Tonight, due to, we think, a mistake on our part (feeding then exercising in the garden straight after) Basil was sick on his bed. My first instinct was to get him out side in case he was sick again, and clean his bed. He initially moved off then turned back and started to eat it and when I immediately tried to stop him he growled and then snapped at me.
This is the first ever agressive display we've seen from him and are putting it down to him feeling unsettled at having been sick.
He then went outside, grabbed a piece of stale bread we'd put out for the birds and which had fallen off the bird table onto the lawn, and brought it back to his bed. When Jane tried to intercept him and get it off him he growled at her too.
Is this normal when they've been sick?
What is the best way to handle snapping/growling?
Does this mean he wants to be boss?

It doesn't matter to Browser that he brought up his food - his intention thereafter was clearly to eat it again, not uncommon in dogs which are sick through eating too fast for example.

You tried to stop him - he still wanted it so growled to defend his food.  This didn't stop you so he escalated his annoyance to a snap.  NB -  you'd already been warned by the growl not to take it!  Later you compounded the 'problem' by trying to remove the pilfered bread from him!  Message to dog - best I get more defensive around food because these people think my food can be taken by them!  Suddenly dog has, by his instincts, concluded that you are a threat around his food.

Most dogs hold food as their highest resource - they need it to survive.  They don't expect or accept that it should be 'stolen' from them - would you like to feel your meal was under threat from someone?

Food guarding is instinctive in dogs - to varying degrees of course.  You should train your dog that his food is not under threat from you - you PROVIDE his food, not STEAL it :)  Add things to his bowl but never remove his bowl from him.  In the instances of him eating something inappropriate, 'swap' it for a food item of higher value.  When he trusts you not to 'steal' his life source he will feel no need to guard it - with growl, stare or, as you've just experienced, escalating onto snapping.

regards, Teri

>Does this mean he wants to be boss?

It means he wants to eat the food without it being stolen.

I've only ever had a dog bring food back up through bolting food or exercising too close to eating (ie, not through illness), so, as gross as it may sound, I always let the dog eat it up again before cleaning the patch underneath it. (I really hope I'm not the only one that does this, now I've typed it!!! and I must add that if my dog was sick through illness I would discourage him from eating it).

As Teri has said, food is a valuble rescource to a dog and this goes for food that has been brought back up, it's perfectly natural for them to want to eat it, to them it's a meal, not a gross pile of mess that needs cleaning up :)

agree with above, just wanted to add that when mine was sick she ate it back down so fast you couldnt have moved it!

I let mine re eat it too mastifflover.

> I really hope I'm not the only one that does this, now I've typed it!!!

LOL, I do the same if its because they ate too fast. If they are ill then I find they don't, or won't, eat it again.