Why are some dogs aggressive about food?

Resource guarding is a natural instinct with many animals including dogs.

There are different things you can do if you have a dog that is protective of his/her food. If its with humans, I would suggest to hand feed your dog for 1-2 weeks to help build the trust between your current dog and your family. They will learn that they don't have to be worried. I also believe in lots of treats.

Many wonder why I handle our pups while they are eating and this is why. They are used to be touched around their face, back, legs, etc, they aren't worried about losing their food. I do this because many of my pups go to homes with children.

I know when my son was little, he used to think it was funny to be on all fours with the dogs. My dogs were never worried about their food and no aggression was ever shown but that's not the case with some dogs. When you adopt an adult dog or purchase a pup from a questionable breeder, you don't know the condition in which they were raised. Much of this behavior most likely came pre-programed to be reactive before coming to your home. My goal is to make the puppies transition into your home as smooth as possible. This is why I handle my pups as much as I do, they see human interaction as a very positive thing in their life.