Food Aggression Case Study
My Buffalo dog training addresses any behavioral issue. People who want their puppies or dogs learning basic obedience and manners can achieve this with me. There are those owners who need a lot more than the fundamentals though. Some of the most problematic dogs are the ones that are living a life of anxiety and are causing the same thing for their owners. Many dog owners are left considering some difficult decisions, such as whether or not rehome their dog. In more severe cases, especially those with aggression or biting histories, these dogs are at risk of death/euthanasia!
Aggression is a complicated behavior problem, but it doesn’t mean that the dog is forever doomed. People with aggressive dogs will tend to focus on what might have caused this behavior. It’s good to know if the dog might have experienced abuse in the past, but ultimately, what is most important is knowing what the behavior is now and how to fix it.
Food aggression is common issue and can come in varying degrees. Some dogs will guard their food, but will never make a peep or a raise a lip to bare teeth. Some dogs will go all the way – growling, snapping, and even outright attacking another dog or a person that approaches their food! Hooch is an example of the latter—he is one of my recent cases that became involved with my training after he bit his owner for attempting to pick up his EMPTY food bowl.
Hooch’s owner wondered if his dog was seriously neglected or starved in the past, hence the food aggression. In the end, it did not matter what happened in the past. Hooch was living the dream life with his current owner, and he needed to not only understand that, but Hooch needed to learn to TRUST his owner. There seemed to be a lack of confidence when it came to both Hooch and his owner. Hooch did not trust anyone when it came to food, even with his owner who fed and spoiled him. His owner always felt on edge when it came to Hooch’s mealtimes, and this probably only exacerbated the aggression from Hooch.
When it comes to any form of aggression, we have to ensure that the leadership role is consistent and with the owner, not the dog. This is not suggesting dominance training, but about building trust and respect through reward-based training. We also have to raise the confidence levels if they are lacking. In Hooch’s case, we had to make him feel more comfortable with himself and with his owner. Once Hooch’s owner had the tools from us to properly work with Hooch, there were immediate changes. We are still in progress but now Hooch’s owner feels more like a capable leader, and it is evident that Hooch feels more at home and more at ease with his owner, even when it’s dinner time!
If your dog has food aggression or resource guarding, don’t take it lightly! Call 800-649-7297 to talk to us on whether or not your dog needs training for this issue!