Is it ok for a dog to growl at another dog when it comes near its food or is it just bad when they do it to a human?

Me being a smartazz, I'll answer the question with a solution.

Don't feed your dog with other dogs around. If you have multiple dogs, feed them in different locations and keep them there till everyone is done with the meal.


The lone behavior of food guarding doesn't indicate, to me, anything good or bad.

I was just wondering because my Akita mix will growl if another dog comes near his bowl but will back away from his bowl if I come near him. Should I punish him for being aggresive with other dogs or is it his right to growl at other dogs because it's his food?

Should I punish him for being aggresive with other dogs or is it his right to growl at other dogs because it's his food?


Hmmm, lets see if I can make this more clear.


Do not feed your dog when other dogs are around, period.

Don't give the dog any food whatsoever when there are other dogs around, thus you eliminate the possibility of the dog growling at all.

It is his right to be able to eat in peace, without other dogs around.


If, in the situation by no fault of my own, I would correct both dogs. The food thief would get it the worst.

I feed my dogs together, bowls about 3' apart and never have any problems. Interesting that your dog cringes and leaves his food when you get near. That's kind of weird. I can pull food right out of either of my dogs mouths, I can put my hand in their bowls and there is no problem (they just keep eating). And that's fine with me. They both calmly accept that I can do so if I want. Calm and secure is what I want in my dogs.

Sounds like your dog is afraid of you. And is alpha to your other dog. I think I would see if you can feed your dogs across the room from each other or something if you need to keep an eye on them and feed at the same time.

I never said my dog cringes when I go near him. He just stops eating and lets me take his bowl when I want it. He will go back to eating even if I'm still near.

Jenn wrote: "Sounds like your dog is afraid of you. And is alpha to your other dog. I think I would see if you can feed your dogs across the room from each other or something if you need to keep an eye on them and feed at the same time."


Don't do that. One, it isn't going to solve the problem. Two, there isn't any reason to push the issue.


Just because Jenn's pets can get along great at meal time, doesn't mean that all dogs do. . .nor do they have to.

Sorry I misunderstood your original posting Tanya and put in the 'cringing' part. Will still say that your dog appears to know you are the boss of him, and he is the boss of the other dog.

I do not free feed, pretty much put the food down and it gets eaten right away or put up. So not much exploring of one dog to anothers bowl (or to the cats!) is allowed. I still feel YOU can set up the boundaries for this by splitting up the feeding stations in the room. They may need to be further apart than 3', but still in the room. I hate having mealtime be a long drawn out drama, so I fill the bowls, put them down, usually do some dishes in the sink and when everyone is done with their bowls and wandering around, mealtime is over. If one of my dogs (the Lab) is crowding the other (the slower eating GSD) then it's me who steps in before any growling would occur to tell the Lab to back off.

It's quite clear in my home that you eat right away (or not at all) and that Mom is in charge of the bowls. Hey, it works for us and there are no fights. Think it's another situation that can be 'managed' by us to prevent it from even getting to the growling stage.

Do you have crates for your dogs? I only have one dog now, but had 2 up until last summer, and will be getting a pup in April. When I have more than one dog, they get fed in their crates. They should have their privacy while they are eating. I like don't allow my kids to run around, be obnoxious, take food from me while I am eating. I like to sit down and eat in peace. I treat my dogs the same way. They can be together afterward.

Why is it that you don't want to accept the KISS approach? Don't feed you dog around other dogs.

I started from a puppy doing the same thing Jenn did and can take place my hand in their bowl or whatever. Why because I can? Thats the way they are trained.

But you have a dog stuck in his way now, I'd try to let him eat in peace and keep the other dog away. Its all right for you to be alpha, but don't make your relationship tense by trying to make a big deal out of a mound hill. If I'd try to straighten anything out, I'd do like the Clown (his Avatar not the person) said keep it simple keep the other dog away or leash it for trying to invade the Akita space.

You can change this behavior, if you are a good trainer but you have to be careful you don't want to make it a fight you can't win, you'll lose your Alpha status and that could make you lose control period. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Try to be fair! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> But its your house, you rule.