# Food Crazy/Aggression



## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

I just wanted to seek out some advice on what any of you have done with dogs in the past that get insane about food or are food aggressive. Autumn is just insane for no matter what is put down, if I pick the leaves off Dash and throw them down, she eats them, you open the dishwasher and she charges, etc. Put down plain old Kibble she goes insane. I don't know anything about her past but I want to try everything I can to help her know food is going to be there and her survival instincts can go away. At this point, I am making her eat last in our group now. We put her on a leash yesterday and she had to stand back while everyone got food and then she got hers. But then she still looked like the tazmanian devil. I know she isn't a hav but any advice for this problem would be very well appreciated! I want her to be able to go to a family with other dogs and know she isnt going to starve or cause fights which very well could happen. I just don't give her the chance to around here. I originally had her eat alone but that is just managing the problem, not solving it.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Cash is a food hound Amanda. I too think he thinks it will never come again, better eat it now. Two things have mellowed him. One is teach the wait/leave it thing as soon as you can. I cover with my hand or physically, held him back until he was sitting on his own and then said OK to realease him for the food. the other think I did was offer high value treats instead of the food dish (jaspers food dish) so NO Cash! when he went for jas' food But come here...look what you get? I found that eventually he realized he got some good stuff if he left Jas' alone... (this eventually worked for Poo eating too) 

good luck with Autumn. You are a very, very good accidental foster mom.


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## Paige (Sep 12, 2006)

Amanda, 

Axl is not agressive, but she is crazy when it comes to food. I make her sit, then I put down her bowl. Her tail would wag like crazy, she was so excited to eat, like she hasn't eaten in months. So, I taught her that I will not say okay until her tail quits wagging. My thought is the tail wagging is over excitement and by having her sit and her tail not wagging, I am making her calm down)somewhat). Lucky for the boys, when they have gone and stuck their face in her bowl, she has done nothing. But I do feed her in another room from them. I would be surprised if she hurt them, but she loves her food and one bite from her and they would be gone.  I did put my hand in her bowl and take away food from her when she was little, I think that helps too. 

Good Luck


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## karlabythec (Nov 9, 2008)

Sounds like she has a very high food drive, which can be used during training...she will respond very well to her favorite treats. Dogs with a high food drive are much easier to train! 
I think first thing is teaching her to sit, make eye contact, then being freed to eat. My german shepherd puppies learned this very early. I also feed each dog in their own crate or space...working dogs are so much different then our havs. High drive is something they are born with and has to be channeled right. High drive puppies are just a lot of work...crates are so important. There might be some training tips on www.leerburg.com, there is even a message board, you may want to join and ask the question there. They are great at giving advice on working dogs!


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

Thanks guys- she is a work in progress and with me not working, I can dedicate some time to her. She is very active and hyper and just loves life. I can just see how if someone got a puppy like her to leave in a crate 8 hours a day, it would be a disaster. I try to remember she was bred to chew on cow legs for 8 hours a day  So me losing an arm throwing ball helps  Chasing Dasher really helps too! 

So far, I don't work her with treats, she can't quit concentrating on how to get the treat. We are doing sits and then we go get the treat but if she even thinks I have food, she loses her mind! I am not sure how she grew up so she might have been starving. She had on a collar when we found her though. So not sure if it is her, or what it is.

Thanks Karla- maybe she does just have to eat separate and that is part of their natural nature, I just thought it was something maybe training can help. She lets me put my hands all over bones and food but she just gets crazy when I have food out and I don't want to turn into a serious issue.

I grew up with Goldens but let's just say her intelligence and determination makes them look lazy!


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Amanda, has she been checked by a vet, especially had a stool sample checked? I wonder if she might have parasites/worms and is simply ravenous.


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

Kimberly- they tried to take some stool but I didn't bring in a sample. He treated her for worms as a precaution. Maybe I should take a full sample in just in case. She really gets crazy and I don't know if it is the breed in her, if it social or what it is. I have never had a breed like this but she always acts like she is starving. She is healthy weight and VERY VERY active. Did I stress the very part?

Amanda


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## karlabythec (Nov 9, 2008)

Yeah, working dogs are a challenge! So much energy. My female was way more high drive than my male...she would chase flies around the back yard for hours! She would run the same path around the yard over and over and over!


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## imamurph (Apr 15, 2008)

Amanda...maybe the person who owned Autumn with held food from her for periods of time and now that she is getting fed all the time she thinks she'd better scarf it down as it may be awhile since she gets fed again..you think??

Another thought I had is that when I had Aussies I had to feed them a dog food that contained higher protein, as I was told that working dogs needed that...
Also, when I had my one Aussie on a Vet supplied Duck and Potatoe, she was ALWAYS hungry! My DH was giving her 5 cups a day to keep her from begging, but it was way too much and made her fat. When I switched to another brand I was able to give her half and she was fine...I wondered if they put something in the other food to increase the appetite so a dog would eat more, thus they'd sell more :suspicious:


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## Beamer (Jan 29, 2007)

Amanda,

Check out the dogster forum, they have a ACD section:
http://www.dogster.com/forums/australian_cattle_dog

Maybe someone that knows the breed better can help! (or maybe not! lol.. Autumn just might be crazy for coco puffs!)

Ryan


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## lcy_pt (Aug 17, 2007)

Beamer said:


> Maybe someone that knows the breed better can help! (or maybe not! lol.. Autumn just might be *crazy for coco puffs!*)
> 
> Ryan


Ryan.....ound:

P.S. Luv Beamer's avatar....looks like he needs a little treat himself? :biggrin1:


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Amanda ,with resource guarding try approaching when they are eating and adding something of more value to their food dish. Keep the bonus hidden from view when approaching.Also practice approaching from different angles and at different times during the meal. Also practice taking the bowl away while eating and then adding the bonus and putting the bowl back. Get others to do this as well. You want to let them know that good things happen when someone approaches.


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