Dog Growling When It Has Food

[Squeak]

Had my dog since she was a puppy and she has never had a problem if she has a biscuit etc and you touch her but tonight she growled at me when she had a piece of bread. I don't want this to become a big problem and she is such an easy going dog but what is the best way of dealing with it. Should I tell her off and take away food or take away food and then because she has given it to me/allowed it be removed reward her by giving it back, or should i be doing something else all together? Thanks in advance.

 

[soloabe]

Don't take it away from her. I would be mighty pissed off to if someone kept messing in my food trying to take it away.

Does she ever do it with her normal dinner?

 

[CorvusCorax]

Age? Breed? If you're going to take something off her and she is food defensive, swap it for something else.

If you approach her while she is eating, take her food and then tell her off when she growls you will only make it worse the next time!

I do like to be able to take food from my dogs, we had a little play with a bone earlier, but it has to be done in a certain way with some dogs, if you keep messing with their food while they are eating, as Katie says, of course they will get defensive.

Does she get food when she wants it, or do you make her sit and wait etc, before she is given it?

 

[Squeak]

She is usually fine with her food even when it has been something high value. So do you think I shouldn't take it off her at all?

 

[CorvusCorax]

Yeah, but swap it with something else. It's hard to give advice over the internet without seeing her actual reactions but if you go in willy nilly taking her food with no groundwork, then you will hit problems, if she is a certain type of dog.

 

[Squeak]

Age? Breed? If you're going to take something off her and she is food defensive, swap it for something else.

If you approach her while she is eating, take her food and then tell her off when she growls you will only make it worse the next time!

I do like to be able to take food from my dogs, we had a little play with a bone earlier, but it has to be done in a certain way with some dogs, if you keep messing with their food while they are eating, as Katie says, of course they will get defensive.

Does she get food when she wants it, or do you make her sit and wait etc, before she is given it?

She is a one and a half year old wire fox terrier and when she was younger I made sure she was ok with food and toys being taken away/touched (always instantly returned) but obviously I havent kept on top of this... Usually I just leave her with her food and I know no one in the house irritates her with her food etc. Her normal dog food she has to sit and wait for and for a while she had to do something for every single piece but now it is only her high value stuff or when she is being trained that she has to work for it.

Also this evening it was the other way round, I walked up to her and she growled so I took the bone from her, otherwise I would have just left her to it.

 

[Squeak]

Yeah, but swap it with something else. It's hard to give advice over the internet without seeing her actual reactions but if you go in willy nilly taking her food with no groundwork, then you will hit problems, if she is a certain type of dog.

Sorry I posted my first reply before I saw yours, I don't usually take her food from her it was only because she growled at me that I did it because I didnt want to let the behaviour go but I did give her some cheese as soon as she gave me the food.