If your dog acts aggressively towards humans or other animals around food then it is something you need to stamp out now whatever its age. It can be dangerous to allow a dog to guard its food aggressively, and you don't want to have to be wary of your own pet every time you give it food, so act now to stop the problem progressing.
Whatever you do, don't act aggressively towards your dog when it guards its food. This will only cause the dog to think it needs to be more aggressive back to keep you away, and will reinforce its bad behaviour.
The reason the dog guards its food is because it thinks it is going to be taken away. To stop dog food guarding, you have to teach the dog that when you or anyone else walks near its bowl the food isn't going to be taken. You can do this by gradually moving closer to the dog using treats it will prefer to its meal. As you get closer, reward the dog for coming to get the treat from you which will mean it has left its bowl. Before long you should be able to walk up to the bowl and put the treat in it.
When using the above exercise, be careful not to push your dog too far to start with as it may feel threatened and even lash out. Also make sure that different people in the family perform the exercise so that the dog knows all people will behave in that way.
| Do you feed your dog the healthy, nutritious food it deserves? Many people believe they are, but may actually making their dogs ill with poor quality food. To find out how you can keep your dog healthy for many years to come visit the Dog Food Guide. |
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