My dog is food aggressive with new kitten. Separate or socialize?

Hi there. It's actually quite normal for dogs to want to protect their food from other dogs - as you've observed, this is not correlated with an increased risk of resource guarding towards humans. Having dogs eat side by side is somewhat unnatural, and many dogs aren't comfortable with this. If either dog shows any signs of guarding, I would recommend simply feeding them separately long-term. There is no benefit to going through a long training process to try and make them eat together, and this will likely be stressful for both dogs. Just feed them in separate rooms or crates, and let them back together when they're both finished eating.

Hi there. Aggressive behavior over food or other high-value resources is very common, and can even be considered normal in dogs. I would recommend managing this issue by continuing to feed the dogs in separate rooms or parts of the house, and picking up the food bowls before allowing the dogs back together again. As long as you're consistent about doing this, you should be able to avoid any issues.

Congratulations on your new addition! In general, I prefer feeding cats separately for their entire lives so that you can be sure that every cat is eating an appropriate amount and type of food. I find that the best way to feed all animals (both cats and dogs) separately is to feed them in different rooms with a door as a barrier between them. Simply close them in their feeding area for 10 minutes twice a day, then pick up all of the bowls when they are let out. When every pet is fed in a separate area, there is no need to elevate the cats' bowls to keep the dogs out. Your new kitten should be fed more frequently than your adult cat. I typically feed kittens 4 times per day until they are 4 months old, then 3 times per day from 4-8 months, then twice a day. There's definitely a bit of training involved to get all pets accustomed to their new routine, so it might take a few days to get all pets adjusted to their new normal. Good luck!

It's very common for dogs to growl or show other types of resource guarding behavior towards other dogs when they are eating. This is probably causing stress for both dogs, so I would recommend feeding them in separate rooms or in their crates (if they are crate-trained) to avoid this problem :)

It sounds like resource guarding, which should always be taken seriously. Is it an option to put the cats away while Sinbad is eating? Or feed him in a kennel or separate room? I would worry about a kid (or child or adult) getting too close and him snapping at them. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/common-dog-behavior-issues/food-guarding

Mealtimes are a common trigger for aggression between dogs in the same household - this may be a resource guarding issue related to the food itself, or could be redirected aggression that is happening when Harvey gets excited and/or frustrated while waiting for his food. The simplest solution would be to put both dogs in separate rooms with the door closed (or in their crates, if they are crate-trained) prior to getting their dinner ready. Feed them in their separate areas (again, in different rooms with the door closed if possible - separate parts of the same room isn't enough), then let them out once they have both finished eating. Pick up the bowls and put them away afterwards to avoid any resource guarding issues with the empty bowls. If this doesn't help, or if you are interested in a more detailed training plan to work on this behavior over time, I would recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist. He/she can evaluate both dogs in person to hep determine what is causing this problem, and put together a detailed plan for you to work on the problem. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Many dogs experience resource guarding behavior, which leads them to become highly possessive over their food and/or prized toys or treats. The safest approach is to be sure that Freya and your puppy are separated in different rooms or crates while they have access to any food or treats. You can also contact a specialist in veterinary behavior (https://www.dacvb.org/) if this issue persists.