Food aggression around other dogs, but not humans.

My Coke will snark (growl and/or snap) if another dog gets in his face while he has something high value.  Dog food doesn't really matter, I often feed my dogs by throwing the food all over the carpet or out in the yard and there's no fights.  It's the special stuff like a stuffed kong, marrow bone, licking a human's plate, etc.  Honestly, I don't really make anything of it.  I don't want other people/dogs in my face while I'm eating either.  If I give high value stuff, everyone gets it and they all are in their own space or in their crates.  Even if they didn't care this is still how I would feed.  It's one of those things that's just far easier and safer to manage than try to modify the behavior.

How is he if there are no items of value about?  Since he'd be with you temporarily I'd be inclined to just restrict chewies and treats for times when the dogs can be separated from each other.

All my dogs eat in their crates to avoid thefts and we only give out high value stuff when Z and Maggie are in different rooms since recently Maggie has gotten touchier about any attempts at sharing by Z.

 Preventive measures is probably the only thing you're going to be able to do. That is; pick up all the toys and bones, only give treats when they are safely separated, etc. A resource guarder like that can be managed.

Adding to all the above; especially since you have 3 months before he goes.  Practice NILIF daily with the houseguest...so that he knows that YOU are the one in charge.  You are the one who divvies out the goodies.  You will be the one to structure and police.

I feed all of mine together.  They are all lined up in a row (basically).  They have their specific spots.  Buddy in the middle and the other two as bookends.  Feeding time is strictly routine.  I put up any toys on the ground.  They all wait patiently (that just comes with time and routine).  When bowls are ready...I say so.  "ok, ready to eat?"  I get in my spot, they all get in theirs (basically...its not perfection).  I wait for everybuddy to sit (by this time, its just routine...i don't need to say it).  Then, they each get their bowl.

Supervising was a must (not so much anymore...but I still do for the most part).  No one gets into anyone elses bowl.  If someone walks towards it; I don't make a fuss...I simply walk over and be the barrier and scoot them back to their bowl.  They get it, by now.

Offerring treats is basically the same way....everybody lines up, they sit...and each one gets a treat.  A lot of times they get frozen orange slices as treats after meals.  So, we go roundrobin...then when I'm done...I say "enough" and they go on their way.

Having said all this, mine are a family, a cohesive pack, but wanted to offer a different perspective.  You will have a different dynamic.  But, I think it will be most important to show the houseguest that you are the "top dog."  Whether you keep them separated or not.

 With three large dogs that aren't going to have to live together forever, I'd feed them in crates. I've had Jewel for two months, now, and have JUST started to integrate her at low value treat time. She gets berries and boring biscuits with the other dogs, but they do not share meal times or higher value chewies, yet. Things can become explosive, VERY quickly, in a pack, with two dogs piling on one. It's dangerous for the humans involved, and can be VERY dangerous for the dogs. Seperating is safe.

One other thing to consider is that even though your dogs are passive now, things can change when a new dog comes into the picture.  Right now I have a puppy and my dogs have all been a little edgy about their space, their crates, their toys, etc for the first few days.  No real aggression, but, it's a big change and even the resident dogs will need to adjust.  So for their own sake I would feed the new dog.  The last thing you want is an incident caused by the outsider dog in your own dogs' home. 

My rule is that no new dog gets to inconvenience the current dogs.  So, that means my three dogs get to eat, sleep, and play like normal.  The puppy eats in her pen.  She's not allowed to run around grabbing kibbles from everyone else's crates or bowls.  She doesn't need to get snarked at and my dogs don't need a puppy constantly pestering them.  The new dog always has limited freedoms and privileges and slowly earns them over time.  The current dogs do not lose freedom to accommodate the new dog.

Hi Stardog!

When no items of value are present...the dogs love to play...even rough-house with no issues.  They're very playful...and place nicely with them each switching who is on top of bottom of the rough-house pile (not sure how to properly describe it), but they are very gentle...it's just with the food, which is what I was hoping might give me a little bit of lee-way with teaching Mack to calm down with his aggression.

I also agree that Mack should not inconvenience my dogs...and that's most likely how it will have to be.  I think I will try to somewhat tone it down...as a sort of gift to my brother in case he ever wants to get another dog.

Thanks everyone!  I'm going to try each and every suggestion...and as a lot of you said...it might just mean taking the toys/chews away...crating/separating...etc.

Thanks again!

Claire

My dog has issues with food aggression - with other dogs only.

The best way I've found to 'fix' this - is to simply manage it. I do not feed him with other dogs. They can be in the same room - but one is in a crate - the other is up on the bed, or in another corner. It's not worth it, to me, to risk a fight in order to feed dogs together. 

Bones and toys - he could care less about, those aren't an issue....

Food aggression towards other animals is pretty common in dogs. My own personal dog gets uncomfortable and snarky when other dogs pester him when he has something of high value, and it's a pretty common issue! If you read the book Mine! by Jean Donaldson she explains why possession aggression is so common (and also walks through the steps of how to treat it).

Personally, I'd go for a strict management/supervision method. Anything of value, treats, toys, food, bones, chews, etc., are all given to the dogs while they are completely separated, either by a door or by crate. I always separate my dogs into different rooms when fed and when given treats. To me it's just common sense and I do even do it when the dogs that have never displayed any possession aggression towards other dogs.

Second all recommendations for feeding in the crate. I feed my two in their kennel runs in the basement. Neither is ever allowed to go into the other's kennel. Neither is let out until both are done.

Since I started that routine, there's been no stress over food. Each dog is secure that her food is safe and she won't be bothered. Kibble time is happy-happy time.

A resource guarding dog is stressed. Stress adds up and affects your other dogs, I happen to know -- we had to adopt out a dearly loved dog because we had mismanaged food aggression and resource guarding. You can really knock your whole pack out of balance if you try managing it with all the dogs fed in the same room. Body blocking was not enough for us. Even feeding in separate rooms didn't work, because the dog would then defend the entire room after he'd eaten. For committed guarders like we had, the presence of other dogs in the room is enough to keep them boiling. The way to tech the dog that her food is secure and safe is to make it absolutely secure and safe, e.g. in the crate.

Note, though: Don't let the other dogs even in the room when your guest is eating. Keep the crate locked when she's not using it, and preferably don't even let the other ones near it. I would feed her in a room that you all don't normally frequent, like the garage.

tenna

Food aggression towards other animals is pretty common in dogs. My own personal dog gets uncomfortable and snarky when other dogs pester him when he has something of high value, and it's a pretty common issue! If you read the book Mine! by Jean Donaldson she explains why possession aggression is so common (and also walks through the steps of how to treat it).

Personally, I'd go for a strict management/supervision method. Anything of value, treats, toys, food, bones, chews, etc., are all given to the dogs while they are completely separated, either by a door or by crate. I always separate my dogs into different rooms when fed and when given treats. To me it's just common sense and I do even do it when the dogs that have never displayed any possession aggression towards other dogs.

Glad you mentioned the prevention aspect.  I also separate my dogs whether or not they have ever displayed possession aggression.  I don't know why there is such a desire on the part of humans to force dogs into situations that are unnecessarily dangerous in the name of sharing:-)

 We had a dog before who is also like that, She was so sweet and cuddly, but hell hath no fury if a fellow dog just looks at her or go near her when eating, she would start saying "grrrrrr"

She also used to dig a hole and bury her bone and then she gets angry when the other dogs will go near it. You think she will forget it? No, I caught her several times at different occasions digging the bones up again and just playing with it.

I guess it is just normal for some dogs to be more territorial than others.

Best thing is separate her and the rest when eating.