snack aggression?

Elin

My dog has never displayed food aggression. I have hand fed him and can put my hand in his bowl while he's eating and he doesn't care. I got him a pig snout today and he loves it. Problem is, he loves it SO much he growls at my husband and I when we pet him while he's chewing the snout. So far, every time he growls we take it away until he's good and then give it back.

I don't want to not give him something he likes so much, on the other hand I don't want him to become a jerk. I don't have kids, my friends don't have kids so I'm not afraid he'd actually bite someone over this as adults usually know better. However, letting him get away with being an ass over this invited him to be an ass over other things. Are we doing right just petting him and taking it away if he growls? Anyone else dealt with this?

mts

just don't give it to him. we had that issue with pig ears. you need to judge your dog yourself but if our dog gives us lip like growling at us, she gets shown she is not in charge

PeregrineFalcon

The way my dog was trained is to "trade" for another treat or toy. You give the command to the dog ("Give" is what we used) and then show the other treat. Dog hopefully pays attention to the new treat (something small, like a cookie) - you then take away the pig snout/rawhide/etc, and give the dog a treat while praising it and petting it.

Then let some time pass, so that the dog isn't actively trying to get at the original treat. Give it back as a reward for good behaviour. Let him get his nom on, then "trade" again.

Eventually, you delay the giving of the distraction-treat until after you praise and pet, and then eventually you just praise/pet alone when it releases the treat. The dog will still consider the petting and praising as the reward.

We can pretty much go right up to our dog while she's chewing on a rawhide, say "Give" and she'll hand it over happily.

JacksWastedLife

Elin wrote: »

My dog has never displayed food aggression. I have hand fed him and can put my hand in his bowl while he's eating and he doesn't care. I got him a pig snout today and he loves it. Problem is, he loves it SO much he growls at my husband and I when we pet him while he's chewing the snout. So far, every time he growls we take it away until he's good and then give it back.

I don't want to not give him something he likes so much, on the other hand I don't want him to become a jerk. I don't have kids, my friends don't have kids so I'm not afraid he'd actually bite someone over this as adults usually know better. However, letting him get away with being an ass over this invited him to be an ass over other things. Are we doing right just petting him and taking it away if he growls? Anyone else dealt with this?

Raw foods can cause a more primal response. This is probably why your dog is only showing protectiveness for the pig snout.

PeregrineFalcon had some good advice. However, you may have trouble getting your dogs attention away from the pig snout.

Kistra

Start with something other than the pig snout. Teach your dog that spitting out whatever is in their mouth when you say give gets them a really really awesome treat. 99% of the time they should also get back what you ask them for. Ask them for it, look it over and give it back. If you do this with stuff that your dog cares less about than the pigs ear and slowly work up to slightly more interesting object and slightly more interesting objects, (do this slowly, over time) and by the time you get to the pigs snout your dog should happily spit the pigs snout at you because your dog will trust that he will get something better plus the pigs snout back.

Personally, I disagree with PeregrineFalcon. I try to make sure I pay my dog for spitting out good stuff more often than not even though it is a well ingrained behavior. I don't take treats on walks, so he spits out the really good stuff (and dangerous stuff) for no pay and I want him to keep doing that so I pay him for spitting stuff out for me while we are at home. It isn't much, just a few kibble but I really think it helps.