Wednesday, June 27, 2012

How to Overcome Food Possessiveness With Dog Obedience Training

By Mike Spit


When your dog is aggressive over food, snapping and snarling can explode anytime the food bowl hits the floor. Occasionally the target is you, and occasionally it is another dog in the household. In any case, it's a bad behavior that ought to be regarded seriously. Obedience training is a solution that offers a structured approach for correcting the underlying reasons.

It is important to realise how your dog thinks. Canines have developed to be social animals and live in packs. In the pack there's a hierarchy of order. The higher up dogs get first pick at the best food and sleeping areas. This creates a naturally competitive environment. In domesticated dogs, this instinct remains strong, but the human becomes the leader of the pack. Dog obedience training reinforces the natural and instinctual order of the pack.

In nature, the submissive dogs permit the more dominant ones to eat first. A dog who is aggressive over food could be challenging the social structure of the pack, confused about their role, or have developed deep seated fears about a lack of food. This isn't unusual in pets that are rescues, but it is also seen in puppies reaching adolescence.

Obedience coaching classes address corrective measures that not only stop this behaviour, but also improve a dog's general sense of emotional security thru communication.

Dogs communicate using body language. If your dog is aggressive over food, you may notice the hair stands up on his or her back, a decreased tail and head, flattened ears, and downward cast eyes. She may also vocalize with a low snarl. This is a clear threat they are considering biting. Never take the food bowl away when a dog is acting in this fashion. You'll actually fortify the negative emotions that are causing it and will end up with a dog that may bite you.




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