Taking food away from my puppy will teach him not to resource guard his food when he is older. WRONG!
Way too often, people are given the advice to regularly touch their puppy and take food away from them while they are eating in order to prevent them from developing resource guarding behaviours (growling, biting and aggression around food) as they grow up.
However, the reality is that this is absolutely the best way to go about CREATING a resource guarder. It does not teach dogs to be relaxed around food. Quite the opposite.
I don’t know about you, but if someone kept touching and patting me while I was eating or kept taking my food away and then putting it back, I would get really annoyed. And if it kept on happening, I would eventually and most likely get to a point where I want to punch that person in the face!
From a dog’s perspective, every time someone touches them or takes their food away from them while they are eating, they are just adding to a body of evidence that confirms this is a resource that needs to be guarded because there is a constant risk of it being taken away.
Especially so when it comes to really high value food items, like a meaty bone.
Trainers see many dogs with resource guarding issues resulting from their owners, with all the best intentions, doing just that to their dogs when they were puppies.
So, what is the best way to teach your puppy to be relaxed around food?
Respect them when they are eating by leaving them alone to enjoy their food in peace.
Never leave food, or even an empty food bowl lying around. If your puppy has nothing to guard, the behaviour is less likely to occur. If your puppy doesn’t finish his breakfast and walks away from it, pick it up and put it away. You can always add it to his next meal if you are worried about him getting his full daily allowance. If you have young kids in the family or a baby on the way, I would recommend you start doing this now. An added bonus is that this is also a good way to avoid dogs becoming fussy eaters.
You can build a positive association with their food and food bowl by throwing something extra yummy into their bowl while they are eating. In this way you are always adding value, not taking anything away. Don’t overdo it by standing over them at every meal doing this (that’s way too much pressure), but on odd occasions wander past the bowl and chuck something really yummy into it and walk away. Who is going to feel threatened by someone who delivers such awesomeness?
Swapping his food bowl for a treat pouch and getting your puppy to earn his food through training is a sure-fire way to get your dog to respect where the food is coming from, as well as the valuable enrichment this provides through mental stimulation.
“So, what if I NEED to take something away from my dog?”
Answer: This is where you need to separately teach specific commands such as “Leave It” and “Out” (or “Drop it” if you prefer). If, while out walking, you come across something nasty and potentially dangerous, like a puffer fish on the beach or some rotting food on the footpath, you can give the “Leave it” command and have your dog ignore it. The “Out” command is for when your dog has something in his mouth already and you want or need him to drop it immediately.
An important point to make in any situation, food or no food involved, is DON’T ignore growling. It is a dog’s way of warning you that they feel uncomfortable or threatened in some way. A bite may be next. How you handle the growl will either be an opportunity to strengthen your relationship with your dog or give him a reason to think he has to take things into his own hands. How you handle it will also depend on the circumstance, the dog’s body language, and other factors.
Making sure puppy knows that his meals are not under threat, while teaching manners around food through impulse control, is the best way to make sure your pup doesn’t grow up to be a resource guarder.
Resource guarding is a serious issue and can extend to many other items beyond food (even to humans). If you have a dog with resource guarding issues, please seek the advice of a professional trainer (that's us). Contact us for help.
Jacqui Triggs, Trainer
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