Food Aggression / food guarding (growling if approached or touched when eating)

hi all, i need some advice on food aggressiveness, as tiny our ddb is quite food aggressive,i make him earn his food by making him sit wait ect, but 1ce i giv him the go 2 eat commmand he eats away, and starts growling if i cum near him... and if i touch his neck or stomach. iv tried feeding him off my hand,he is ok wen i do that and am strokin him,

Does he show any signs of aggression at any other time? If not, this may help you. It is paraphrased from an article by Deb McKean.

Sub-dominant dogs will argue with more dominant dogs over food. This resource guarding is a hard-wired instinct.

Take all growls seriously, but never punish for them, verbally or physically. If you meet aggression with aggression your dog will fear that he will be attacked for guarding food and he will become even more aggressive in his attempt to ward off 'attack'

This program takes time. The slower you go, the more permanent the change in behaviour will be.

1) Start with a hungry dog. Put a small amount of food in the bowl. Have the dog sit, put the bowl down and walk away.

Your dog will come to you to ask for more.

2) Pick up bowl, add another small amount of food. Tell him to sit. When he does place one hand on his neck or back and put the bowl down with the other hand. If he starts eating while you are touching him, that is good. Walk away.

Your dog will come to you to ask for more.

3) Pick up the bowl, put another small amount of food in it. Tell him to sit and hold the bowl out for him. Encourage him to eat while you are holding the bowl and praise gently if he does so.

Your dog will look to you for more (you don't walk away this time)

4) Put another small amount in the bowl. Hold it out for him with one hand, place your other hand where you did in (2). Repeat this stage as often as necessary (over days) until he is comfortable with you touching him while he eats.

5) Put some food in your hand and put your hand in the bowl. Hold the bowl with your other hand and have the dog eat around your fingers.

Alternate 3, 4, and 5 for half of his meal. E.g. at one meal keep hand on neck or back while he eats half and then leave him to eat the rest, for another meal have your hand in the bowl for half the meal and then leave him to eat the rest. If you come up against a problem backtrack to the level at which he was comfortable and stay there for a few meals.

6) If everything is going well then introduce a 'treat'. Do exactly what you have been doing but now say his name while he is eating to get him to look up. Tell him to sit, and then toss something really special into his bowl. Give this action a name - e.g. "treat time" When he has cottoned on to the fact that "treat time" means something good coming his way, then get the sit and place the treat in the bowl rather than tossing it. When he is really comfortable with you putting your hand in the bowl to add his treat, begin removing the bowl to add it. Give the bowl back quickly with the treat in place.

It is important that the treat should be something that is eaten only from his bowl and that he gets only at meal times. The only way, the only time, he gets that specific food is when he gives up his dinner to get it.

This program is designed to make dogs understand that they do not own any food. We own the food and we not only allow them to have some on a regular basis, but we make it pleasurable for him to temporarily give up what we give them.

I hope that may be of some help to you
SB

thanks 4 the help.will try this,and ill keep u posted.

hello buster , try reading "THINK DOG" by JOHN FISHER you can get it from libuarys he really seems to understand what makes dogs tick, and he tells you in plain english!!!! if you know what i mean good luck hope it helps