[alphabassettgrrl]

Boomer did some of that. He would guard his food bowl, wait until Penelope finished eating, then growl at her when she came near. I started taking his bowl away from him if he didn't eat when I told him he could. He stopped the guarding after only a time or two. I'd give it back to him after it was clear that I could and would take it again if he didn't behave.

He was the same way with rawhides. He would run away from me if he had one, so I started by walking up to him when he had one. Then when he was comfortable with that, I would scratch him while he guarded his rawhide. Then I progressed to touching it. I have taken things away from him, though I don't know if I'm taken food.

I've never backed off when he growls at me. Instead, I will do something like hold onto him until he stops growling. Like to touch his rawhide, he'll growl, and I'll stay there until he stops.

Teaching the dog a command like "drop it" is useful, too. You use something that they will willingly give up, and then reward them for doing so on command. Boomer knows "wait" and "leave it." Leave it is for things he is not going to be allowed, wait is for things he will be.

Avoidance of the issue may be had by feeding treats separately, or keeping them apart while they have the goodies.