Food aggression lead to my mum in hospital- please can someone help

[merlina]

Absolutely don't beat yourself up! I thought I knew about dogs after volunteering for rescue for twenty years. Then we got the corgi and I had to start from scratch!

 

[Akela]

Taking food off your dog and giving it back would have been standard advice a number of years ago, and many people (including some behaviourists and trainers) are still adamant that they 'must be able to take things off the dog' and won't 'let' the dog even growl in response - they won't 'tolerate' the behaviour. And to be fair, with very many dogs you can do this and it seems to work, so they may well have done this all their lives with all their dogs so 'know' it works. It's only when you get a 'different' dog that you need to step back, unlearn everything you thought you knew, and start pretty much from scratch. So don't feel like an idiot, and don't feel bad - you're neither.

Thank you Judy. I will take a step back and take on board everything you have all said. I truly appreciate your time. This experience has made me feel really issolated. There are family members who want nothing to do with him now and I already had to stop my niece from visiting due to never wanting to risk injury on her. I will do anything for my dog, I can assure everyone of that. I know it’s early days and recovery and moving forward will be slow. I’m meeting a behaviourist from my local vets this time, so hopefully no more bad advice but I will check in with you guys after I speak to them if that’s ok?
Thanks for the support x

 

[Akela]

Absolutely don't beat yourself up! I thought I knew about dogs after volunteering for rescue for twenty years. Then we got the corgi and I had to start from scratch!

Thank you for your kind words. I really feel awful! X

 

[Akela]

Thank you for your kind words. I really feel awful! X

I will move forward and learn from my mistakes x

 

[JudyN]

T I will check in with you guys after I speak to them if that’s ok?

Of course! Believe me, there are plenty of us here who have gone through similar, and have had to adapt our lifestyles round our dogs (I had to miss my father in law's funeral and my OH has missed a couple of weddings). Remember, though, that anyone who gives online is never entirely to be trusted, so make sure that anything we say sits comfortably with you. It would be worth reading some of the articles written by Victoria Stilwell on her website Positively.com - Positive Reinforcement Dog Training Under 'dog behaviour' there's several articles on aggression.

Hopefully once you've made some adjustments, particularly to managing Akela, such as ensuring he's in a securely closed room or crate when family and friends come round, both you and they will feel more confident.

 

[Drift's Owner]

I'm definitely no expert, so this is just posted with some methods that I have adapted over various dog ownership. I feed twice a day (morning and night) as I have found that they generally become a little less food mad during the day - still obsessed, but not so scatty if they are fed at least twice - during growth spurts more frequently, (I can do that as ptr and I work from home, but I appreciate that this isn't possible for everyone). I also provide treats throughout the day, (not a lot, but little bits). I also don't interupt feeding and give a peaceful time during eating. But each dog has been different and each one has needed their own little quirks. Good luck and feel free to post on Christmas Day...I'm home alone dog sitting too, whilst ptr goes off to family. Drift is a big bouncy thing and probably not a great mix with little kids and lots of people with so many presents and food.

 

[Akela]

I'm definitely no expert, so this is just posted with some methods that I have adapted over various dog ownership. I feed twice a day (morning and night) as I have found that they generally become a little less food mad during the day - still obsessed, but not so scatty if they are fed at least twice - during growth spurts more frequently, (I can do that as ptr and I work from home, but I appreciate that this isn't possible for everyone). I also provide treats throughout the day, (not a lot, but little bits). I also don't interupt feeding and give a peaceful time during eating. But each dog has been different and each one has needed their own little quirks. Good luck and feel free to post on Christmas Day...I'm home alone dog sitting too, whilst ptr goes off to family. Drift is a big bouncy thing and probably not a great mix with little kids and lots of people with so many presents and food.

Aww, I love a big bouncy doggo! I feed Akela twice a day and do lots of training in between with treats- he’s completely cool with his treats in the day. Just his precious bowl, or should I say caution when people are preparing his food. Since the attack it’s just me feeding him now and that will be the way it is forever now. He’s brilliant at hide and seek and it’s one of the many things I do to keep his brain engaged, I hide stinky sprats around the house and he sniffs them out! I work from home and study from home! So it’s me and my boy all the time I won’t interrupt his food time again. I genuinely thought I would be helping him, I never did it without a delicious stinky treat to help the process but I’ve definitely taken everything on board that others have said. Sometimes I mix it up with hand feeding/kongs. He’s so good with me.
Thanks so much for replying to me! It’s nice to talk about it all x

 

[Mad Murphy]

Im glad you have been able to decide on a routine that will keep you all happy and safe..
Akela is young so he may well settle down.
Benny was a monster when he first came but after a couple of years we were able to move his bowl from the back hall where he would be shut away with his food while the others ate in the kitchen into the house and he ate by the kitchen door still couple of meters away from Remy and Oscar but in the same space.. So maybe there is hope for him to relax and get a bit less stressed about feeding time.