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food agression?

Miles, who is otherwise kind, gentile and friendly; sometime takes nips at me when I'm feeding him. Especially in the morning. Any ideas?

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Some things to try are pretending to eat the food before Miles is allowed to eat, which will show him that even though you're around the food, he'll still get to eat. You can also feed him from your hand first before you put the bowl on the floor. Also make him sit and stay as you put the bowl down.

Dogs usually do this when really hungry to defend their food from being taken away. This could be because another, bigger, dog took his food in the past or because a human starved him.

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Hand feeding each bite of food for a while or holding the bowl while you eat may help your dog understand that you are not trying to take his food. You could also start giving him half a bowl of food, and putting handfuls of the rest of his meal while he's eating or after he finishes the first half. Another idea would be to feed this dog somewhere like a closed room or a crate, so that nobody ever has to bother him while he eats. Nipping someone is a sign that he is insecure and may feel that his food is about to be taken from him. By showing that you aren't there to take his food or punish him, you will build his trust and confidence.

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It addition to the other comments, another suggestion after all of that is to toss treats from far away if you notice he gets stiff when you walk passed. Toss some treats or pieces of food at him as you walk past so he thinks of you as a positive when eating

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I had a dog with food aggression too! I worked with a trainer and it is now 100% better. Start with making the dog sit. Then slowly put the bowl dog, but do not let it go, continue to hold onto it as the dog eats. Pick the bowl back up periodically and make the dog sit again before returning it. If you can have someone help you it makes it easier, as they can leash the dog up, so if you remove the bowl and the dog lunges it is held back. This changed my dog completely

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You may want to try training him to sit and wait for the food before putting it down to feed him. Then pick up the bowl immediately after he's done eating. Don't let a dog graze feed because then they may try an always be on the defense to protect their food. If you aren't having much luck with that, you may want to reach out to a behavior specialist to see if they can help. Do you know the dog's past? Such as was he on the streets? Was he a rescue dog? Did he sty with mom and litter for enough time to learn from the other dogs and momma?

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Try putting the food in the bowl and putting it in a room before he goes in. You could also consider an automatic feeder or dispenser.