Why Does Your Dog Growl When You Approach His Food?

Does your dog growl when you come near their food? This is a form of resource-guarding, an indication that this food is theirs and not yours, and they want you to stay away.

They can become aggressive in their mission to defend their food. Here’s how to work on changing the behavior.

Step 1: Get assistance

It’s a good idea to speak to a professional dog trainer if your dog is very fierce about resource-guarding. You may not know how to show them you’re not going to steal their resources.

Step 2: Don’t test them

“Training” a dog to stop resource-guarding by grabbing their food or toys is not a good way to go about anything. You’ll make them more anxious, and you’ll put yourself at risk of a dog bite. While waiting for results from training, prepare your dog’s food in a separate room, call them in to eat, then call them out and leave them in another room when you collect the bowl.

Step 3: Trade

In the event that your dog has found something to guard that isn’t theirs or is toxic and dangerous, grab something valuable to trade off. High-value treats can distract your dog, letting them drop what they’re holding. Throw the treats aside for your dog to run after and grab the unwanted item off the floor.

Feature Image Source: Pixabay