Hi, One of my girls was in season january time. After her season had finished she started guarding her food.

She is fine if I (or family memebers) take or go near the food. But if one of our other dogs go near the food she puts her head right over the bowl and growls. I had put my dogs in the crate whilst I was cleaning the kitchen and droped a piece of food just near the crate she got as close to the food as possible and growled.

Does anyone know how I can stop her guarding food? should I take the food away when she growls?

thanks

Dont take food away when she growls over it, or she will learn not to trust you near her food either.

Do the other dogs respect her warnings and avoid her when shes got food? If so, I wouldnt panic about it too much. The problem is probably caused by the change in hormones and a phantom pregnancy following her season (Im told all bitches have them but not all do so 'obviously'), which leads her to value her food far more.

Keep other dogs away from her when shes eating so she doesnt feel the need to practice this so often, because as we all know... practice makes perfect!

If shes guarding food from YOU, or guarding food and you dont want her to right there and then.... instead of removing teh food from her.... remove HER from the food... and do so by providing a much more interesting distraction/offer.

This takes the focus away from what shes guarding and isnt confrontational so you wont be backing her into a situation where she feels her only option is to snap or bite (last thing you want to do). Long term if shes getting guardy with a lot of stuff, teach her a really solid 'leave it', whereby 'leave it' comes to mean 'ive got something better' (start out with outright bribery, and slowly move the goalposts until she is sure you DO have something better, even ifyou dont have it in your hand right this second).

For guarding it from other dogs though, there isnt really any kind way you can stop her doing this, but to remove her need to guard it, by stopping other dogs being close to her. It is after all, her food and shes got every right to want to eat it unmolested!

I think she just letting the others know that she wants her own food and who can blame her.

I feed my two at different sides of the kitchen, they will share certain things such as treats that drop onto the floor, but Henry finishes his food really quickly and then tries to take Jasper's, which would be ok if Jasper doesn't want it, but most of the time he does and he will growl if Henry gets too close to his bowl.

As long as you can take food from her if necessary then that is what is important.

my four dogs eat together and they all wait tell everyone has finished before checking each others bowls, i prefer it this way as there is no aggression. So i would in my own opinion when she growls at another of your dogs near food, say hey or no, do not let the other dog steal her food, but let her know you are in charge by controlling the situation and then the dogs will learn to eat nicely together, and like it has been said she has just finished a season so her hormones are mixed, but nip growling in the bud now

I have 4 dogs that eat very close to one another. They could touch one another if they wanted to. I also have a 'growler'. No-one dare go into her bowl until she is finished. Then it's a free for all ;-) They all have a quick lick and then move on to another bowl without a grumble. I tell the others to leave her alone. After all, it is her bowl, and her food. They now look at her before looking at me, just to make sure I'm watching (or hoping I'm not maybe :-) )

We do have one dog that does not ignore her growls. I never leave them alone whilst eating (and did think I might start feeding them in seperate rooms).

Thank you for all the replies I'm going to have a good read though now.

I have three dogs and they get fed in separate places, i've always done this but for no other reason than i think if a dog is going to be aggressive then it's usually about food so why take the chance.
i can touch any of their food or bowls but i rarely do as why would you want to. it's best just to let them have time and space to eat and then remove the bowls when they walk away. if they know their food is never in danger of being stolen they don't tend to get silly over it.  

bear i do just the same and never have a problem and i have 8 dogs 

If Whistler leaves any Jake always checks with OH or i before polishing off the remainder and shining the bowl. Whistler stopped eating with Jake in the room so one is fed inside and one out no problems now.