How do I stop my Dog from being Obsessed with Food?

Question

My dog is well feed, well exercised, and well entertained. But he has an obsession with food. He, even after being fed, will obsess over food in the house. We have caught him on the counter top eating left overs, begging by the table and even showing physical signs of stress when faced with food he can't have. My husband even had food on a plate on the floor and asked him to not eat it and he began to shake, become hot and act stressed. It has come to the point that when he is caught seeking out food he can swipe, he is punished, but would rather have the food and take the punishment then go without. Like I said in the begining he is exercised daily (sometimes 4 and 5 mile runs), is being feed 6 cups a day (dog weights 80lbs, more than recommended amount) of high quality food, and is alway taken with my husband everywhere so he always entertained. Is this psychological? Is there a method of training we should be using? Or is he just the way he is?

Answer 1

First, and most important, do not let him get to the food. Gate off the area and/or do everything else you can to make sure he never gets a chance to steal ever. Never EVER give another treat from the table. If need be keep the dog out of the dinner area or tethered far enough away that nothing that falls will ever get eaten. Corrections will generally fail if the dog thinks "well sometimes I win." Dogs don't really do as much as we think to avoid the correction as it is meant as a distraction to the dog so they wont try that again. I'm not saying don't correct just make sure he can't ever gain from the chance.

Second, make any meals as boring an event as possible. If the food is made and the dog is excited. Stop for a bit. Ignore the dog. When they calm, then you keep going. This goes all the way through to putting the food down

Third, try hand feeding at times. Very slow, a piece or two at a time. If the dog goes for the food too hard, take your hand away while saying "don't." Not a punishment but a marker so they know the food goes away. When the dog calms keep feeding. He will hopefully get the message that going after food wont get it for me. Waiting calmly for it, that gets me fed.

Fourth, also mix in commands. Do this again slowly and possibly in with the hand feeding. Do NOT treat when they anticipate a command and often try giving a command opposite of what they might expect (like hold a ball in your hand and say "down"). It's about getting the dog not to perform for the food but to listen for it.

Answer 2

He might need some sort of training class or obedience school to stop the begging and the obsession with food. Also this would help with the agression. I think he is probably being fed too much anyway. I would say for an 80 pound dog, 3-4 cups a day would be plenty. Just feed him 1 cup 3 times a day, or 1 1/2 cups 2 times a day and don't let him eat any table scraps and don't leave any food out. He will soon get the picture. With your husband leaving the food out for him, and ASKING him not to eat it, that is just torture and temptation. And you shouldn't ASK a dog anyway. You should TELL him. You are the boss. The owner. The top dog. Alpha dog. Whatever you want to call it, you have to dominate your dog and show him that you and your husband are over him. That is how it works in the dog world. He does what you say. He eats after you and this will show him that YOU are in charge. Dogs need a leader. They are pack animals and will follow and obey their leader. Sorry to run on and on like this, but this was something I learned from having dogs. It has worked for me and I hope it does for you!

Answer 3

1. You're feeding him WAY to much. Change his diet to a good premium dog food. Nutro is all natural w/ no by products he'll eat less because he's fuller.

2. Obsession definitely is a BAD thing. You need to learn and establish some relaxation techniques. Teach him "go away". Point tell him "go away" and make sure he leaves. Get up and remove him till he has learned that word. When he starts getting upset do not punish, do not scold, do not coddle. These are all reinforcements - positive or negative you're reinforcing the behavior.

Remove him from the stress. Take him into another room when you eat so he isn't around. Do not allow him in the kitchen (my girls are not allowed onto the tile. They can sit right at the end but can not enter). At all times he should be in a down position. Not just around food but whenever he is in the house.

There is not reason why he needs to follow you, no reason he should be wandering, etc. Make sure he is always in down!

In a stressful situation he will start reacting by laying down instead of shaking or crying. My English Setter goes through this. She would pace back and forth for no reason and bark at a very high pitch. We started this down exercise now she'll get up, a small groan and she immediately lies down and is okay.

It takes a few weeks for all this to catch on but once it does it's easy to maintain. You just have to be consistant, and persistant.

Good Luck

Answer 4

Well 1st I think 6 cups a day is a bit much but on the other hand there is NO WAY he can be hungry! Dogs don't know when they r hungry (if food was available 24/7 they would eat 24/7 they will eat till they explode. I suggest that u talk 2 ur vet & there mayb an underlying medical problem that u don't know abt! (My brother is a vet & said 2 have him checked bcasue of this)! Getting anxioux over food is NOT good!! I would have him seen asap!! Good Luck!

Answer 5

I am not a behaviorist, but I have a good, grounded background in behavior. As you have described it, your dog's obsession with food is unnatural and unhealthy.

I would consult a certified behaviorist, preferably a veterinary behaviorist. This sounds like compulsive behavior to me, beyond the dog's natural tendency to eat anything that moves.

Answer 6

Give her a treat occasionally (Everytime she obeys a command) and do not give her any table scraps. Your parents may think that they're just being nice, but the truth is that they're killing your dog. Explain to your parents how they are hurting their dog. And to lose the weight, have her exercise or go on a diet. And whenever she begs, ignore her as if she wasn't there. Good Luck!

Answer 7

it's just the way it is. my brother's dog (who'd been a stray during her pupy-hood) ate almost a whole bag of her food (25 lbs.) a few years ago. she was SO miserable-bloated & in pain! she just doesn't understand that the food will always be there tomorrow. some dogs learn it by expereince (being stray) & some dogs its just biological. just keep food & temptation out of his reach & where he can smell it. if you do give him table scraps-stop, that only makes it worse.

Answer 8

don't let him be around food after he has eaten. maybe he needs more filling foods. he might be running all the food off.

Answer 9

some breeds are natural gluttons. some dogs like labs can be trained through obedience classes, but in beagle cases, it will stay with them for life.

there is a down for every up (and vice versa)

Answer 10

you can cut down the amount of food it eats or let it get in a routine of only retings at certian times