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Our first, (and only) experience with Herc being aggressive with food was the first time we gave him a bone. When my hubby went near him he growled. My husband (being the Alpha) immediately took the bone away and spoke very sternly to him. We don't hit our dog, but he definitely knows who is boss. A firm voice tells him we mean business. After a while, hubby gave him the bone again, and after a few minutes, took it away again. (Keep in mind he was only a pup at the time, a few months old) When Herc didn't respond (growl, snap, etc.) he was praised up and down for being a good boy, and got to keep the bone. I guess we were lucky, he learned very quickly. We haven't had any problems since.
He is, however, quite possessive of his food/treats/toys with other dogs. From what I've read and heard from other dog owners, there is not much I can do about that, except to remove the triggers (the food) when other dogs are around. Keep in mind that dog agression and people agression are 2 different things.
I'm certainly no expert, for proper advice you should seek help from a pro (vet or behaviour therapist or trainer). This is what worked for us. As Herc is a very large dog, we had to enforce the rules very early on. People aggression is not acceptable. It can have only a bad outcome.
Good luck. Please keep us posted!
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