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I have a houseguest staying with me that has a dog. He (the dog) gets along well with my dogs and although he has had no training, e.g., he doesn't listen, doesn't come when called, etc. overall there have been no problems EXCEPT, when the dogs are fed he runs to the other dogs food bowls and gobbles up their food. When I intervene he growls and has even snapped at me. I know that some dogs have instinctual responses around food BUT, I have an aversion to having a dog growl or snap at me. I have tried leashing him while the others eat but my old dog can only eat a little food at a time so, her food stays in the bowl for a few hours before she is done. My question is, "is the fact that the dog will growl or snap under any circumstance a red flag of future escalating aggression or, is this simply a reaction some dogs exhibit around food?" I have had a lot of dogs in my life but have never had one growl or snap at me.
I have a houseguest staying with me that has a dog. He (the dog) gets along well with my dogs and although he has had no training, e.g., he doesn't listen, doesn't come when called, etc. overall there have been no problems EXCEPT, when the dogs are fed he runs to the other dogs food bowls and gobbles up their food. When I intervene he growls and has even snapped at me. I know that some dogs have instinctual responses around food BUT, I have an aversion to having a dog growl or snap at me. I have tried leashing him while the others eat but my old dog can only eat a little food at a time so, her food stays in the bowl for a few hours before she is done. My question is, "is the fact that the dog will growl or snap under any circumstance a red flag of future escalating aggression or, is this simply a reaction some dogs exhibit around food?" I have had a lot of dogs in my life but have never had one growl or snap at me.
Food and toy aggression (possessive aggression) is the most common form that trainers run into. To answer your question - yes! be very careful or you will get bitten and it can easily transfer to aggression over other possessions and even people. However, it will not normally transform into a different type of aggression (like territorial aggresssion). Since it isn't your dog and belongs to a house guest, can I assume that this is a temporary problem? Easiest fix since it isn't your dog is to feed your pups separately in an area where the visiting dog can't get to their food. Possessive aggression can take a lot of time and patience to correct. There are various techniques trainers will use (with varying success rates) to manage it.
Appreciate the replies but the issue is, I have 3 dogs, one of which is a geriatric with health problems. She cannot eat her food in a few minutes time. She nibbles, comes back, nibbles some more. Although she always eats all of her food, most days it takes her about 3 hours to do so. My other 2 dogs know not to go near her food, even if she is not in the room. My guest's dog runs from bowl to bowl. So, unless the guest dog is kept locked in a room all day, its not realistic to feed them separately. My bigger concern (since the dog will be at my house for another 2 months) is, is the food aggression a sign of a bigger problem or, is it somewhat normal? I don't want to have to worry about the dog becoming aggressive toward me or others in other situations.
I have a houseguest staying with me that has a dog. He (the dog) gets along well with my dogs and although he has had no training, e.g., he doesn't listen, doesn't come when called, etc. overall there have been no problems EXCEPT, when the dogs are fed he runs to the other dogs food bowls and gobbles up their food. When I intervene he growls and has even snapped at me. I know that some dogs have instinctual responses around food BUT, I have an aversion to having a dog growl or snap at me. I have tried leashing him while the others eat but my old dog can only eat a little food at a time so, her food stays in the bowl for a few hours before she is done. My question is, "is the fact that the dog will growl or snap under any circumstance a red flag of future escalating aggression or, is this simply a reaction some dogs exhibit around food?" I have had a lot of dogs in my life but have never had one growl or snap at me.
Yes, this is aggression...and a danger to you and your old dog.
Once this dog thinks he (or she) has the upper hand you can expect it to become worse. Be very careful if you must handle this dog. You can expect the dog to become more aggressive in other situations, so be careful.
Separation is the best answer if this is a short-term visit.
I see the dog will be there a while.
How big is this dog? What breed? Male or female?
What does the owner say when this happens?
I want to add that some people will think this is an isolated incident that will only involve the food bowl.
I have found that when a dog calls your bluff, he believes he has the upper hand and will continue to push to see how far he can go. This may not occur immediately. Be watchful. I don't know if you have the time or desire, but training this dog can help.
I will say that I don't believe there is any reason for a dog to bite any human for any reason other than protect his master or property. I am a huge dog lover and done many rescues and rehabilitations. It can be difficult to reform a dog who is willing to bite you. Food is not a reason for a dog to growl at you...there is never a reason for one to do that, it is a threat and it should not be tolerated.
How old is this dog?
Good luck...
Appreciate the replies but the issue is, I have 3 dogs, one of which is a geriatric with health problems. She cannot eat her food in a few minutes time. She nibbles, comes back, nibbles some more. Although she always eats all of her food, most days it takes her about 3 hours to do so. My other 2 dogs know not to go near her food, even if she is not in the room. My guest's dog runs from bowl to bowl. So, unless the guest dog is kept locked in a room all day, its not realistic to feed them separately. My bigger concern (since the dog will be at my house for another 2 months) is, is the food aggression a sign of a bigger problem or, is it somewhat normal?I don't want to have to worry about the dog becoming aggressive toward me or others in other situations.
Its not a "sign" of a bigger problem it IS the big problem. You can be bitten in any number of scenarios depending on what the dog decides to claim. Toys, food, people, a certain dog bed, the options are endless.
I had a geriatric that ate the same way yours does and had another dog that couldn't keep her fat face away from the chance at extra food. I suggest putting your oldster's bowl up and then offering it every few hours after you have secured the visiting dog away from the area. It would be very difficult (if not impossible) to correct the dog's aggression issues unless the owner is on board with working with the dog too. The best advise I can offer is to work around it until the dog leaves.
Its not a "sign" of a bigger problem it IS the big problem. You can be bitten in any number of scenarios depending on what the dog decides to claim. Toys, food, people, a certain dog bed, the options are endless.
I had a geriatric that ate the same way yours does and had another dog that couldn't keep her fat face away from the chance at extra food. I suggest putting your oldster's bowl up and then offering it every few hours after you have secured the visiting dog away from the area. It would be very difficult (if not impossible) to correct the dog's aggression issues unless the owner is on board with working with the dog too. The best advise I can offer is to work around it until the dog leaves.
Appreciate the responses. Since it is not my dog, I can't take on the role of having a trainer work with the dog--that is the owner's choice and she seems to be in denial about the dog's aggression. It IS generally a nice dog, a small poodle, loves to play with other dogs, affectionate toward everyone. That is why I think it is such a shame that the owner isn't dealing with the aggression issue--he's a smart and affectionate dog. I actually took in 2 dogs in a foster situation about a year ago and had aggression issues between one of the foster dog's and one of my dog's. Had a trainer come to the house and she was able to resolve the aggression between the 2 dogs in a matter of weeks. But this is my first time dealing with a dog that has growled and snapped at me. So, I will be having a talk with the owner and in the meantime, just have to keep picking up and putting down my old dog's bowl when she is looking to nibble. thanks again.
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