Mastiff Pup Food Protective

[GABBA]

I have an 8 week old Mastiff breed dog and he appears to be a little protective/dominant with his chicken necks, yet not with the Eukanuba dry puppy mix I give him. If for example I put my hand in his bowl with the dry mix in it he doesn't mind, he just eats around it. However if I give him a chicken neck and try to remove it from his mouth he becomes very protective, trying to escape, and keep away from me. However if I hold the chiken neck and let him eat it from my hand he doesn't see to mind, doesn't snatch or anything, just calmly eats it.

I'm not sure if this is the correct way to teach a pup not to be protective of his food (as in taking it away from him), it's just that he is a mastiff breed, so he is bound to be large and powerful, so the last thing I want is a food agressive dog.

It should be noted, that when he's trying to keep away from me, he doesn't growl or snap or anything like that. I try not to yell at him, so any help is appreciated.

[Cosmolo]

Instead of removing it, get some raw meat and while he is chewing on his bone, throw him some raw meat chunks each time you approach or walk past. He needs to see your presence while he has a bone as okay- not think you are always going to try to take it from him. With toys, start to teach a give command by exchanging the toys for food and then occassionally you can use this when he is chewing the bone- ask him to give at the same time that you throw a meat chunk down and initially still don't take the bone. (The reason why i say teach give with toys is because he is likely to find this easier to start with.)

[GABBA]

Thanks, I will give this a try. Although, he is not really possesiv of his toys (he's always up for a game of tug of war), but I can easily take them off him withou him trying to dominate and keep away from me. I'll give what you said a go anyway, just to teach him thr give command.

[Cosmolo]

It doesn't matter that he isn't possessive of his toys- in fact its perfect and thats why i'd use that as a first step to teaching give rather than the food he is already protecting.

[Nekhbet]

Puppies learn from litter mates to be slightly posessive. Also, if someone reached into your mouth when you had your favourite food wouldnt you grumble too?

Give him a pat when he has it and leave him be. The more you fiddle with the dog the more it thinks it has to guard the food. When you are giving him raw foods, start by giving small pieces by hand when he's being obedient, ie sit first and take it nicely. Cosmolo is right if you do want to take it off him for whatever reason have something just as good to offer to show the dog is not losing something for a reason he doesnt understand.