too and loves his food.

The need for food is a basic drive and dogs feel hunger just as people do. Of course, they are going to get cranky, just as we would, if someone kept messing with our food when we are trying to eat. That is not humanizing, it is recognizing that all living creatures have certain basic needs.

I think that the OP is well intentioned, but actually may be creating a problem, herself. Leave the dog alone while he eats and if there is a concern about a young child reaching into the food bowl, feed the dog in his crate.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

newlie said:


> Have the greatest respect for you, Lombardo, but I disagree with you on this.
> 
> My Newlie has never resource guarded his food. I leave him alone to eat but every once in a blue moon, I will have some reason to remove his bowl temporarily and it is never a problem. Maybe it's good nerves, maybe the fact he has never gone hungry, maybe it's the trust he has in me, but it's never a problem. He is a hearty eater, too and loves his food.
> 
> ...


All my dogs were like Newlie, until Natty Boh. Those of us who mostly have experience with non-resource guarders are lucky. We think ALL dogs should behave that way, but all dogs do not behave that way. Dogs like your Newlie and my Shelby were never going to be resource guarders. They are tolerant of pretty much anything we do. In some ways, I am thankful for Natty Boh. I have learned a lot from him.

Actually, my first dog was a resource guarder. Also a hound - go figure. I was only 4, when we got him. He often got into the trash and sometimes got chicken bones. He did not want to give those up. My father was awesome with dogs. He just took the chicken bones out of the dogs' mouth. That dog never bit him. Brave man, my father. lol!


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

We can agree to disagree all day long. I have 7 of my own dogs and have had more then I can count in and out for over 30 yrs. Resource guarding of any food is not allowed. I had one lab that growled when it was time to take the bone away and call it a night. He never did it again. That is one area I'm not playing games in. 

If I had a dog that would growl anytime I took a bone away, that dog would never see the bone again. I give them a chance after they make the mistake. One chance.


Seriously what do you do if the dog picks up something that can hurt them? Poisonous food? A rotten decaying dead animal? You(General you) has to have a plan to get whatever away from them without an reaction.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

llombardo said:


> We can agree to disagree all day long. I have 7 of my own dogs and have had more then I can count in and out for over 30 yrs. Resource guarding of any food is not allowed. I had one lab that growled when it was time to take the bone away and call it a night. He never did it again. That is one area I'm not playing games in.
> 
> If I had a dog that would growl anytime I took a bone away, that dog would never see the bone again. I give them a chance after they make the mistake. One chance.
> 
> ...


What did you do when the lab growled at you? Just curious.

I mean, I had a resource guarder and he once stole a huge raw hide from the neighbor's dog. I had to take it away from him. There was no time to trade or train, the other dog's owner was standing there waiting for me to give her her bone back. He growled at me. I told him to suck it up and hand it over and I stood there making him uncomfortable until he did. (held his collar up high so he had to sit straight up with this big bone in his mouth that was hard to hang on to. He caved and spat it out.)

I don't think it 100% has to be one way or the other. I've stood my ground with a couple of resource guarders when I got into an unexpected situation but most of the time I trained with rewards proactively and manipulated the situation to prevent conflict.

and none of this has any bearing on deliberately messing with a dog while they eat, I think we all agree on that, Llombardo even you said you don't bother dogs while they eat, correct?


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

llombardo said:


> We can agree to disagree all day long. I have 7 of my own dogs and have had more then I can count in and out for over 30 yrs. Resource guarding of any food is not allowed. I had one lab that growled when it was time to take the bone away and call it a night. He never did it again. That is one area I'm not playing games in.
> 
> If I had a dog that would growl anytime I took a bone away, that dog would never see the bone again. I give them a chance after they make the mistake. One chance.
> 
> ...


I don't think we really disagree on the need to fix the problem. I just think, in some cases, the problem needs to be fixed differently. I am never afraid of my dogs and I will absolutely take anything 'dangerous' away at any time. To me, it is all about respecting thresholds. Natty Boh's thresholds were extremely low. I had to work on desensitizing him.

I could have simply taken his food, his toy, his bone - whatever he was guarding. For some dogs, that might have taught them that I am the top dog. I can say, "HEY!" and they will back down. They will look to me with respect. I can take what I want. Boh was afraid I was going to take his things. By taking his things, I was only reinforcing what he already believed. He would trust me less and his behavior would escalate. I think he was basically a fearful dog and trying to intimidate him, would only make him more fearful. It would put him in a position where he felt he needed to push back. To be clear, Boh did not respond with a simple growl. Boh turned into the Tasmanian Devil.

Instead, I worked on building his trust. I always gave. Never took. Hand fed every meal. Worked on obedience and commands. Drop it and leave it are very valuable commands. The dog drops it, you pick it up. Leave it, and the dog never touches it in the first place. The difference? Now Boh has much higher thresholds. I can safely remove things from his mouth. He knows he is safe. I am not going to take his things. He trusts me. I don't get bitten. Happy ending.


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## newlie (Feb 12, 2013)

Oh, I don't think we disagree that dramatically. I don't believe in messing with a dog's food for no reason and I don't think you do either. I think sometimes it causes the very problem people are trying to avoid. It may be that if they leave the pup alone to eat in peace, the problem will resolve itself in time. If a child comes along and they are still unsure, I would feed the dog in his crate, it's not worth taking a chance. 

Training is usually a good idea and I have no problem with that. I have never had a problem taking something away from Newlie if necessary and I don't back down. But then again, I know my dog and despite all his muttering and grumbling and growling, he is not going to do anything to me. When he starts mouthing off, I just say "Yeah,yeah, I don't care about any of that, let's get your collar off" or whatever.

No, my disagreement was thinking it was humanizing a dog to say that they feel about their food the way we do ours. I think they like their food and don't want anybody repeatedly taking it away and putting their hands in it, just as we wouldn't like it. Try doing that with my food and you will almost certainly get bitten, lol.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

With the lab, I continued to take the bone, put him in a sit, and actually tapped his nose(not hard) and in a very stern voice told him no groel.I think the only thing that mattered to him was the sound of the voice. It took him be surprise and he stopped immediately. After that I did work on giving it and taking it away the second time he got it. After the second time he was putting it in my hand. In the end he got the bone because he was a good boy. Never had another issue. I think that was the only time I ever played the boss to that degree. He was such a good dog!


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

llombardo said:


> With the lab, I continued to take the bone, put him in a sit, and actually tapped his nose(not hard) and in a very stern voice told him no groel.I think the only thing that mattered to him was the sound of the voice. It took him be surprise and he stopped immediately. After that I did work on giving it and taking it away the second time he got it. After the second time he was putting it in my hand. In the end he got the bone because he was a good boy. Never had another issue. I think that was the only time I ever played the boss to that degree. He was such a good dog!


I think it is risky this way. maybe not with a Lab but I don't take any chances, especially with the GSDs. It can be done so much nicer. 
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/1e/cb/44/1ecb445940e79683edb527e259791482.jpg :grin2:


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

wolfy dog said:


> I think it is risky this way. maybe not with a Lab but I don't take any chances, especially with the GSDs. It can be done so much nicer.
> https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/1e/cb/44/1ecb445940e79683edb527e259791482.jpg :grin2:


It's not about being nice when it's mandatory. My sister had a St Bernard with no training. A rabbit got hit and this dog ran in the middle of the road to get it. Of course my sister wasn't home and I dealt with a real life Cujo. I'm not kidding when I say Cujo, the dog turned vicious, the most vicious display I have ever witnessed. I finally got him in the yard(with the help of a broom)but he would not let go of the rabbit. My sister rehomed him(not because of that--they were moving) He died a couple months later due to a disease that darn rabbit was carrying. That could have been prevented if my sister took the time with the dog. It costed the dog his life.


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