[keller27]

Another thing that helps Khori, is before the location of his food bowl was all wrong. The bowl was placed where there was a hutch on one side of him and a chair on the other side, so he was like enclosed. He is doing better with his bowl is in a open space. So we picked the room that just has the bird cage and bookcase in it and place the bowl in the middle of the room. Then after the feeding, then we move the feeder by the wall and out of the way. My shih tzu eats in the kitchen. We are going to get him to where he will be free fed and regulate himself when he needs food in his system. So while the trainer still has him, then I am watching Haley to stay away from his food bowl.

We give him breaks during feedings, so that he breathes. She is teaching him too, that the food is not going away!! It will be there, and no one is going to take it away.

One thing she is doing with the food bowl is placing it by another area where there are two other dogs. So he will look at the bowl and look at her, like saying, I don't think that I can do this, without growling. She assures him that she will take care of it. These other dogs have been in her training program. So he goes over there, takes a mouth full, takes it over to his area and eats it. He does this and didn't do any growling at the other dogs who are like right there at the bowl.

His eating got really bad. His had some serious issues with the growling and once he barred his teeth at me was standing a distance away from him!

Now he can eat without growling and can be patted with your hand telling him he is doing a great job with his eating. I was worried about him being boarded at the Petshotel and having them feed him. So had to do something. He will always be at the trainers house for boarding from now on.

AngelBunny, what did you mean exactly about "I see no need for a group hug whenmy dogs are eating"?