If he's doing it with pigs ears, I would simply stop giving them. Give something lower value.... when that is fine, then you can up the value again... etc (hope that makes sense). He's still a baby (isn't he?), so still learning. By giving/doing too much, too soon, we are setting them up for failure. Always try to set him up to succeed.

No but if you read.. I did say that only ONE day I corrected him for growling at me, he learned from me taking his food away Twice, that growling at me, or acting agressively resulted in me taking his dinner away. As I have done with an adult dog with severe seperation anxiety- it was how the behaviourist told me to. I wasn't telling him off.. But he loves his food.. therefore if he is going to do unwanted behaviour, he will get it removed, and rewarded by getting it back once he is calm.

From one day, twice doing this, he has stopped growling completely.

I Want to be able to take his food off him, go near him when he has pork strips, Without him reacting.

I want him to think it is completly normal for me and my family to be close and able to take things off him. Food does not belong to him, everything belongs to me.

I do also add food to his bowl but it is more taking things and being near him I want him used to as I said I have a small boy and although he has been taught not to pester the dogs, you can't predict them or be everywhere at once, so I want that peice of mind, knowing that from a very young age, the pup isn't going to react to Anyone near food.

As people have said, they think I am doing it right... I must have done something right, because he has never growled at me with foor, treat or toy once since.

xx

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Well, if that's the conclusion you reach then so be it. You can take or leave my advice. The fact that a 'puppy' has growled at you already around it's food bowl and he's still a puppy should be telling you something, but if you don't want to hear a better and more reliable way then that is your choice.

You are simply teaching him that things get taken away and you act aggressively towards him. He may well stop for now (or even for ever) but what tends to happen is that he avoids confrontation for a while, but if something even better comes along you will require an even harsher correction and then even harsher. Or someone else comes along that he doesn't associate with authority/ correction and he will do it again.

I will reiterate again, just in case you want to listen. Food aggression is different from any other form of aggression. Authority and being firm around food bowls may well cause a dog to avoid any confrontation around its food bowl but it won't make him comfortable when people are around, and this makes it risky as a dog like this can never be trusted 100%. On the other hand if you teach a dog that good things happen around the food bowl when people are there they will be relaxed and happy and it simply won't happen. My dogs actually stop eating and look eagerly at me (or anyone else) if I so much as bend down towards their bowls - as they have learnt that when a human comes near their food bowl good things happen.

I do remember being told not to take things away when they growl at you with possesion aggression because it is their natural warning and if you ignore their warning they may stop warning and go straight to the bite stage.

I have to say this made sense to me. I have to be super careful because Oscar is a golden cocker and they can be snappy (i have recently learnt ).

have tasty prefered treats on hand, so if you want to take something from him, you can "trade" with him, so its always a positive experience.

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"If the wolf is to survive, the wolf haters must be outnumbered. They must be outshouted, out financed, and out voted. Their narrow and biased attitude must be outweighed by an attitude based on an understanding of natural processes."
L David Mech

We have doomed the Wolf not for what it is, but for what we have deliberately and mistakenly perceived it to be..the mythologized epitome of a savage, ruthless killer..which is, in reality no more than a reflexed images of ourself." -Farley Mowat

Opps yeah, sorry- that's what I meant by praising him.. we are using food rewards for praise 99%of the time so he gets that it really is good.
And I did also say that I do add things to his bowl.

x

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good luck with him, hes gorgeous!

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"If the wolf is to survive, the wolf haters must be outnumbered. They must be outshouted, out financed, and out voted. Their narrow and biased attitude must be outweighed by an attitude based on an understanding of natural processes."
L David Mech

We have doomed the Wolf not for what it is, but for what we have deliberately and mistakenly perceived it to be..the mythologized epitome of a savage, ruthless killer..which is, in reality no more than a reflexed images of ourself." -Farley Mowat

Thanks
I was looking at some pics of your lot last night, they are gorgeous too

x

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Food Aggression should not be tolerated, lol it is a sign of obsessive compulsive behaviour meaning your dog is in an unbalanced state of mind.
Do not allow your dog to growl at you , or to interact with you in an aggressive manner.
Have you tried eating first , before feeding your dog , eat out of his bowl , place a bit of dried cracker onto top on a plate and let your dog watch you eat.

Place bowl on floor and make your dog sit whilst standing over the bowl walk one step backwards and then allow your dog to eat his food.
By doing this you are claiming the food , you letting him know you are the provider and he is privileged to able to have some food.

When you first try this and place the bowl on the floor your dog will try rushing to the bowl do not allow this only let him her eat when you say so .

There are additional methods you could try with this technique . Try this first and see how you progress.
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Good luck and Enjoy your dogs The Dog Master Lets Go Walkies

I love the idea of Jans book but in practice they don't relate very well into a busy house with children. (sorry i assume that is who you are quoting)

I found they did not have enough content in this area to satisfy me that my dog would not assume he was higher in the pack than the children as they really can't adhere to the 5 minute rule or ensure they go through a door first.

I do pretend to munch from his bowl and i get the children to do it too but i think the positive association makes more sense to me.