My dog is food aggressive. How do I feed multiple dogs safely?

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.

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

Food aggression and resource guarding is common behavior and since she is young I think you could have good success with a little work. Your goal will be to make her think that your approach and eventually the other dogs' approach is a very good thing that results in treats. You should start by choosing a treat that will be even more appealing than her food, and tossing them in her bowl from a safe distance where she feels safe. If she seems comfortable with you close to the bowl you can stay close and put treats in the bowl when you are nearby. Eventually you want to try having your other dog nearby on a leash but at a distance where she is not threatened and then toss treats to her - you should gradually decrease the distance as she gets used to it. If you're having difficulty you should talk to your vet about referral to a behaviorist.

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.

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.

Food aggression is common, especially in dogs that have not been properly or adequately socialized. You can try gradually desensitizing her to the presence of other dogs during mealtime. Do this for very short periods of time, then gradually increase the time and decrease the distance. Correct any negative behavior immediately and praise/reward compliance consistently. If she gets too aggressive, separate her to prevent fights or injury. A pheromone product, such as the Adaptil collar, may help decrease any anxiety or aggression during mealtimes and other times.

If both dogs are in good body condition and not over- or underweight this may be fine. If not I would definitely recommend measuring food and feeding twice daily for a specified period of time. Food gets taken up if it isn't finished in about 15-30 minutes. If the female still tries to eat the male's food they may need to be separated for meals.