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guarding food

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  • dubilpie
    • Silver

    guarding food

    dubilpie

    Posted : 4/29/2007 1:30:02 PM

    I have never had a dog that ever growled when anything was taken away from it. When I was a kid and we got a puppy, my dad would make sure to take things away from it from time to time and the dogs never growled. As an adult I always did the same thing and started when they were first brought home. None of the dogs ever growled. We made sure and praised them after and gave the food or toy right back. I would take their bowl away in the middle of them eating, just for a minute and then give it back.
     
    Seems like reading some posts, that is not a good thing to do. We never had a dog that had to be fed separately or in a crate. Seems like if you start a dog young getting used to having things taken away  it might stop some problems.
    What are your thoughts on this, am I off base here and just following old training tactics?
  • spiritdogs
    • Gold Top Dog
    spiritdogs

    Posted : 4/29/2007 4:20:59 PM

    ORIGINAL: dubilpie

    I have never had a dog that ever growled when anything was taken away from it. When I was a kid and we got a puppy, my dad would make sure to take things away from it from time to time and the dogs never growled. As an adult I always did the same thing and started when they were first brought home. None of the dogs ever growled. We made sure and praised them after and gave the food or toy right back. I would take their bowl away in the middle of them eating, just for a minute and then give it back.

    Seems like reading some posts, that is not a good thing to do. We never had a dog that had to be fed separately or in a crate. Seems like if you start a dog young getting used to having things taken away  it might stop some problems.
    What are your thoughts on this, am I off base here and just following old training tactics?


    I think that "trade" is easier, and that, while most dogs are fine, the occasional dog will resent having his "stuff" grabbed from him enough to become guardy.  Some dogs are inherently guardy.  You just seem to have lucked out, as most folks do.  But, my opinion is that all puppies should be trained from the get go that it is good puppy manners to trade and not to be upset when human hands come near your food. One other way to prevent this is to put down the dog's dish, and let him eat, but occasionally walk by and drop something in, say a piece of cheese or roast beef.  What he learns is that human hands coming near his food is a GOOD thing. [;)]