Food Aggression
Hi everyone, I gave my 9-week-old puppy a little chew treat tonight. As I went up to pet him, he got really snappy and concerned about me. I know this is natural behavior as he came from a litter of 10 and I can imagine the competition was fierce! Any tips for this?
Laura Napier
I would recommend regularly interfering with your pup's eating and chewing on toys: petting him, touching the toy/food, taking it for a moment, etc. If they show teeth, growl, or get snappy, say NO and take away the item. I've done this with most of my dogs and they have all responded very well. It's best to do when they are puppies though. Every once in a while, if my dog is enjoying an extra special treat, she may show her teeth, but she will stop as soon as I tell her NO or Easy.