Hi there,
if you are here, my guess is your fur baby gave you a very rude "thank you" when you presented their food. Don't fret, your baby isn't mean, they just haven't figure out that you are there to provide infinite supply of food, water and love, and they just need a little guidance to make sure they feel safe and secure when you are around them while eating.
As soon as you notice signs of food aggression and guarding behaviors, you should start training to ensure it won't become a dangerous situation.
What some dogs do, when growling or becoming aggressive over their food is called resource guarding - maybe they didn't get enough food while competing with their siblings, or maybe they are fearful or have anxiety. Whatever the case may be they will need your help to get better and create a safe and peaceful environment for the entire family.
How to stop your dog from resource guarding:
Start training as soon as you notice signs of resource guarding behaviors. It is best to begin getting them used to your presence around their food while they are puppies and too small to do real damage. Be patient and be positive, you don't want to risk intensifying the dog's aggressive response with negativity or punishment.
In the below video Luna (yes the same Luna that wipes her mouth with the Doggy Bib Bowl) was only 8 weeks old, and was growling at me when I came near while eating. Now all I could think of was how not fun that would be, once she grew into the 120 lbs fully grown rottie she is today.
To prevent that from happening I sat in her space during every - single - meal (3 times a day) for 2 weeks straight. I would run my hands through her bowl, her ears, her cute little face and pet her while telling her good girl In a very calm voice.
If you are wondering about the toy in her bowl, I'll explain more in another post on how to stop your dog from eating too fast.
Make sure your dog is well exercised and stimulated. Take them on walks, play catch, sniffing games anything to get as much energy out of your dog, physical and/or mental. The more tired, the least likely your dog will be focused on guarding its food or be aggressive - if you go the play/intense activity route, make sure to give them a little 30 min to 1hr break before feeding them to avoid belly issues.
Train your dog to work for their food. Our fur babies thrive in routine and order. Create a routine, if possible, feed them around the same time everyday, make them sit before you place their food bowl down, or ask for them to shake. Whatever you chose, the goal is to take the focus and excitement out of the feeding process. It should be a neutral event in their daily routine.
Until you feel sure that your dog is no longer resource guarding feed them away from others. Make sure everyone in the house is also trained on how to go about the feeding routine, especially younger children, however, I recommend not allowing them to feed the dog on their own.
Keep positive reinforcement going through out the day, not just during feeding time. Reward good behaviors with lots of love, praise, toys or treats especially when they are behaving in a way in which you wish - dropping the shoe, relaxing, playing nice etc. that will help them associate the good behavior with the reward and slowly abandon the bad habits.
These are suggestions on how to help your pup improve their behavior, but if you feel like more help might be needed do reach out to a professional dog trainer or talk to your vet to make sure there aren't any underlying health issues causing the aggressive behavior.
Happy pawrenting!
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