Originally Posted by gspsplease

Hi, you mentioned that Cooper is slightly food aggressive. This is fairly easy to treat, with slow progression. Firstly, I would always feed him separately from the other dogs(ie in another room). Whenever you put his food bowl down, just stand quietly beside the bowl while he eats -- don't talk to him or try to touch him, and don't pick up the bowl when he is finished, just both of you leave the room together. After a week or 2 of this he should be confident that you are not going to take away his food. The next step is to drop really good food like BBQ chicken into his bowl when he finishes -- now he realises that someone near his food bowl means extra wonderful food. But drop the food in from waist high -- don't bend down. After a week or two of this, stand near his bowl while he eats, then walk away, pick up some great food and walk back to the bowl and again drop it into the bowl -- now he realises that if someone approaches his food bowl, he is going to get even better food and you should start to see him actually greeting you as you walk up to the bowl. The key is to progress slowly, never threaten his food bowl by taking it away, and build up his confidence in you that you will only ever give him more and better food. It won't hurt either to make him work for some of his food by sitting, dropping etc and walking beside you without a lead (in the house or yard) and this way he will become accustomed to being hand fed (just one piece of Kibble at a time) many times a day. If he has lived rough for a while he has probably been worried about where his next meal is coming from, and he needs to develop confidence in you.
cheers
Sandra

Originally Posted by scowlkat

Cooper is such a pretty fellow and I know he is so thankful you came along! Is he adjusting to your household? How is his attitude? I have seen some shelter rescues who cringe when you go to pet them. It always breaks my heart because you know they have been abused at some point!