If you put your dog’s food on the ground and he growls or bites you, this is called food aggression or food protection. This can have serious effects on your relationship with the dog, as well as your relationship with you and your family.
Often times, this canning behavior must be trained for the animal not to do, or it will continue indefinitely. Dogs have an instinctive need to take care of food. Most of the time, this doesn’t happen because the dog trusts his master above all else. Sometimes, however, this instinct comes up in dogs and can be a danger to you and your family if left alone. What the dog must learn is that you should not be threatened by yourself when it is time to eat.
If you are angry or violent in your training habits when teaching your dog about food aggression, then he may have a tendency to become aggressive, hampering the training process. Hitting or using a leash to keep the dog away from his food during these periods of aggression can agitate him even more and can become dangerous for both of you.
Food aggression won’t go away overnight, but with continued patience and working with the animal, the problem can be solved. A routine is the best solution to this problem. Using certain stimuli that tell the dog that it is time to eat and there is no need to be anxious or nervous is the key. During this routine, make sure there are no distractions such as children or other animals in the room. Another passing animal or passing child may become an immediate step back while training for food aggression.
As you prepare to feed the dog, tell him to sit down. Make him wait for you to put down the food. You must learn that you are the teacher and you must attend to it. If you can get him to start eating on his own after a voice command, then that’s a big step, although for some it may be asking too much at first. If you are training a puppy, it will be a little easier because while eating, walk, pet and praise him. If he growls, pet him and let him know that you are not going to take the food away from him. For a week or two, just work on these steps. For older dogs, try leaving him a treat or a bite as a reward, treats that are tastier than your dog’s food. By doing this, you will learn that people who pass it on are a good thing.
This is a good starting point. Other steps may be implemented in the future, but this foundation is what you want to build on. By progressing slowly, it won’t be long before food assault is no longer a problem.