How should we correct this dog behavior?

[pomtzu]

LOL, Carrie is a animal behaviorist from the UK and she is being very kind. Hi Carrie.

I don't doubt that she is kind. I wasn't being critical and sorry if I came across that way. It's just that the wording sounded like CM talking..........

[lizbud]

I don't doubt that she is kind. I wasn't being critical and sorry if I came across that way. It's just that the wording sounded like CM talking..........

Hey Ellie, you didn't say anything wrong at all.

[pomtzu]

Hey Ellie, you didn't say anything wrong at all.

Whew!!!!! I thought maybe I had opened mouth and inserted foot unintentionally. Wouldn't be the first time.

[carrie]

To be honest, without Lizbud, I would have taken your comment the wrong way - somebody a long while ago compared me to another behaviourist and I had a spent a very long time considering her problem, trying to figure out her dog's behaviour in relation to her attitude toward the dog. It upset me. It frustrated me and it, I admit it, insulted me! In retropesct maybe I should have taken it as a bit of a compliment. The person I was "following and repeating" is brilliant, does a good job and has a fantastic result in almost all cases I have heard her dealing with. BUT - we all have to keep up with research, we all have to be open to change, we all as behaviourists have to put each and every theory to our tests. Sometimes we all agree - there is evidence that you cannot disagree with. Sometimes we look at the data, test it and come up with different theories.
I'm so sorry that you have got stuck in the middle, you seem like a concerned and inquisitive owner and should be applauded for that. I stick with what I said though, give a dog food - that is his food. There are things you can train to fairly get the dog to back off from his food, there are ways to reduce food aggression BUT being fair and understanding reduces all risk - you gave it to the dog, it belongs to the dog.

[carrie]

And you said or did nothing wrong on this site xxx

[Cataholic]

Carrie- I wonder, though, how do you ward off fights/snaps/bites with food, say, at a large gathering, where maybe someone left a sandwhich on the table, and a small child walks towards the table, and the dog perceives that as a threat? Or, if you have- like I do- cats that regularly walk by the dog's food bowl? I wouldn't tolerate a food aggressive dog, even if the dog was "being right". I can't risk it. I have a child and lots of cats. Thankfully, my dog immediately backs off his food bowl, if a hand, cat, or the like goes near it.

I am not challenging you, I am seeking to understand your position better.