# Agressive and barking around food



## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Oops! Time for "It's Yer Choice"!






This game teaches a dog self-control and to not be so pushy. This game alone can help with your problem, but you would also be well-served to teach your lil' brat to lie on a bed or mat away from you while you eat. This is not a quick fix, but a lifestyle change. Well worth the effort you will put into it.

Also, well, she's a teenager. Just like human teenagers, they test you! :aetsch:

Good luck!

--Q


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## Keithsomething (Oct 31, 2009)

crate her?


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## Jansey (Apr 10, 2012)

I'd rather not crate her, I'd rather her sit quietly while we are eating and preparing food.


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## GlennBaxterFamily (Apr 28, 2011)

Quossum said:


> Oops! Time for "It's Yer Choice"!
> 
> "It's Yer Choice" - YouTube
> 
> ...


That is how I teach (with a couple of modifications) take it and leave it! I never thought by training it that way it would also keep them from being pushy when we eat.

I've got so many teenagers, both skin and fur, that testing around here is an every day thing. I am looking forward to it be over though.


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## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

Ah, the joys of a teenaged poodle :smile:.

Dogs do what works. If being pushy has worked for her in the past, she'll carry on with that as a strategy. The key is to make something ELSE work for her. Be aware that there is something called an extinction burst that she will try, where she will escalate the undesirably behaviour, convinced that trying it MORE will work this time. Rather like a human jabbing the elevator button repeatedly when the elevator doesn't arrive as expected.

Mine knows a "please" down. He'll do it in any situation where I have something he wants and he's asking for it ... food, toys, a walk. And I make sure to reward it. Once it a while he'll forget, and I'll look at him and say "does that ever work for you?" Then he speed-drops into his down :smile:. It means that he lies quietly while we are eating, and I can occasionally reward him for this behaviour. Any other behaviour when our food is involved is just ignored.

Good luck! This, too, shall pass!


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Excellent idea! I would start the training when she is not hungry, to make it easier for her. If she is too nippy for you to be comfortable using your hand, try putting a not very interesting dog biscuit on the floor, put your foot over it, and treat when she stops digging for it. I've found it works brilliantly with life rewards, too - when I'm preparing their food, I stop if there is any rude hustling, and start again immediately the dog backs off a little. When putting her bowl down, lower the bowl slowly, and if she dives at it, withdraw it again. Dog waiting politely = food bowl comes down, dog is rude = food bowl retreats. Don't do it when she is ravenous, or be too picky at first - you don't want to frustrate her to the point of outright resource guarding!

I would also be rewarding good impulse control at other times - teaching Wait going out of doors and the car, putting on/taking off the leash, etc, and Leave it around desirable objects like Kleenex and Q-tips.

(OT what IS it about some dogs and Q-tips? Sophy can track a used one down through six layers of wrapping, in a waste basket that was meant to be barricaded off! My bins are all dog proof - my sister's, unfoortunately, are not!)


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

JE - Sophy taught herself the "Please" down, and then we both taught it to Poppy. It took them a while to realise that for shared stuff it only worked if they were BOTH down, and Poppy is the only dog I know that can maintain a down while apparently levitating her whole body several centimetres off the ground, but it has made for a much more relaxed life all round!


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## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

Smart dog .... a "please" down that meets the letter of the law while incorporating a poodle twist :smile:. Video is needed!

It's SUCH a useful thing. I actually put it on cue ("say please") for when he wants something from strangers.


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## Jansey (Apr 10, 2012)

*Naughty Nicky*

Thanks so much guys for your tips...I'll put into action immediately. I'll let you know how it goes. BTW Nicky's 'thing' is toilet rolls.


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