Food Aggression

Not if you like your hand......
 
I'd start hand feeding this pupper and really controlling all the resources.  Also NILF is a great program.

Hello there []

There are well-established protocolls to desensitize dogs of that sort, aiming at reducing and eventually eliminating food guarding. The important point is to do small steps at a time. Here is one taken from Jean Donaldson's "The Culture Clash" (a book you should really get :>:

1. approach empty bowl, put small amounts of food in it, back off - repeat 10 times. (do this for a few days)
2. as in 1., but this time you pick up the empty bowl to put in the food
3. sit beside bowl; keep one hand on bowl, while the other keeps putting food into the bowl until the meal is fed
4. as in 3., with the difference that now his entire meal is added at once; one hand still on bowl, the other pets the dog while he eats; add nice bonuses every now and then to his meal while he eats
5. as in 4, only now the hand that holds the bowl is the one occasinally removed to add the bonus, then it goes back to hold the bowl
6. put food in bowl, put down bowl, back away. come back a moment later, add a bonus to the bowl, back away again - repeat ten times during a meal
7. as in 6, but now you pick up the bowl to add the bonus - again repeat 10 times during a meal
8. start at 1., now with a new person

Each step should be practiced a few days, until the dog fully accepts it. If at any point the dog shows the slightest sign of tension, back off to an easier step, and then work your way up from there again.

All this and much more (also in more detail of course) can be found, as I said, in Mrs Donaldson's fine book.

Hope that helps []

Jean Donaldson ~ Mine
Is the book your friend needs to read.
I'd also hand feed.

I agree with 2rotten.  That book is a great "resource"!  What you do not want to do is "test" your dog.  Follow Donaldson's protocol, go as slowly as you need to.
Keep in mind that dogs also guard other things beside food.  That's why it's called "resource guarding".  So, if you notice that the dog is testy about any other resource, seek help.

I think all the advice has been great.  I just wanted to add to make sure they are always careful around food at any time.  For example, DH has been growled at when he went to pick up a ice-cream sandwich wrapper that had fallen on the floor that Willow took. 

It's also important NOT to assume that a dog who doesn't mind someone taking his kibble will be that magnanimous about a piece of roast beef.

True Anne, or that if you can take something away that anyone can.  We learned that one the hard way too!

Hi, Pam again. I jsut read oneof the suggestions and it reminded me of  a step I fogot.
After the feeding in the hands bit, you hold the bowl in your hands and add a little at a
time and she eats out of the bowl in your hand. I knew there was another step but
until I read Polymathia I forgot it.
Pam