Should I Try to Fix This??

[lieud]

Hey Everyone! We have a five month old male rottie named Carmello. He was always quite the handful so for the last probably two months we have made sure to practice NILIF with him , so he works for everything like treats, affection, to go outside, etc.. Anyways our main problem with him is when he is eating. We noticed when he was younger that he would give us this "look" if we touched him while eating, and this would escalate into a growl if we continued. After talking to our trainer, we spent a long time feeding him meals from our hands, and dropping treats in the bowl so he associates us with positive things. Now, he doesn't care if we're around him or if our hands are in his bowl BUT he still doesn't like to be touched while he is eating. I read a lot of threads on here about how people should just let their dogs eat in peace, or feed them in their crates, and I'm all for it, I just wanted to know whether it was okay to just let this behavior go. I don't really care to pet him while he's eating, but I thought it was a bad behavior for him to have....any ideas or suggestions? Thanks so much!!!

[hokisteph5]

I guess it's a personal preference. Not that I touch or bother my dogs or their food, but I want to know I can, if needed. Samson did test one time when I put my hand in his bowl, but I did the approach you did. Now when I test very infrequently and he's still okay, I tend to say "good boy" and pat him on his neck. Mine seem to be too busy eating to notice.

[zorro13]

How do you handle the growling? Do you stop petting him when he growls? While you will get many schools of thought on this, I personally don't like any growling around food nor toys and such. So let me ask you this, how do you feel about an adult rottie say 2/3 years old exhibiting this type of behavior? Especially if you accidentally bump up against him while he's eating?

[AngelBunny]

Why make problems?

You say our puppy "doesn't care if we're around him or if our hands are in his bowl," but that he doesn't like to be pet when he's eating.

What's the big deal about this? Leave off the petting.

Save petting him for when he's not eating.

[LauraL]

I would like to just say first i agree with everyone on the fact that this is behaviour that we dont want to encourage (especially as the dog gets older & bigger ) so i do understand everyones concerns with this ,

But i also agree with Angelbunny,
why keep on petting him when he's eating if he doesnt mind you near him or your hand in his bowl?? then leave it at that,

he's not growling when your near him or in his bowl, he just doesnt or proberly can't be botherd with being petted while he's having his dinner)
i know it would get on my nerves if i was trying to eat and someone was pettiing me

I personally dont see the point in petting while eating, let him eat and if he's anything like Kiera he'll be done as quick as it's put down then you can pet him for as long as you want

[lieud]

yeah i don't really "try" to pet him when he eats I just was wondering whether this was something I should try and stop. But i don't mind leaving him alone or feeding him in his crate if other people are around. Thanks for the advice@

[zorro13]

Hmmm, I was under the impression based on your first post that this is what your pup was doing? But, since you asked if it was something you should try and then stop, I don't think it matters much. If a pup is accepting of a hand in a food bowl with your hand being in such close proximity to his mouth, a walk-by quick butt scratch probably wouldn't make him take notice to begin with as a pup would already be used to such an intimate presence while eating.