[SABELLESMOM]

Well have you tried just catching her in her growl and telling her to "Knock it off?" Or is she past that stage? Is this more or less a new development in her behavior?

You said she was 7, now. I would be curious if her eyesight might be becomming a problem for her. Sometimes older dogs get wary when they begin to loose vision, but most particularly peripheral vision.

If that's the case, I'd consider feeding her in her crate with the door shut. And I'd still be telling her to knock it off, because that's just me. I don't like it and I won't have it. But the crate keeps her from taking it a step further.

I've never allowed any growling to go unmentioned in my home. I feed all dogs at the same time in the same room. From the time they were pups, I never allowed even the slightest hint of this starting to rear it's ugly head. I have adults who mind their own business and eat their own food in peace.

My rescue (now 13) is having hearing and vision difficulties. (when he first came he did have food issues, but was taught how to behave...)The girls came as pups and he's never since growled about food, I have to take his situation into consideration. Preventatively, I just recently began feeding him in a crate, but still in the same room.