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We have used NILIF with Polly from the beginning. This wasn't an issue with food because she usually has to be coaxed to eat. I hand feed her a few bites, then direct her to her bowl to finish. She cheerfully lets any human fool with her food while eating.

 

She went after the in-laws little dog last night when he went to her food dish, which had food in it. I crated her. Later, my husband tried to give the little dog a treat and Polly went nuts. I held her collar--didn't crate her only because my husband and the dog were blocking the entrance to her crate. Boy, was I bummed.

 

I'm worried that the resource guarding might translate to toys, people--and that she go into a full snarky dog...99% of the time if I throw a ball with her and a buddy and tell her to leave it, she will wait patiently and let the other dog have a turn.

 

I thought I had the "trust in abundance' thing down with her.

 

I've read Mine! and Fight! by Jean Donaldson and thought we were on track. I also love Patricia McConnell's philosphy about training and try to follow it. I keep toys put away, have her sit for the leash, wait before she barges out the door, is tolerant of other dogs and kids...blah, blah. Prefers me, my husband and her toys, but is almost always well-mannered in public.

 

My question: Thoughts on going to hand feeding only? She tends to be on the thin side--33 lbs at 18 months, and has just recently stopped meals 2x per day and went to one meal late in the evening. I use NILIF during the day for canidae treats--she LOVES these and will stand on her head for one.

 

I THOUGHT I was using NILIF for her meal. She has just been so laid back about food...Nothing like seeing your dog go devil on another dog to make you feel like a failure :rolleyes:

 

 

Thanks in advance for input!

 

Charlene

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Charlene,

 

I can get in Keegan and Tess food dishes; however, when there are other dogs around, they do resource guards. Tess especially around the little dog my in-laws have. I have to lock her up. She doesn't do it around toys or anything else so all I can tell you is that just because it started with food doesn't mean it will translate to all things that can be resource guarded. The only other thing that Tess resource guards is a pool of water.

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Charlene,

 

I bet that was distressing, but you are not a failure!!! I'm no expert, but I think the food guarding from another dog is pretty natural, and not something to get to upset about. We also use and love NILIF with Hoku, but we still feed our two dogs separately (on different sides of the same room, but at the same time). I would step up management in those situations, don't let another dog wander by Polly's bowl while she is eating, and if she does not finish and another dog is around, just pick the bowl up. As far as treats and other dogs go, again, management. Knowing this about Polly now, maybe don't give treats, or work on it by having both dogs sit at least a few feet apart (farther apart is better), and give the treats at the same time. I really don't think it will translate to other resource guarding, but keep an eye out and nip anything in the bud with management.

 

As far as the feeding, maybe try a different food that she may like better. Hoku did not like the food we started him on (Neuto lamb and rice), would not finish, was thin and had eye snots. We switched to Natural Balance Fish and Potato, and he LOVES it, licks his bowl clean, eye snots are gone, his coat is to die for. We got a bunch of the little trial packs of the high quality foods from our local feed place to try and figure out what he liked. Our vet has always been in favor of two small meals rather then one large, something to do with the danger of a twisted gut with deep chested dogs, so that is what we have always done (just no exersize after eating).

 

Polly sounds like a great dog, and you have done a great job with her, don't let this one thing get you down!

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Thanks for the support!

 

Polly is on Canidae ALS and really loves it--she too licks the bowl and sometimes asks for more. She seems to forget that she needs to eat if that makes any sense :rolleyes: Once she starts eating, she acts hungry and happy. I think she is thinner right now due to the weather change--more outside time--we are often outside for most of the day. I've stepped up the canidae treats to try to make up for her disinterest in 2 meals. Her coat is spectacular and the dirt rolls right off.

 

I think that's why I was so shocked--her going from low interest in guarding her loot to having to pick the bowl up and keep it away for the rest of the evening.

 

I prefer feeding 2x a day as well--I think it keeps her at a better energy level--I wish she would go back to that.

 

She is not a pushy or domineering dog, and when I see some signs of possible Demanding Dog Syndrome, I cut back on my attention to her and she almost immediately becomes more attentive and eager to please. We really are pretty well tuned to one another---I guess she decided to spring a new one on me.

 

I am thinking that it might help to hand feed her the whole meal--make her ask for bites and let her know the "resource" is in charge of every morsel...heck, I don't know.

 

Thanks again!

 

Charlene

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Personally, I wouldn't freak out if my dog resource guarded her food from another DOG. I would just never feed together. I think it's unfair to expect your dog to let the other one eat it which is obviously what your dog thought was going to happen. Just don't let the situation happen again.

 

When River was a puppy, I fed Jaida and River next to each other one day. Jaida finished and walked over to eat River's. River promptly showed her teeth and snapped at Jaida (10lb vs 75lbs) and Jaida backed off and has never tried it again and River has never had to do that again. They now they eat in bowls side by side (in fact all three dogs are side by side by side) without issue. Jaida is the alpha dog.

 

Diesel likes to resource guard toys and used to get into fights with River but never ever tried to guard toys from people. He and River eventually worked it out (she yields to him now) which makes me glad. I'm not sure dogs transfer that sort of thing.

 

I wouldn't think you'd need to feed every morsel. But if you felt you wanted to do that, I would feed in training sessions (instead of using treats) rather then just dolling out each one at dinnertime.

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As far as I'm concerned guarding food from another dog- especially one that does not live in the same house, is very normal and by no means means she is misbehaving. So you shouldn't let it get you down.

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Hi charlene <

As the others have said i wouln't worry to much even the best mannered natured dog will have a snap at some point over something. When i was growing up my grandad bred whippets so he always had a lot of dogs and so did we we could have upto 8 at anyone time as we would take in rescue whippets that the racing club we were members with found.

We always had 1 or 2 dogs having little sqabbles over food or bones but in 15 yrs we only had 1 major fight. Its quite normal you'd not like someone taking some thing of your plate would you? i no i don't without my permission i guess its thye same for some dogs. Plus i guess its instinctive if the where wild they'd protect and fight off others to keep the food safe. if she's ok with people messing with her food then i wouldn't worry to much

I wouldn't hand feed her the whole meal though i think thats a bit extreme and could cause you some problems if she had to go in to kennels or something unexpectedly.

I have just started feeding mack in his crate only becaause my 18 month old daughter keeps trying to eat his food not that mack cares! I don't feed mack set meals any more as he was not eating enough he'd just pick so now i just make sure that there is always food in his bowl so if he's hungry he will eat it. I have found that by doing this he is eating a lot more food than he was when on 4 meals a day i usually have to refill 3 times a day now and mack is looking good for it. He can go in and out of his crate as he pleases aprt from when my daughters running loose then if he wants his food he'll sit by the crate and bark for me to let him in there.

:rolleyes::D

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