How can you cure dog food aggression?

Question

If you get close to him while he is eating. He will growel at you and start eating faster.When he is finished he is okay and is happy wagging his tail and you can aproach him

Answer 1

I would not pet the dog while eating or even try to reach for the bowl.  Are there kids in the house?  I ask because that could be a dangerous combination.

You could try this - pick up his bowl like you are going to feed him then put your bowl in and fill it with something for you to eat and make him watch you.  He will think you are eating out of his bowl FIRST (before he gets to).  This should established you as the alpha dog.

Once you are done, fill his bowl with food and allow him to eat.  After say three days of this, take the broom and try to move his food bowl while he is eating and see if you still get the aggressive response.

Beyond this, you need to find a professional trainer to help you.

Answer 2

Dogs and food aggression To understand food aggression you have to consider where the behavior comes from. Guarding food is a natural instinct that derives from a dog's pack behavior. When other animals are a threat, a pack will guard its food in order to survive. This food aggression instinct exists in every dog and can be triggered if a dog feels threatened while he eats.  (A) How to prevent food aggression Once the problem has already surfaced, dealing with food aggression can prove frustrating. For this reason, it's imperative to prevent the problem before it begins. The following are some effective ways to do this.

(1) Pet your dog as you feed him

Gently pet your dog a few times as you set his food bowl down. Then walk away and let him eat. This builds your dog's trust and allows him to become comfortable with your presence during his mealtimes.

(2) Toss a treat in his bowl while he eats

When your dog eats, walk up and toss a treat in his food bowl. Be sure that it's tastier then his regular food. Do this for about a month and your dog will think every time a person approaches his food dish something good will happen.

(3) Feed in different places

In some cases of dog food aggression, a dog will guard the room where he eats. To avoid this problem, feed your dog in different areas around your house. This will allow your dog to become comfortable eating anywhere, which can be useful for long trips or if you decide to board him.

(B) How to stop dog food aggression If your dog is older and has already developed aggressive tendencies around food, there are several ways to reverse the behavior (1) Remove the food bowl  Remove your dog's food bowl from the floor between meals. When he's hungry place the empty bowl on the floor. Once your dog realizes there's nothing in it, he will turn to you. Walk over to his dish, put a small amount of food in, then move a few feet away. When he finishes, go back and place another small amount in his bowl. Repeat this until your dog is finished eating, then remove his food bowl until the next meal. (2) Feed your dog by hand

If your dog is overly protective of the food bowl itself, take it away completely. Feed your dog from your hand. Once he's comfortable with this new idea, have him eat from your hand as you hold it over the bowl. This allows you to reintroduce the bowl and maintain control. Drop the food in and let him eat normally when you believe the food aggression has been overcome.

Never punish a dog that has food aggression. Punishment is often what causes this behavior problem to begin with and will only make it worse. Your dog needs to be comfortable with you before he'll trust you around his food

Answer 3

The problem is more that he thinks that food is his and he needs to protect it - for some reason he's feeling threatened.

Maybe by feeding him out of you hand instead of in the bowl for a few days and telling him the food is yours, you're just giving it to him? It worked with my lab and her bones. She knows those bones are really MINE and I choose to give them to her. I frequently take them and then give them back and tell her Good Girl when she's friendly about it. No problems now.

I would definitey take his food away from him if he was acting aggressive about it. Tell him NO if he ever growls. Maybe ask a trainer about it.