Introduction

Resource guarding around food is one of the most common behavioural issues dog guardians face—often showing up as early as puppyhood. It can be confusing and even upsetting to see your dog growl, stiffen, or freeze when eating. But the truth is, food guarding is a very natural canine response—and one that can be gently unlearned with time, patience, and the right approach.

At Lola’s House, we believe that helping dogs feel safe, seen, and understood is the foundation of all good training. This blog post is part of our series on resource guarding in dogs, based on both our hands-on experience with dogs and our ongoing learning as trainers. Today’s focus: food guarding—why it happens, and how to resolve it with kindness and consistency.

What Is Food Guarding?

Food guarding is a form of resource guarding, where a dog feels anxious or threatened at the idea that their food might be taken away. The behaviour can include:

• Growling when approached while eating
• Freezing or stiffening over a food bowl
• Eating faster or hovering over food
• Snapping or biting if someone gets too close

It’s important to understand that these behaviours aren’t “bad.” They’re protective responses rooted in anxiety, not aggression. For many dogs, the message is simply: “Please don’t take this away from me.”

Why Does Food Guarding Happen?

Food guarding is often rooted in a dog’s early experiences. For example:

• Puppies fed from communal bowls may have learned that the fastest or most assertive pup eats the most.
• Dogs may have been interrupted or hovered over while eating, making them feel unsafe during meals.
• Dogs with unpredictable access to food may develop a scarcity mindset, fearing it could be taken at any moment.

Even if your dog has never gone hungry, food guarding can still appear. The perception of threat is what matters most—not the reality.

The good news? With a calm, consistent approach, dogs can learn that they are safe around food—and so are you.

Step 3: Feed Small, Frequent Meals

A great way to reduce food guarding is to reduce hunger-driven anxiety through smaller, more frequent meals. If you normally feed twice a day, try splitting the daily food into four or five mini-meals.

Why this works:

• It prevents your dog from becoming too hungry.
• It keeps mealtimes predictable and routine-based.
• It helps your dog build a sense of security around food access.

When your dog is well-fed and knows another meal is coming soon, they’re far less likely to feel the need to guard what’s in front of them.

Step 4: Start Desensitisation Training

Once your dog is feeling physically and emotionally safe around food, you can begin the gentle process of desensitising them to your presence during meals.

Desensitisation steps:

1. Feed your dog as normal, in a calm and quiet area.
2. Position yourself at a distance where your dog can see you, but isn’t reacting to your presence.
3. Stay neutral—avoid staring or moving toward the bowl.
4. If your dog remains relaxed, offer soft verbal praise and gently toss a high-value treat toward the bowl (or near it).
5. Over the course of a few days or weeks, gradually move closer—always working within your dog’s comfort zone.
6. Continue pairing your presence with calm praise and occasional food rewards. This helps your dog learn: “Humans near my bowl = good things happen.”

Go slowly. Watch your dog’s body language for signs of tension (freezing, hard eyes, lip licking, or whale eye). If you notice any of these, you’ve moved too close or too fast—take a step back and give them more space.

Important Do’s and Don’ts

DO:

• Use calm, gentle tones throughout training.
• Reward small wins—even just eating calmly while you’re nearby.
• Supervise high-value treats like bones or chews and provide them in a quiet, predictable setting.
• Pick up uneaten food or crumbs once your dog finishes—don’t leave high-value items lying around.

DON’T:

• Take food or toys directly from your dog’s mouth.
  This increases stress and teaches them that guarding works.
• Stand over or stare at your dog while they eat.
  This is often perceived as threatening, especially in dogs with existing anxiety.
• Rush the process.
  Moving too fast can damage the trust you’re trying to build.
• Leave large chews or bones lying around unsupervised.
  If your dog guards them, this creates unpredictable guarding situations.

What About Puppies?

If you’ve got a puppy, now is the perfect time to lay a solid foundation and prevent food guarding before it starts.

Prevention tips for puppies:

• Allow them to eat undisturbed—no reaching into their bowl “just to show you can.”
• Reward calm behaviour around food.
• Occasionally drop a bit of food into their bowl while they’re eating—so your presence becomes a positive cue.
• Begin working on a calm and reliable “drop” or “leave” command (more on this in future blog posts!).

By teaching your puppy that food isn’t something they need to guard, you’re setting them up for a lifetime of stress-free meals.

Final Thoughts: Build Trust First, Training Second

Helping a dog with food guarding isn’t about asserting dominance—it’s about creating a relationship built on trust, predictability, and understanding.

Here’s the progression we recommend:

1. Rule out hunger and meet their nutritional needs.
2. Create a calm, predictable feeding routine.
3. Respect their space during meals.
4. Slowly rebuild trust through desensitisation and positive reinforcement.
5. Never punish, rush, or force interactions around food.

With time, your dog will begin to relax. They’ll learn that food isn’t going to disappear, that you’re not a threat—and that meals can be a moment of calm, not conflict.

If you’re struggling with food guarding and want tailored help, feel free to reach out to us at lola@lolashouse.co.uk. We’re here to help you and your dog feel more confident, together.

To learn more about what we do at Lola's House, visit our homepage.