[zorro13]

Sadgirl: There are many ways to work a dog thru issues. But, since you stated you feel uneasy at times around him, granted he knows this as well. You already stated some food aggression type problems, what are the other situations where he growls at you and why? These need to be stated. Many times, posters describe dog behaviors but leave out their own behaviors and many times dog behavior comes because of owner's behaviors. Obedience training is always a good thing, but keep in mind, one can have an obedienced trained dog and still be dealing with these types of issues, so in-home manners need to be learned as well.

Starting with food aggression: Stop taking the bowl away. Instead, at times, you can drop some cheese, meat, treats, etc in the bowl creating a positive feeding environment while your dog is eating. Not knowing how bad he is with food, hand feeding his meal may be necessary as well, then to gradually putting the bowl down while still close by while the dog eats. Anytime you work thru issues you always want to work in your comfort zone, gradually increasing as you build your confidence.

I also can't tell fully actually what you are dealing with here, but you can work him a few times throughout your day giving some training lessons on lead. Always use treats and praise for positive behaviors. It may be he is bossing you around, you will need to change your behaviors and interactions with him. Instead of going to the dog, get in the habit of getting your dog to come to you and then rewarding for that. If he doesn't have a good recall, you can put him on a long lead and teach that in the backyard as well as in the house. You've had him for 3 months, does he have full rein in your home? If so, I would start crating him as well. Give him a structured day. If you can describe all situations, this would be more helpful.