My Shiba would seek out the other two dogs when I was preparing his food, before it was even given to him, and would attack them viciously. He was very violent, and on occasion, redirected onto me when I was trying to get him away from them.
I started feeding him in my room with the door closed. I tied his leash to my desk so he couldn't reach the door, or he'd dig at it like mad. Then I'd stand there and wait for him to calm down before he got his food. Once he was calm, didn't have to be sitting but that was nice, he got the food. Once he started eating, I did not touch it and let him finish. I though that part was important, that once the food was his, it was HIS, and nobody, not even me, was going to take it from him.
I also did this while feeding the other two. Whenever it was time for the Girls to be fed, Conker was put into my room with the door closed.
It took months for him to get over his food aggression. I just had to be very patient with him and only give him food when he was no longer growling, or showing teeth. Now he can eat with the door open, or right beside the Girls, but don't do that since I would rather not push him. He is fine with the door leaning closed but not closed fully now and shows no signs of aggression anymore. For him, separation from other dogs is best while eating.
I do not leave food down, since one dog will get fat, and another will have nasty digestive reactions. They get 10-15 minutes to eat the food, and if they don't, it gets picked up and put away.
I will say this, though. I do allow my dogs to give a growl when another gets too close to their food bowl. I don't want my dogs to share from their bowls, since each dog eats a different amount/different food, so I can't have that. A little bit of protection is fine, but outright attacks are not.
I started feeding him in my room with the door closed. I tied his leash to my desk so he couldn't reach the door, or he'd dig at it like mad. Then I'd stand there and wait for him to calm down before he got his food. Once he was calm, didn't have to be sitting but that was nice, he got the food. Once he started eating, I did not touch it and let him finish. I though that part was important, that once the food was his, it was HIS, and nobody, not even me, was going to take it from him.
I also did this while feeding the other two. Whenever it was time for the Girls to be fed, Conker was put into my room with the door closed.
It took months for him to get over his food aggression. I just had to be very patient with him and only give him food when he was no longer growling, or showing teeth. Now he can eat with the door open, or right beside the Girls, but don't do that since I would rather not push him. He is fine with the door leaning closed but not closed fully now and shows no signs of aggression anymore. For him, separation from other dogs is best while eating.
I do not leave food down, since one dog will get fat, and another will have nasty digestive reactions. They get 10-15 minutes to eat the food, and if they don't, it gets picked up and put away.
I will say this, though. I do allow my dogs to give a growl when another gets too close to their food bowl. I don't want my dogs to share from their bowls, since each dog eats a different amount/different food, so I can't have that. A little bit of protection is fine, but outright attacks are not.
