Dogs and puppies can sometimes get very protective over their objects or food, and even their owners and territory, and this can lead to aggression.
To avoid aggression in puppies for objects and food, it is a great idea to condition your puppy to being touched and patted when eating or playing with a toy. Make dinner time a social time, by having someone sitting with the puppy, feeding it a few biscuits or even adding something to the bowl. If you’re confident your puppy is fine with this, get other family members and even visitors to do the same.
If your puppy growls or is protective of its food bowl, do not punish them, as this will only confirm you are a threat to them. If this occurs please speak to our trained staff regarding this issue.
*Note if you ever need to take food, or an object, away from your puppy for any reason, make sure you have something to exchange it for, as doing this without anything in return can cause future guarding or aggression.
Follow the advice for the correct socialisation and exposure for other kinds of aggression that you may experience. Remember reward your puppy when it is calm and relaxed in different situations, a lot of it is really just getting them to tolerate what’s happening around them.
For more help contact us
08 83238522 for Mclaren Vale ( ask for Lindsay or Kelly)
08 83703500 for Coromandel Valley ( ask for Michelle or Natasha)
