While your puppy is eating, be sure to pet them, talk to them, and touch them while they are eating. They may get annoyed with you at first, but if you keep doing this while they are eating, eventually they will be comfortable being touched and interacted with while they eat.
Some people are big advocates of conditioning your puppy to physical contact around food at a young age, to prevent aggressive behaviour later in life - whilst others strongly advice against going near your puppy or dog when they are eating, but to instead give them space.
Does your dog growl at you while he's eating? It can be quite unnerving to hear your dog retaliate in such a way, but it's actually fairly normal. Dogs can get very possessive of things, be it their favorite toy, preferred spot on the sofa, or in this context, their bowl of food.
Preventing Begging
The best way to get your dog to stop begging is to prevent them from being near you while you eat. You can confine your dog to another room or put them in their crate while you eat. If you want them to stay in the same room, you'll want to train them to find something else to do and to ignore you.
Using extra special yummy treats (usually chunks of meat) is important because you want the reward to be more special than the thing the dog typically guards. If the dog ever growls at you during this process, do not punish her – simply take note of how close you were and stay farther away next time.
Don't Punish Growling
You won't have done anything to address the underlying issue. For example, punishing your dog for growling in the presence of other dogs will stop the growling. However, your dog will still feel uncomfortable around other dogs.
Best case scenario if you growl at your dog — you'll get his attention because you've made a novel noise. Worst case scenario – you'll get bitten in the face. I used another example to illustrate the fact that growling at your dog is not only silly, but dangerous advice.
Don't touch a dog who is sleeping or eating, or chewing a toy. Stay away from a dog who is barking or growling, as well as one who is running loose without a guardian, behind a fence, in a vehicle, or tied up.
Some experts believe that the owner should eat in front of their dog and before the dog eats, as that is what an alpha of a pack would do to establish or maintain the respect of the other pack members.
Most dogs (and people!) don't like others messing with them when they're eating. Just like you wouldn't want someone to take your plate away before you've finished eating (or as you take your last mouthful!) make sure you give your dog time to finish and walk away before rushing in to clear up.
Don't push your dog over his tolerance threshold. Whatever you're doing, just stop. If your dog's growl threshold is near his bite threshold – that is, if there's not much time between his growl and his bite, get safe. If his growl doesn't mean a bite is imminent, stop what you're doing but stay where you are.
If you punish a growl with a reprimand, you are adding something unpleasant on top of an already unpleasant feeling, which will only make your dog feel worse. If instead, you teach your dog to look forward to the things he was previously afraid of, your dog will stop needing to growl! Happy Training!
Early-life bonding
As a result, dogs typically form strong, lifelong bonds with whoever feeds, plays, and generally cares for them most often during this critical time. In cases where the person they bonded with is no longer around, a dog may still show favoritism toward people that are similar to them.
Areas to Avoid
The genitals and anus are obvious areas to stay away from; dogs are protective of these areas just like humans. In general, other areas to avoid petting include the face, tail, feet, and legs. Hugging a dog should also be avoided unless you are certain the dog likes it.
Basically, if you're enjoying something, they'd like to enjoy it with you. Plus, their interest is almost always piqued when they see you sitting down with something that looks and smells more appetizing than the hard food in their bowl. Dogs also love human food for the same reasons we do - the taste!
Although your dog is not able to say “thank you”, know his or her actions speak louder than words. Keep in mind, the ways your dog shows gratitude is truly something for which you can be thankful.
Many dogs want to snuggle their owners after mealtime. Your dog likes to sleep with you.
Dogs stare at you while you eat because they want what you're eating. In the wild, dogs stare at the pack leader as he eats. This is how they let him know they are hungry and hope to get his scraps. You're the pack leader, and they are hoping you'll share your meal.
According to the experts, you should hold off from walking – or even vigorously playing with – your dog for least two hours after a larger meal. This is to reduce the risks of bloating and GDV, which is a potentially life-threatening condition especially prevalent in larger breeds.
Do not let the dog play or exercise (e.g. go for a walk) for at least two hours after having a meal. Ensure continuous fresh water is available to avoid your pet gulping down a large amount after eating.
A confident dog wanting you to move away will often deliver a low-pitched warning growl. His body will stiffen and the loose circular wag may become a stiff side-to-side motion. 2. A scared dog who really doesn't want to defend himself may make a high-pitched growl-bark to get you to move away from him.
Most dogs assume a neutral or submissive role toward people, but some dogs will challenge their owners for dominance. A dominant dog may stare, bark, growl, snap, or even bite when you give him a command or ask him to give up a toy, treat, or resting place.
Barking in your dog's face can be confusing, stressful, or even be seen as threatening. That confusion or frustration leads to big reactions such as your dog baring teeth or trying to get away, which can be seen in many of the viral videos.