21 Nov Three Reasons Your Dog is Food Aggressive
One thing we’ve noticed can be a little tricky to train out is food aggression. At Next level Kennels we pride ourselves in the expertise and passion required to build dog and dog owner’s confidence level through everyday activities. We want your pet to thrive– obedience training and bonding are byproducts of a passion for training so we’re going to talk about three reasons your dog is food aggressive and what we can do about it.
1. Proximity with other Animals or Dogs
Many dogs are competitive. Proximity with other dogs might cause a bit of extra motivation to finish their food quicker even if they aren’t necessarily trying to eat someone else’s. As puppies, the feeding process often looks like first come first serve. This is often in contrast to adolescence and adulthood, where feeding areas are usually individualized.
2. Considering their “Pack” Role
Depending on the “role” or place your dog sees themselves in the home- they might feel entitled to other pets’ food if given the opportunity. More dominant animals will eat quickly so they can move on to other bowls. Whereas more submissive dogs will take a step back to avoid conflict. This can cause a little added stress during feeding time which can be easily avoided.
3. Anxiety
Training can often help alleviate some of the stress that comes with eating in close proximity to other dogs but sometimes you can’t help that god might feel very protective of their food if eating face to face with another animal.
It’s very natural for a dog to become defensive when eating that close to another animal even if they are familiar with their presence.
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Food aggression can lead to conflict with other animals and even health problems from eating too quickly! One thing we recommend as an option is feeding each animal in their own crate. This reinforces the positive relationship with the crate as well as curb some of that urgency to eat more quickly. Feeding time should be enjoyable and as stress free as possible. Check out this video to see this concept in action. We also offer puppy and adult training programs. You can check those out right here.
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