In case you have a dog that acts aggressively when it is time to eat, it is important that you train your dog how to relax around the food bowl and enjoy his meal. Any type of aggression like this could morph into more serious aggression problems and even lead to someone getting bit.

The watch signs of this type of aggression are very distinct and not all that uncommon. The aggression only shows up at mealtimes when the dog feels the urge to protect his food. Some dogs will display aggression over food towards people, while others will vent on a nearby dog.

If the aggression is directed towards other dogs, that means your dog feels the need to protect his food bowl, or the area near where he is fed, from the other dog. sometimes dogs get too worked up by nearby dogs to eat-they end up just trying to intimidate the other dog so much, they can’t concentrate on enjoying their meal. Some dogs even want to stop other dogs from eating their own meals-they want total control of the dining room.

Usually this problem can be solved with a little common sense. You should feed the dogs in completely different areas of your house, so the aggressive dog doesn’t feel threatened over his food supply. During the meal make sure the aggressive dog does not leave his area to bother the other dog, and vice versa. You need to make sure he eats his meal without distractions. In case your dog doesn’t eat all his meal, it is a good idea to remove the bowl of food and put it out of reach until his next mealtime. If you leave any uneaten food out, in either dog’s bowl, you are creating a situation that could lead to more aggressive behavior and you definitely want to put an end to that. Ideally a dog will finish its entire meal when it is served-this helps avoid eating disorders.

A second frequent type of dog aggression over food is when the dog is aggressive towards humans. Of course, this is something you cannot ignore, because it could lead to someone in your household getting bit. This problem can be solved by teaching the dog that you are the boss-the Alpha dog- of your relationship.

Correct your dog’s food aggression by first teaching him you are the one in complete control of the food source. You can do that by removing his food the moment he shows any aggression towards you. For instance, if you reach to move his food bowl and your dog growls at you to keep you away-immediately remove the bowl of food and put it somewhere out of his reach. He has lost his right to eat just now, because he growled at you. This demonstrates very clearly that you are the one that controls the food, not him. He will soon understand that if he behaves himself, he gets to eat, and if not, he doesn’t.

Another form of dog food aggression is when a dog snaps at someone’s fingers to get at the treat being offered. Don’t allow your dogs to snap at your fingers for their treats. Do not give your dog a treat unless he has stopped trying to snap for it. Snapping aggressively for a treat could easily cause a finger to get bitten. It is a better idea to offer the snack on the open palm of your hand instead of between your fingers where a dog may be tempted to snap. By doing this, the dog has to take the treat without snapping, and he will learn to be gentle.

You need to be the Alpha dog in your relationship, as it will lead to the bond of trust and confidence and respect that your dog will feel for you. Your dog must first understand that you are the boss before you will be able to solve his behavior problems. If  you notice that your dog has any type of aggression problem, you need to make sure he can be corrected through training, or those problems could lead to something dangerous happening.

I have many more articles on solving dog aggression issues and other types of problem solving at: http://BehaveDoggy.com.

While you are there, please read my complete review of the best on line dog training program: Secrets to Dog Training Review.

To get your copy of the best on line training guide, click here for Secrets to Dog Training.