Your dog is enjoying his new bone, and you notice it's time to take him outside. When you reach for his collar, he growls, maybe even baring his teeth or threatening to snap. You step back, shocked. He's usually so sweet! What changed?
Resource guarding is a general term used for aggression around items that a dog values. Sometimes termed toy or food possession, it can be very dangerous.
To understand what's happening in the dogs' mind, take a look back at their history.
In the wild, resources are limited: food, water, even interaction with other dogs. While the theory of a rigid social hierarchy has long been disproven, dogs will compete for control of certain resources. This depends on two factors: the value of the item, and the scarcity of it.
In their mind, they feel threatened by that resource potentially being taken away, and they are acting to defend themselves.
Given the shockingness of this behavior, it can be tempting to punish the dog for this behavior. However, that is the WRONG response. Why? Because the dog already feels defensive. Punishing him for telling you he feels that way will only make the problem worse. In fact, many dogs will simply escalate faster and won't warn you with a growl next time. They could go right to snapping.
Here's what you should do:
-For safety, limit his access to that resource. If he guards his food at dinner time, ensure he only eats in a crate or a room. Don't let him have that resource when there's a chance someone else could try to take it.
-If he's guarding his food from other dogs, separate the dogs at meal times, or when they are given special treats.
-Counter condition his response to his resource being approached- teach him that people coming up to him while he has his food is a good thing. A trainer should be contacted to teach you about this.
Above all else, call a trainer. Resource guarding can be complicated, and it requires an experienced hand, for everyone's safety. Counter conditioning relies on reading very subtle body language. Finally, no matter how well you know your dog, getting someone with fresh eyes into the situation will help you see things from a different angle.
The sooner you can get a trainer to help the situation, the better. The more chances they have to practice a behavior, the more ingrained it becomes, and the harder it is to fix.
I offer more information on resource guarding, and can do sessions virtually if distance is an issue. Reach out today if you want to help your dog with resource guarding!
Comments