Growling* & Biting

We just got a puppy, 8 weeks old and has recently started growling and going to bite if you come near him when he's eating, is there something we can do?

Here's a picture of Toby our pyr, and oliver our newfoundland

Your puppy is resource guarding! And yes, there is something you can do. I'll find an article for you tomorrow and post it... (it's a bit later at the moment).

Vera

Yes definitely do something about it now, as he is young and still small. What I found worked for me personally was training both my dogs to let me take anything off them. I'd give them a bone, then a couple of minutes later attempt to take it off them again - if they did growl I would say no firmly. When I had the bone I would then praise them for being a good boy/girl and then give them the bone back after a few minutes.

If they took something they were not allowed to have I would again take it off them - saying 'no' if they growled, and then instead of giving them it back - id give them a treat.

Dont know whether this helps - but it definitely worked for me. :D

PS You have two gorgeous dogs. :D

Beautiful pair of dogs, are you ready for suggestions that you name then salt and pepper?
3 suggestions. As soon as possible get Toby to sit before he gets food. This helps establish you are in control of food. Second start by taking away thngs that are of low value that he does not defend and immediately give a small treat. Third if he gets dry food feed him a piece at a time by hand for part of his food. This helps bond and again shows you are in charge in a totally positive way. Tha hand feeding only needs to be done a few times and you can try doing it before most of his meal or if he is too excited feed him most of the meal and hold back some for hand feeding after. You can work on teachng Toby to take food nicely also.
Good luck
Larry

I agree with Larry above. These actions make sense and are similar to my dog's training of taking foood when she was a pupppy.