# Food Guarding & Aggression



## aurorra

I have a 5 y/o Vizsla named Hunter and he has terrible food guarding and food aggression behavioral issues. Over the past 3 years I have tried so many different strategies to try and correct his behavior but with no success.

When eating from a bowl he scarfs his food, growls, barks and his hair stands on end. His typical stance is guarding the bowl with paws on either sides of the bowl. He has the same reaction whether my husband or I are in the room or across the house. He has even bitten my husband and I on several occasions; the last time was only a few weeks ago.

I have worked with an experienced handler who rehabilitates rescue dogs; her process worked with all of her food aggressive dogs, the first step involved hand feeding the dog which I did for several months; Hunter is very good with hand feeding he is excited and no signs of any aggression. The next step involved the dog being on a tether that I could control his access to the food bowl. As soon as we tried to move onto this step all the aggressive behavior came back. So we would fall back to the first hand feeding step. We never made it past hand feeding and this lasted for 12 months. 

I have read the book Mine and tried the step by step guide in that book.

I have tried placing his food bowl higher up so that he can't guard it and put him on a leash so I could control him if he started growling or scarfing his food down but this is how the last bite occurred.

There are other things I've tried but this post is a novel already but these are the most recent attempts at correcting the behavior.

It seems as if as long as there is no bowl, there is no aggression. So I have been hand feeding him permanently since my last bite.

I am hoping that perhaps someone has any other methods or suggestions that they have used to correct food aggression issues.

Or if anyone in Ontario Canada has used a "professional" to correct behavioral issues I would gladly take some suggestions on who I could contact for help as well.


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## 1notenough

Try a feeding trough ,something that is to wide for him to guard.If you have other dogs and this is a problem with them getting in his way then feed him in a room or outside where he is completely alone.If its not other dogs then i really dont see the problem its his food and he does not want to share.Throw his food on the ground outside the weather has gotten better, no bowl no guard .Just my two cents.good luck


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## redbirddog

1notenough

Tough one for a 5 year old. Engrained behavior is much harder and I'd be looking for a canine behavior specialist.

Just thoughts on guarding. If you break down guarding to survival then make it so the dog doesn't have to feel it has to guard food (possession) for survival then I might try the below.
This is not from anything read or experienced so take with many grains of salt.

Food needs to be bland. Very little flavor and nothing but fuel for the dogs body. No good flavor.

"Bowls" must be many different shapes and sizes. Cups, plates, cardboard box, lunch pale, rag, food stacked on floor. No "food container" that looks anything like "his" bowl. Throw his bowl away.

Always in a different spot in and outside the house. Never repeating the same spot twice and no pattern.

Different time of day and five or six times a day. Not large amounts. Just enough to satisfy but never any extra to guard.

Not the same person feeding him.

And ALWAYS make him sit first 5 feet away for at least a minute before you release him to eat.

That's my thoughts. Break patterns except for the sit command. His acceptance of where his food comes from is the only survival pattern you want to establish. 

Patterns are survival to a dog.

Sun is coming up soon. Got to go watch the sunrise with the dogs from a trail somewhere.

Picture below with my granddaughter by Bailey's bowl. Never want him guarding it!

RBD


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## Mischa

^Very good idea. I wouldn't have thought of that, but can see it working. 

I'm curious to know what your punishment is for biting humans? 
If my dog ever bit my g/f or me, there would be a corresponding number of Mischa shaped holes in our walls!


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## redbirddog

> I'm curious to know what your punishment is for biting humans?


Immediate and strong. Grab by the scuff of the neck and toss across the room strong. Then on-leash and 10 mile walk or run off of a bike with dog in heel position strong. No talking, no stopping, just on heel the whole time. Only communication - orders.

After that, figure out why he bit and work on it. But the initial reaction has to be swift and strong. Not mis-emotional crying or anger, but STRONG. Alpha pack leader strong. Nothing to misinterpret by the dog of what he did was WRONG (anti-survival).

My thoughts.

RBD


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## Mischa

redbirddog said:


> I'm curious to know what your punishment is for biting humans?
> 
> 
> 
> Immediate and strong. Grab by the scuff of the neck and toss across the room strong. Then on-leash and 10 mile walk or run off of a bike with dog in heel position strong. No talking, no stopping, just on heel the whole time. Only communication - orders.
> 
> After that, figure out why he bit and work on it. But the initial reaction has to be swift and strong. Not mis-emotional crying or anger, but STRONG. Alpha pack leader strong. Nothing to misinterpret by the dog of what he did was WRONG (anti-survival).
> 
> My thoughts.
> 
> RBD
Click to expand...

lol, I could already assume that RBD. 
I think you would take about as much sh*t from a dog as I would (re:none)... 
A BIG swift correction is exactly what I would do too, and I like the idea of a walk afterward. A good time to re-bond and shake it off.


I didn't word it very well, but I was asking the OP what they did when their dog bit her and her husband.


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## datacan

Very true, something to remember. I know how to deal with it at puppy stage and much prefer puppy aggression. With puppies..."Hey, knock it off, and just carry on as nothing happened". Worst thing is to make a puppy believe it can stop you by barking, growling or biting.

As for adult dogs, 2 collars (1 normal flat collar to tie the dog to a tree, the other a prong collar to administer corrections).
Train for 10 minutes at a time, correcting every time the dog growls, barks, lunges. After which the dog should be walked as per RBD and crated (very important) until next meal time. 
A correction administered with the prongs is always downward, never upward. 2 hands, never one handed corrections as those are just nagging the dog. 
This is not for the average dog owner and ideally should be supervised by a pro.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...n-roar-disapproval---finally-getting-hug.html


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## datacan

bump

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...n-roar-disapproval---finally-getting-hug.html


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## aurorra

Hi All, thanks for the replies some good starting points here. As for when Hunter has bit my husband and I - with me I was shocked on both occasions and could only scream when he was doing it and then had to walk away from him so he wouldn't see me melt down. As for my husband he responded with defense as in a swift hit and kennel, and the second time a kick and the kennel. My husband reacted while I retreated. Hunter fears my husband as when he raises his voice or if Hunter knows he did something wrong he will completely lie down in submission on the floor. My husband is not afraid of him, however I am afraid which doesn't help matters in trying to be the leader or alpha.


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## Ozkar

Aurrorra, please accept this as being a polite reminder that A Vizsla is not like a lot of other breeds. You say your dog fears your husband. I would too if he both hit and kicked me. You say the dog drops to the ground in the presence of your husband. I say you are very close to breaking that dog's spirit. There are really no occasions where it should be necessary to hit or kick A Vizsla. Correction can be achieved without that, no matter what they do. 

I would encourage you to enlist the assistance of an experienced Vizsla specific trainer. One which can deal with dogs who have been abused and have fear issues due to it. I am not saying you have abused your Vizsla, but, what I am saying is that if you have not already broken your dog, the behaviour it is exhibiting based on your last post, tells me your dog is almost at that point. A Vizsla should never cower in your presence, which is what your post makes it sound like is happening.

Please don't be offended by my post, but, it sounds like you need some assistance before you really damage the dog's mental status. 

A swift and harsh correction for a Vizsla is a sharp NO. If more is required, then you guys need to get some training. Once again, I will say it, a Vizsla is not a Labrador, spaniel, German Shepherd, Boxer or any other breed and it truly is unique in the way it needs to be treated and trained.


I got upset with Astro my youngest V last night. We were all playing and when I said the game had finished and no longer played, he spitefully hopped onto the leather lounge and started peeing on the throw rug. Luckily I was three feet from him. But, even though I was really pissed off as he knows this is way out of line, all i did was give him a sharp no, which stopped him mid stream. I then simply pointed to the door and said outside and he went outside. He stood at the door for about 20 minutes while I clean up and then rewarded my other dogs for there good behaviour. He was really upset at being excluded. When I let him back in he was very sheepish and careful with me. That's how sensitive these dogs are. Kicking, or hitting your Vizsla is just not an option that should be considered in any way a positive in improving the dog's behaviour. 

Good luck with everything, I hope you are able to work through this and manage your Vizsla in a more benevolent manner.


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## redbirddog

Aurrorra,

Agree wholeheartedly with Ozkar about kicking and hitting. Should never be done. Anger is hard to control but must be. Dogs in fear are dangerous as survival once again becomes paramount in their basic minds.

The toss of the dog after a bite is not to hurt or cause fear. That is pack behavior. The walk immediately afterwards is to bond again. To hit and then kennel is a toxic mixture. 

I think it's time to call in the pros.

RBD 

D


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## datacan

If I kicked my former dog, a German Shephard, it would most likely have put me in hospital, real quick.


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## aurorra

I don't agree with hitting or kicking the dog either but unfortunately that was the reaction that my husband had in the split second it happened. Otherwise that is not the type of corrective behavior we use with Hunter. 

I have two names for behaviorists in Ontario Canada, I was hoping this post would perhaps reach others in my area that are having the same problem and who may have had some success with a specific professional; rather then taking a stab in the dark to hope one of them can help. 

Perhaps trying to find a Vizsla specific trainer may be helpful as well.


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## Mischa

aurorra said:


> I don't agree with hitting or kicking the dog either but unfortunately that was the reaction that my husband had in the split second it happened. Otherwise that is not the type of corrective behavior we use with Hunter.
> 
> I have two names for behaviorists in Ontario Canada, I was hoping this post would perhaps reach others in my area that are having the same problem and who may have had some success with a specific professional; rather then taking a stab in the dark to hope one of them can help.
> 
> Perhaps trying to find a Vizsla specific trainer may be helpful as well.


I wish i had a contact for you to call and solve this issue. I personally don't believe that behaviorists are the answer as many people with behaviorists come on here looking for advice. That is the limit of my experience, so my perception may very well be skewed as I have never worked with one before.

That being said, I feel that dogs are simple. Sometimes when they're being jerks, you just need to learn how and when to make them understand that being a jerk is not ok. 
I know I am simplifying a large problem that you have tried dealing with, but something as simple as what RedBirdDog suggested may work out just fine. 

I think the most important part of the process is you imagining that your dog is not food aggressive. Set yourself up for a win.
You need to tune into his every que. An ear flick, eye twitch, paw movement. Any tiny movement he makes while you're giving him his food gets corrected. Be it a jab to the side, a leash tug, or a strong 'NO', you have to learn how to tell your dog that you disagree, and that you disagreeing matters more than anything in his world. Timing is very important. You are interrupting the aggression before it increases.
Deep breath for you, let the situation settle, go back to believing that he is not aggressive, then give him a little more. 

Dogs feed off of us. If you feel apprehensive while feeding him, he will react to that. You have every right to feel apprehensive after going through what you have. If you're going to help him, I think you have to try your best to forget that any of it happened. Easier said than done, I know. I've had to do it myself for less frightening issues. I know it works, but it is something you have to work on and teach yourself to do.


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## ironman_stittsville

Ozkar said:


> A swift and harsh correction for a Vizsla is a sharp NO. If more is required, then you guys need to get some training. Once again, I will say it, a Vizsla is not a Labrador, spaniel, German Shepherd, Boxer or any other breed and it truly is unique in the way it needs to be treated and trained.


I have had 4 dogs of different breeds in my lifetime and I agree that Vizslas are much more sensitive than any of them. My Phoebe responds very well to positive re-inforcement. If she is scolded or physically disciplined it just makes her more anxious and hyperactive. Her best state of mind occurs when I'm either neutral with her or happy with her. She does push my buttons sometimes and for those times I quietly invite her to go into her crate for a little bit until she gets herself back under control and I go and cool down. These moments happen less and less often. She is almost 2 now and maybe I've had to do this once in the last month. Her biggest reward is being with me.

My 2 cents,
Rh.


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## Crazy Kian

aurorra said:


> I don't agree with hitting or kicking the dog either but unfortunately that was the reaction that my husband had in the split second it happened. Otherwise that is not the type of corrective behavior we use with Hunter.
> 
> I have two names for behaviorists in Ontario Canada, I was hoping this post would perhaps reach others in my area that are having the same problem and who may have had some success with a specific professional; rather then taking a stab in the dark to hope one of them can help.
> 
> Perhaps trying to find a Vizsla specific trainer may be helpful as well.


By any chance are you in Aurora, Ontario?
There is a guy in Thornhill that we have used. He's not a behaviourist by any means but he is a pretty good trainer.
PM me and I can send you his info. He might be able to help.


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## aurorra

I have tried to send a PM hopefully it came through, I had some problems. I would definitely love to get the contact info from you Crazy Kian


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## born36

Have you tired playing the expression game with your pup. My trainer suggested that we do this once a week and we have ever since. It is simple: when feeding a dog by hand make sure you smile and hold the food close to your face. Then give the food and say the dog's name. Then every once in awhile take slightly longer to give food and frown while holding the food next to your face. Then smile and go back to giving the food with saying the dog's name. This helps the dog to understand facial expressions better. Also by saying their name it helps for when using their name to praise and recall.


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