The dog protects food: growls and bites. Answer from a zoopsychologist


My name is Veronika Voitovska. I am a certified zoopsychologist. A common problem that dog owners come to me with is guarding a bowl of food. Sometimes this manifests itself in childhood, sometimes it appears in adulthood.
Several main reasons why a dog or puppy protects food from its owner.

1. The dog does not perceive a person as a leader and goes into open conflict. This is the most difficult case and usually this is where the owners bite. Most often, one owner, whom the dog perceives as softer and more gentle. It may not touch other people in the family, not bite, and not even growl at them.
2. The dog is afraid that you will take away its food. Here you need to work on the moments, whether you have taken food from the dog before. Perhaps as a punishment (although this is not right) or at some points in training (also not right).
3. If you still have a puppy, then guarding food is typical behavior for many puppies. In the breeder’s house, while the puppies are growing, they take food and toys from each other. The puppy can show the same behavior for some time in a new home in its own family.
4. The dog has problems with the gastrointestinal tract and needs to be shown to a veterinarian and tested. Since I am a doctor myself, I will tell you what tests are needed to confirm or exclude abdominal diseases. I discuss these issues during consultations with a zoopsychologist with the owner of each dog individually.
If your dog only growls so far, this is good. After all, growling is a warning signal from the dog. It tells you: «Don’t touch my food, don’t come when I eat, it bothers me.» In this case, it is easier to fight. After all, the dog has not yet bitten you and the behavior of biting a person because of food has not been ingrained in its head.
Let’s start with the simple. All food is given only from your hands. No food in a bowl that just appears out of nowhere. The dog must understand that you are the source of its nutrition. This advice is universal, but does not work for some dogs. I discuss this individually during consultations with a zoopsychologist.
Next, we will introduce training and tricks for food. We will determine the distance at which the dog allows you to approach the bowl. We will determine what exactly leads to such overexcitation of the dog’s psyche, what provokes it. And I will offer you solutions that will suit your dog and your family.
In what cases do I recommend immediately contacting a zoopsychologist for a consultation when the dog growls and bites for food?
When you have small children at home. When you have been struggling with growling and biting owners for food for many weeks, but nothing changes. When your dog has already bitten you or someone you know. When you are a beginner and do not understand how to apply the knowledge described on the Internet.
I provide online video consultations. I will need several videos of your dog’s behavior (near a bowl, relaxed at home, playing outside). This will help me to understand the problem in advance. Then we call each other and I ask the remaining questions. And we will analyze the essence of the problem, why exactly your dog growls and bites for food, why it guards food and how to fix it.
Briefly about my experience. I am a zoopsychologist with certificates from Ukraine and Great Britain. The owner of a huge kennel with serious dogs of the American Pit Bull Terrier and American Bully breeds. Currently, I have 15 adult dogs in the kennel and there are always puppies. I provide paid consultations as a zoopsychologist, and also consult all the owners of dogs from my kennel throughout their lives. I am a doctor. I am a judge of dog shows in Europe. A judge of sports competitions for dogs. A certified cynologist expert.
As you understand, I have real and extensive experience in solving any behavioral problems related to dog behavior. I consult in English, Russian, Ukrainian. If you do not speak these languages, I will give you a written conclusion about the consultation with an interpreter. The price of the consultation is 50 euros for 30 minutes. To order a consultation, write to me:
Email: dognikb@gmail.com
Instagram: dognikbulls
Sincerely, Veronika Voitovska

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