What is food aggression? Our friends at Fetched Co educate us about this:
Food aggression is a form of resource guarding in which a dog becomes very defensive when eating, using threats to force others away. It can be directed towards other animals, humans, or both. The behavior can also extend to treats.
There are three degrees of food aggression: Mild: the dog growls and may show its teeth. Moderate: the dog snaps or lunges when approached. Severe: the dog bites. What To Do About It The first step is to assess your dog’s overall behavior. Is she only showing possessiveness over food, or does the behavior extend to other things, like favorite toys, resting spots, or even people in the pack? If the behavior isn’t limited to food, then your dog is showing general resource guarding, so you’ll need to use the techniques listed below as appropriate in all cases where your dog is showing aggression using the target object instead of food. Also assess your dog’s overall confidence and behavior. If he is naturally a dominant dog, then you will need to assert yourself as the Pack Leader in a calm and assertive way. On the other hand, if he is timid or fearful, you will need to build up his confidence and teach him that his food is safe with humans around.
The team at Fetched Co are all about responsible pet ownership and with that, comes responsible feeding for your pet. Check out their healthy dog meals plan on their website here: https://fetchedco.com.au
Comments