rottweiler.

Question
hi nancy,
i have a year old rottweiler whom i got from my friend a few months back...he was a strong puller when walking jumper when he came home but all that has changed.he walks with me on the lead without pulling.and i am sure that there are no threats to my position as alpha.he never had any problem me touching his food.i sometimes put my hands in his food bowl he doesn't complain.i touch him, stroke him he had no problems.but for the past two days things have changed suddenly.when i come near he growls barks..so i am bit afraid to go near.cant predict how he wil behave.moreover i started seeing him only now and not as a puppy and i feel  he may snap.how can i change this sudden behavior ?what lead to this sudden change or is he just protecting his food so that i dont take it away.(natural instinct) and i should just ignore it.?
please help me on this
yours sincerely,
karthik

Answer
Karthik,
It sounds like this is just over food so far, if you don't get a handle on this now, it will be over everything.  He does not respect you as the alpha.  Do you make him sit before he eats?  Do you eat first?  Does he sit before he is allowed to go out the door?  AND you walk out first?

Make him sit before you feed him, as you put the bowl down pick it back up before it hits the ground and if he has stayed in the sit position, praise him.  If he has gotten up he doesn't get the food.  Make him sit and stay again.  Teach him "leave it"  not to touch treats or food until you say it is ok.  You do this by putting him in a sit stay, put a treat on the floor and say "leave it".  Make it close enough to you that you can get it before he does if he doesn't listen.  When he listens and does leave it alone, pick it back up AND WITH THE OTHER HAND, GIVE HIM A BETTER TREAT THAN THE TREAT ON THE FLOOR.
You can use this when you feed him. too.  Tell him leave it when you put the plate down and make him wait until you say it is ok to go get it.

Now if this doesn't work, put a prong collar on him, put the plate down and if he growls pull him sharply away and say "NO"  Each time he growls he gets taken away, if he is quiet he can eat.

last but not least,,,feed outside, get a high pressure hose and when he growls, blast him in the face with the water.  When he backs off you go after him and keep spraying his face, all the while saying firmly "No Bite"
Try these things, if you are still afraid of him, then give him to someone who can handle him or call in a professional trainer.

nancy