Home Based Dog Training

Why does your dog consider you as a threat to his food? This is one of the mysterious parts of the dog’s nature. Food aggression in simple words can be defined as the violent gestures like growling, snarling etc shown by the dog when somebody including the owner approaches him while he is eating. This is a serious issue and cannot get cured on its own. Before taking any action, make sure the aggression may not harm any of the family members. If you fear the same, call for a professional help.

What Causes Food Aggression

The common causes that can trigger the food aggression in your canine are:

1. All of us do not like share our favourite delicacy. What is the reason behind it? It is simple; we are not sure whether and when we will get more of it. Same insecurity haunts the dog also. Thus when given any of his favourite food, the dog tends to guard it and feels threatened when any body approaches him. Thus he shows aggression to defend his food item.
2. Sometimes the dog behaves aggressively just to show his dominance in the house. Many dogs are generally confused about who is the leader in the dog-owner relationship.

How To Correct Food Aggressions

So as to begin the behaviour correction process stop backing off when ever your dog snarls or growls at you as you approach near his food. Each time you back off on dog’s such behaviour; it simply gives the dog an authoritative hand over the whole situation which is unacceptable.

1. To suppress the aggression, remove the cause triggering it. Food aggression simply means your dog is unsecured about his food. If there is another dog or pet creating the confusion, move them away from your dog’s sight. Not only could the other pet but the little brats at your home also be the trouble makers. The infants many times appear as a threat to your dog.
2. Maintain a fix time of meals for your dog. Though dogs cannot read watch, but they come to know when it is the time for their meals. Try to give them meals on a fixed time everyday. This reduces the insecurity regarding availability of food in the dog.
3. Make your dog realize that he can earn his treats. Teach him simple commands like “sit” so that he can request for the food he likes. But be careful, over treats may make him beg every time and every thing you eat.
4. Make him accustomed of having people around him while he is eating his meals, from the day of his arrival.
5. If the leadership confusion is the cause of aggression, feed the dog after the whole family have had their meals. This technique will make the dog understand that you are the master of the house.

Dog Training Key

Some very basic techniques if followed from the beginning, avoid the occurrence of such conflicts. Make your puppy realize that you are the provider by hand feeding him. Sit near him, pat him, and stroke him while he is eating. Talking to dog while he is eating are good manners! This helps him realize the fact that it is good to have people around while eating.

If dealing with existing food aggression problem, stand at a comfortable distance away from your dog and gradually reduce the distance with time. Try flicking some treats into his bowl as you reduce the distance.   

These simple practices along with calming down his aggression, will establish a strong bond between you and your beloved dog.