How to Deal With Dogs That Snap or Growl Over Food

When a dog growls or snaps over food, it's called "food aggression." Dogs that show food aggression want control over the food and the area around the food. It becomes the responsibility of the pet owner to teach the dog that the person, not the dog, is in control. Failure to correct aggression issues can lead to more severe behavioral problems. Many dogs who have bitten people exhibited such behavior early in life, and it went uncorrected.

Instructions

    • 1

      Change the feeding times for your dog. Only feed the dog after the rest of the family has eaten. In the wild, the pack leaders eat first. Feeding your dog after you eat sends the message that people are in charge.

    • 2

      Feed your dog by hand. This will acclimate the dog to your presence during feeding time. Stroke and soothe the dog as it eats. This reinforces the idea that having people around during feeding time is a good thing. Hand feed your dog for several weeks, then return to dish feeding.

    • 3

      Drop treats into the dogs bowl each time you pass it. After a few weeks, the dog will eventually see your presence near the food dish as a good thing and be less protective during feeding.

    • 4

      Call your dog into the room when you prepare its food. Command it to sit or stay. Release it once the food dish is on the floor. This keeps the person in control of the feeding time. This should be done at every feeding.

    • 5

      Contact an animal behavior specialist if your dog continues to show aggression despite your training. Go over everything you've done to train the dog with the specialist to paint a clear picture of the dog's environment. This helps the specialist identify any triggers in the dog's environment.