Food guarding is a very serious problem. Unfortunately in most cases, by the time owners contact me, the dog has already bitten someone. Because of this I have written this information so that you can spot the signs early and get help.

What to watch for:

X   Dog standing over food bowl and eating much faster as you approach.

X   Dog 'freezing up' (going completely still) as you approach.

X   Dog curling his lip either with head still in bowl or while lifting head up.

X   Dog snarling or growling.

X   Dog air snapping.

Once we get to this stage, the next step for the dog is usually a bite.

Food guarding is an entirely natural behaviour for a dog. In the wild where food is scarce, dogs need to protect it for their own survival. However in a domestic situation, this behaviour is inappropriate.

Unfortunately a lot of people are given the wrong advice and told to remove the dog or puppy's food whilst he is eating so he will 'get used to it'. This is something you should NEVER do. This will only bring out any food guarding tendencies your dog may be harbouring. 

Your dog needs to see you as the provider of food not the remover. Most food aggression is based on the 'fear of removal' of the food, so taking it away will only make the aggression intensify in both frequency and duration. The same can be said of punishing your dog for food guarding. Either of these methods will exacerbate the aggression and can often lead to the behaviour generalising onto other things such as the dog's toys, bed, favourite resting place (territory) etc.

If your dog is showing any food/object guarding tendencies, then it is imperative that you seek help immediately from a Qualified and Registered Behaviourist. This is especially important if there are children in the house.