How to stop my unneutered bulldog's food aggression with my other dog?

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

Hi, it is a tricky and difficult situation. First neutering is not advisable at this stage as it could make the situation precipitate further. My advice is to seek help from a professional before the issues become established and get too difficult to tackle. The best person would be a certified behaviourist to whom your vet can refer you to. I know, I wish I could give you clear instructions on the forum and that everything could get better. The reality is you need someone on the ball, someone who goes through a lot of details and information about your pets and home and people in the household and formulate a personalised plan to tackle this issue. They are going to be there to support you along the way, and trust me it will be worthy ! Please don’t let this slip out of your hand, you can’t do everything on your own. I have witnessed several exasperated owners coming in on Sundays asking to have their pets euthanised because they could not cope with constantly having to monitor them or to keep them separated, there are options out there. It takes some work and commitment but they will pay back, in the interest of everyone involved. Thank you very much for reaching out and let us know how you get on !

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.

It's normal for dogs to be somewhat possessive over food and toys with other dogs, so without more information it's hard to say whether this is an issue or not. In many cases, it's easier to simply manage this issue by feeding the dogs separately and not giving high-value chew toys or other items that are likely to cause fights when the dogs are together. If you feel that the aggression is excessive (i.e., there have been injuries to the dogs, or he behaves this way over everything, rather than just food and high-value items), it is possible to work on the problem but this takes a lot of time and effort. The basic approach involves teaching him that having another dog nearby when he is eating means good things for him - often this is done by walking another dog nearby, feeding a treat, and moving the other dog away. It usually takes hands-on guidance from a professional to do this correctly, so if this is something you want to work on, I would strongly recommend getting in touch with a good reward-based trainer in your area.

I think you need to give them more time. Just keep separating them to eat - put them in completely separate rooms with the doors closed. Put the food down and leave the room. Leave the food down for 10 minutes and then go back in the rooms and pick up the food. Do this 3-4 times per day until you can get them eating twice a day. DO NOT say anything to the dogs when you put them in their rooms and give them the food. Anything you say can be construed by the dog as reinforcement for negative behavior. Ignoring the behavior is best. Make sure you give food that they really like - try canned food. NO people food.

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.

Until you are able to consult with a qualified trainer, I would advise feeding them separately. (Feed them in separate rooms, and pick up the food after 20-30 minutes if they don't eat it right away). Don't leave food out for "fair game" feeding. When the possibility of a fight over food is removed in this manner, it can alleviate stress for everyone. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!