My puppy growls over treats. Is it aggression or play? How to stop?

Question

I am noticing some food aggression in my puppy. She got cow tail chew treat from the pet store and she laid down on the floor to chew on so i tried to take her treat away she growled and barked at me. She usually doesn’t act this way when we are at home. She lets me touch her bully stick and her pig ears. I even hold her bull stick so she can chew. This type of behavior happened twice. When we play tug of wars she sometimes growl is that aggression or playing? How can stop this behavior? Pet's info: Dog | Rat Terrier | Female | spayed | 4 months and 29 days old | 14 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Hi there. Resource guarding is a very common (and normal, to some extent!) behavior in dogs. Do not try to take high-value treats away from her while she is chewing them, as this will only teach her to be anxious and on guard whenever you approach. Instead, leave her alone to chew them in peace. You can also practice walking up to her while she is chewing on something, dropping a tasty treat like a piece of cheese or a hot dog slice, and walking away without bothering her. This way, she learns that having you approach her when she has a "treasure" is a good thing, and not a threat! If this behavior escalates over time instead of getting better, then I would recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist or a good reward-based trainer who can evaluate her in person and help you put together a training plan to address it. Play growling during tug of war is normal, and it not typically a cause for concern.

My puppy growls over treats. Is it aggression or play? How to stop?

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