If you have ever had the experience of having a dog growl at you when you are in the vicinity of their food bowl it can be quite an unpleasant, and sometimes scary, experience. Often we are able to put a stop to this behaviour at the first signs of it occurring, but if the measures we use aren’t effective then there is every chance that this behaviour may escalate. Before we can determine the root cause of such behaviour we must first take into account a range of different aspects such as the dog’s temperament, its upbringing, whether the situation is context-specific, or whether there is a larger problem lurking beneath the surface. But often the most common reason a dog becomes protective of its meal is a direct result of what we as owners do.

We have been taught that our dogs must always respect our approach around their food so we set out to teach them just that – by standing over the top of them when they eat. By giving them their food then taking it away – multiple times. By growling at them when they don’t give it up. By forcefully taking it off them when they don’t. All before giving it back again. Is it just me or does something not sound quite right about this approach? While this approach may work for a very few the majority don’t have much success. If your dog didn’t have a problem to begin with it is sure likely to have one now. And if you are dealing with a dog that already had trust issues around their food when you obtained them then this certainly isn’t the way to fix it.

People tend to think that they are doing the right thing by showing their dog who is in charge by controlling their meal times like this but, done incorrectly, what you are actually doing is creating the following image of yourself in your dog’s mind – that you are untrustworthy, unpredictable and a threat. You are promoting fear and insecurity in your dog. A dog will protect a resource that it finds valuable if it perceives it is faced with a threat. Our natural response to a dog growling or lunging is to become alarmed and/or back away. This empowers the dog and teaches the dog that this is now how it keeps its food safe – cue escalation of problem behaviour. Some owners may even go as far as trying to compete with or intimidate the dog. A dog who already feels threatened in your presence may resort to drastic measures to keep themselves safe if you do so. This is when you are likely to sustain a bite, and if the dog is successful this further damages the relationship between you and your dog. You’ve ruined your dog right? Wrong.

The most crucial aspects of regaining a dog’s trust around a valuable resource is to limit the possibilities of allowing the undesirable behaviours to manifest in the first place and to avoid trying to overpower the situation. Instead, approach it with confidence, patience and consistency to help repair the damage by counter conditioning your dog’s perception of meal times. Don’t turn meal times into a competition. Make your presence around food a pleasant experience.

The best advice I can give to new dog owners, especially puppy owners and those who don’t have a problem to begin with, is not to interfere so heavily with meal times. If you don’t have a problem to begin with why create one now? We need to make sure that we can feel safe around our dogs while they eat, especially when children are present, but we don’t need to stand over the top of them and demand they give up their food in order to be “in charge”. A good leader is a fair one. If you already have a dog that displays guarding behaviours care must be taken not to rush the process, especially in the beginning. Since the approach is what is triggering the response be mindful not to crowd your dog. Give them some space. Once they are comfortable with you at a distance then you can gradually work your way closer. If you do approach your dog then approach for something good such as giving them more food instead of taking it. This way your approach is positive rather than negative. It always helps too if the food you have to offer your dog is of higher value than what the dog is currently eating. If it is safe to do so hand feeding can assist with creating trust around food. This creates the perception that the most valuable resources come from you, not the food bowl. These are just a couple of examples of many methods utilised during the desensitisation process and is assessed on a dog by dog basis.

It is very important to keep in mind that it takes many repetitions over a solid period of time to really ensure that the methods you are using are successful and that progress is in fact being made. One successful attempt in a session doesn’t mean that your dog is now ready to move on to stage two. This is where you may encounter a pitfall if you push your dog too soon. It is better to do a few more successful repetitions than to take two steps backwards should you underestimate the dog’s progress.

Whilst we may work hard at teaching our dog manners around food we must always remember that a dog is just that…a dog. We always have a responsibility to ensure the safety of others and ourselves around our dogs. If you have children you must ensure that you teach them the correct way to behave around a dog, especially while a dog is eating, and supervise interactions at all times. In situations where you are unable to deal with a dog’s behaviour, such as when guests come over, you can manage this by moving the dog to a location where they can comfortably and safely be separated for meal times.

If you have a dog that displays food guarding behaviours and are unsure of where to begin contact us for a consultation today.