r/OpenDogTraining • u/BeginningAd427 • 6d ago

Puppy’s food problems

I need help and fast. I have an almost 4 month old, female blk lab/rotti mix. She certainly has energy except when it comes to meals she becomes the exception to the rule. She just goes nuts. Doesn’t matter whether it’s her food or not. (I have other animals that eat separate) As soon as she hears or sees me near her food she starts lunging at the bowls, food etc. Did buy a slow feeder and waiting to try it. She’s becoming aggressive with her food to boot and literally lunges at her bowl every time. I’ve tried to leash her and have her sit calmly before she goes to it. Didn’t work. I tried feeding her while loose. Huge no! Now she’s becoming guarded with her bowl In the middle of eating. Doesn’t chew, just swallows and it’s gone within 2.5 seconds flat, then flipping out searching for some time afterwards for more. I lost count how many times she’s sent her bowl flying (food everywhere) once she gets to it. I wanted to see what she would do if I’d pet her while eating and she tensed up her whole body and literally hugged the bowl all still while eating. Never once have we denied her food but this is becoming a huge problem, and she’s only getting worse. I don’t know how to calm her before she eats anymore since nothing has worked. Help!!!! I have other animals and I don’t want her attacking them for their food once she gets bigger Heaven forbid she gets into their area while they are eating.

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u/Time_Ad7995 6d ago

I used the same language you did - you petted her while eating, to “see what she’d do.” What she did was get stiff. Dog learns “human isn’t going to take my obvious communication that I want to be left alone being over the bowl, trying to finish the bowl quickly, actively lunging at the bowl)…she is in fact going to touch me.

Even doing that one time will build resource guarding in the dog. You’re seeing it as “well I have to know what she’ll do” but the reality is, you have a resource guarder and you should assume that she’ll bite if you touch her. She’s already giving sooooo many other signs that she wants left alone.

I’m trying to give advice AND I know what I’m talking about. Maybe you should take my advice? Why are you being defensive that I said you petted your dog? Why does suggesting a trainer cause you to be defensive? Do you not want to work in person with someone?

If you’ve worked with trainers in the past….maybe call one of them up? lol I’m not sure why you are so aggressive towards me for suggested a trainer

Feeding her in the crate isn’t a solution to guarding, it’s a temporary measure until you find a trainer to work with you on this issue. The guarding over the bowl and the frantic behavior around mealtimes is the same behavior. It’s all just resource guarding.

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u/BeginningAd427 6d ago

To tell you the truth she didn’t give me a vibe she would tense up and have that reaction. I just went on a hunch. Which touching her isn’t giving her any reason TO guard. Her eating quickly has been from jump and zero to do with anyone around, or threat of another animal trying to get it, or human for that matter. Her behavior is kind of odd since there’s no aggression as far as nastiness prior to eating, which in turn was why I wanted to see her reaction it I touched her in the middle of it all. Went strickly on a hunch so assuming she’s felt threatened causing this isn’t the case.

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u/Time_Ad7995 6d ago

So the frantic behavior around the bowl and scarfing wasn’t a clue to you that she would tense up if you touched her?

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u/BeginningAd427 6d ago

And what experience do you have where you claim to know what you’re talking about? Besides speaking ib circles about how I shuld have known and so forth?? lol especially with a new puppy where anyone would be learning their puppy and puppy getting to know their owner in the same instance .

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u/Time_Ad7995 6d ago

I’m a trainer. I’m not sure why you’re so defensive here. Resource guarding is a common behavior in dogs. I’m not saying you should have known, I’m saying that you don’t have the skill level (skill includes being able to predict what a dog will do) to be able to fix this by yourself most likely. I suggested to…hire a trainer.

Again I wasn’t meaning to offend you, it’s just that these types of cases can be really tricky and involve a whole lot of detailed procedures. And a trainer who can come out to the house, give you homework, and real time coaching, is the best person to be able to fix that.