7 Month Puppy Resource Guarding Food Help
I’ve never made a Reddit post before, but I’m completely lost on what I should do from here and I desperately need help!!!
To explain- I have a Lab/Bloodhound female puppy mix. Shes almost 7 months, and about a week ago she started displaying food aggressive behaviors. I’ve heard food aggression is somewhat normal in dogs- but from what I’ve seen on YouTube videos she isn’t displaying typical food aggression behaviors.
She has always loved food and so excited for her meals. She already has a solid “Wait” and “Leave it” command and I’ve used those since she was little to try and prevent food aggression and resource guarding from starting.
She had one instance of biting me with no warning when I bent over to pick up a stick a month or two ago. (I have scars from it) After that I worked really hard with building trust so she knows that she’ll get something, or I’m going to throw it. (she love retrieving)
I’ve always traded with treats of high value so she knows I won’t try and snatch her food away for no reward.
A week and a half ago I got her first Rabies shot and she was sick throwing up. Shes been sick before and she eats much less when she’s not feeling well. So I didn’t think much of it. The day after her food bowl had ants so I whacked it outside a couple times before putting food in it. She still refused to eat while staring at me so I thought she still wasn’t feeling well and I put kibble in her crate for her to eat as she pleases and she ate it just fine. (she ended up eating everything after I let her out again an hour later) And later ate her food like normal in the evening so I thought she was fine. (She normally scarfs her food down very enthusiastically within a minute!)
Next morning rolls around and she wouldn’t eat again! She was just hard staring at me, and when I nudged her food bowl she jumped away from it. She appeared afraid of the bowl, but also me as well which really sucks. I think I scared her by banging her bowl outside. (it’s metal and she does get spooked around loud noises)
Jump to today, and she is now consistently growling and barking at me when I get close to her food bowl. She’s even tried snapping a few times. I keep a house leash on her at all times, so in those moments I tell her “Leave it” and “Crate” and she complies just fine with no issues. I knew that it was probably resource guarding, but the thing is- she’s not eating. She’s just standing over her food bowl staring at the food then staring at me like she wants me to do something. When I move far away from her food bowl she’ll follow me wherever I go and be normal again! But if I walk her back to the bowl she‘ll growl and stare at me with her hackles up.
So she won’t eat if I’m not there, because she wants to be around me- but if I’m there then she still won’t eat because she isn’t trusting me around her food.
For now, I’ve been hand feeding her chicken while she and I are around her food bowl. I’ll reward her while she’s eating as I’m around the area. And that was working for a day- but today she refused to eat entirely and just stared at my hand (that had the chicken) and when I wasn’t giving it to her after she was rotating between sitting and laying down she growled directly at me. I immediately told her “No” and “Crate” and she complied again, but honestly I was really distraught. I brought her outside to let some more energy out and when I came back inside I put her food bowl in her crate while she was in a “Wait”. She was back to her normal self as she ate in the crate, and inhaled her food with the usual enthusiasm I’m used too. I sat right by the crate and gave her lots of treats as she was eating again.
The difference in body language around her food bowl vs she’s a few steps away is night and day.
I’m posting here because I really, really need help. I absolutely love my dog to bits, but I really don’t know what to do at this point. I don’t have the funds to just hire a trainer to do the work for me- and every person I’ve watched online has a different approach to it, but the dogs they‘re working with will actually eat when the owner is a few steps away!!!
I don’t know if genetics is playing a role… The temperament of the mom is wonderful but the dad’s temperament is unknown. (random neighbor‘s dog) When I’ve talked with the family we got her from they have never had issues with their dog being aggressive. They were shocked when I showed them my arm scars from all the times she’s bitten me.
She is fearful in general and I try really hard to ease her into things, but the fear from her is so strong with eating around me. I don’t know how to help her.
I just am really stumped at how to help her overcome this. I’m trying not to freak out about it, but I’m scared. I’m willing to try anything. I don’t want to give her up, but I know if it gets worse I’ll feel scared to be around her. I want her to feel comfortable in my home and with me again. :(
Please help me understand how to help my dog!
Edit: I forgot to mention she is drinking water just fine! The water is right by her food bowl and they are the same material same bowl. She’s totally fine if I walk around her as she’s drinking. It’s just when she moves her head to eat she gets scared/aggressive!