How to train my dog who is food aggressive and always acts starving?

Do you think her body weight is appropriate? If she is underweight, she can eat more. If she is normal, you may consider putting her food in treat or puzzle toys so that it takes her longer to eat. She may also be looking for attention. Help her get in more play time or do obedience training to give her mind something to do. If she still seems really hungry, you can try feeding a weight loss food at higher amounts - they usually have more fiber so that it fills the dog up without adding extra calories.

I would be happy to help you - feel free to request a consultation if you want to discuss Koda's issues in more detail. For now, I can certainly give you some general information about food aggression and how to treat it :) Food aggression, like other types of resource guarding, occurs because the dog is afraid that you are going to take their food away from them. This doesn't have to be based on any negative experiences in the past - it's a hard-wired, instinctive behavior that is stronger in some dogs than others. Treatment is based on teaching the dog that good things happen when you approach his food bowl, so that over time, this doesn't make her feel threatened anymore. You can start by walking by her and dropping a treat into her food bowl while she is eating. Once she's comfortable with this, you can gradually work up to approaching her, picking up the bowl, adding a special treat of some kind, and giving it back. It's never recommended to punish this behavior, or to bother her or take away her bowl while she is eating, since this only reinforces the idea that bad things happen when you approach her and will make the problem worse over time. The book "Mine!" by Jean Donaldson gives an excellent overview of this issue, along with detailed step-by-step training instructions to address it.

This is not a terribly uncommon problem and should be somewhat easily resolvable. I would consider feeding the dogs in an area that you can keep them separate but still in visible contact with one another. If you are able to keep the two apart with a baby gate that could probably work fine. Another option would be to feed one of them in a crate, which is actually what I do with one of my own dogs. Another option might be to feed your female with a bowl that requires her to eat more slowly. This might give your other pup some additional time to eat in peace. This has the potential to backfire however, if Xena gets annoyed by the difficult bowl and just decides that her son's is easier to eat from. Hope this helps and at least gives you some ideas about how to resolve the issue. If none of this seems possible, you may need to consider some additional training for Xena including some commands to force her to come to you when she is called, and to divert her attention away from the other food bowl.

Food aggression and resource guarding is common behavior and since she is young I think you could have good success with a little work. Your goal will be to make her think that your approach and eventually the other dogs' approach is a very good thing that results in treats. You should start by choosing a treat that will be even more appealing than her food, and tossing them in her bowl from a safe distance where she feels safe. If she seems comfortable with you close to the bowl you can stay close and put treats in the bowl when you are nearby. Eventually you want to try having your other dog nearby on a leash but at a distance where she is not threatened and then toss treats to her - you should gradually decrease the distance as she gets used to it. If you're having difficulty you should talk to your vet about referral to a behaviorist.

She appear very fit and healthy in the photo. If she is still seeking food you can go to 2 cups a day total and see how her body responds. If she is energetic then she may stay fit with as she is burning off the extra calories. If she begins to gain weight, then you have to cut the amount back. some dogs eat others out of greed, not hunger. They simply have a pack mentality and eat it just so the others do not. Feeding everyone separately can help discourage this behavior also.

Food aggression or toy aggression is a common behavioral concern that can often be worked through. I would recommend hand feeding Sadie for each meal and teach her to “wait for it” before allowing her to eat. Once she is sitting and listening then allow her to eat. Start with a small amount in your hand, then put some in her bowl from your hand, then desensitize her to your hand in her bowl. I would also train her to “wait for it” for any toys she may love. If she is food motivated then she will associate this training with lots of reward and will learn not to “guard” her food or toys. If she is fully vaccinated then she is at a great age to begin puppy kindergarten. These classes are a great way to bond with her, establish boundries, and strengthen your relationship.

Hi there and thank you for using PetCoach! For food aggression problems, I typically direct clients to the ASPCA website for a detailed write up on dealing with food aggression. If these measures do not work, then I typically recommend using a service such as Bark Busters to come to your house and help correct this behavior. This can be frustrating to overcome but with persistence and patience, Buddy will likely improve. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. https:// www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/common-dog-behavior-issues/food-guarding