aggression towards me at dinner time

Question
Hi

I have got a english bull terrier 4 months old and for the last two weeks I have been trying! to take his food away from him to stop him getting possessive. at first I tried taking the food and restraining him but it didn't work  as he was getting too close to biting me! so now I have got a check chain and if he growls or goes mad I pull it back on him but he is so stubborn I feel really bad that I am hurting him! can you help

Answer
Mitchell -

Do not give him his food in a dish.

The first step is to make him calmly and politely take each piece of kibble out of your hand one at a time.

Once he can do that reliably for 4-5 meals, then you put out an empty dish, and he has to remain polite while you have your hand in the bottom of the dish feeding him kibble one piece at a time.

Once he has done that well for 4-5 meals, then you can start to put a little of him meal in the dish at a time, with your hand in there... Make sure to pull the dish away periodically and then give it right back... and expect him to remain polite

and gradually move to the dish having his whole meal, but you being able to take it away without any problem.  

If at any point he even looks at you funny, you go back to the prior step because you probably moved along the process too fast.

Now - this is very often indicative of a dog who is starting to push him luck all the way around and not just about food.  You really need to take him through an obedience class so you can learn how to best work with him.

In the meantime, please read through this article.  If you don't start expecting him to have manners now, he's not going to have any when he's older, bigger and stronger !

http://cairnrescue.com/docs/NILIF.pdf

Let me know how you make out

-Beth