Chapter 2: Essential Safety Tips
Feeding Recommendation:
Feed your new dog in a room away from children and pets. Rescue dogs often had to fight for their food, which leads to resource guarding.
Why this matters for your new dog:
They need to learn that food is guaranteed and they don’t need to defend it. This takes time.
Why this matters for your resident dog:
Even if your resident dog has never shown food aggression, the presence of a new dog can trigger resource guarding in both dogs. Your resident dog may feel they need to protect their food from the newcomer, and the new dog may feel threatened by your dog’s presence near food. Separate feeding prevents both dogs from feeling anxious or competitive during meals.
This is not always the case, and resource guarding can go away with time when the dog learns they won’t have to fight for resources. Initially, it’s better for the safety of your household and both dogs to provide separate feeding spaces.