Resource guarding (also known as “possessive aggression”) happens when a dog exhibits behaviors such as growling, glaring, or lunging when they feel the food, people, or toys they view as high in value are threatened. Resource guarding dogs display these behaviors as warning signs.
Though resource guarding dogs may just be going off instinct, it’s a negative behavior that can lead to bigger problems over time if not resolved.
So, what does resource guarding really mean, why does it happen, and how can it be corrected?
What is Resource Guarding?
If your dog views you, its food or treats, or other favorite items as important to them, they feel the need to safeguard them. And if they feel harm may come to that object, their instinct is to protect it. This may be displayed as hovering over the item or giving warning growls – or worse, lunging and biting!
And I should point out that resource guarding is not breed-specific. It can occur in any dog breed.
Resource guarding dogs need to be taught that the behavior is not acceptable. There are preventative and training measures to help with this, which we’ll cover shortly.
Why Are Resource Guarding Dogs a Problem?
Resource guarding dogs do not want their space invaded or the item they’re protecting to be taken away. If the less obvious signs they’re displaying (such as hovering over the item or glaring) are ignored by the approaching person or animal, the guarding behaviors may intensify to growling, baring their teeth, or even biting.
If you have a resource guarding puppy, it’s best to address the issue quickly while they’re young and impressionable. But if it’s a dog that has developed resource guarding habits later in life, there are ways to address that as well.
Know the Signs of Resource Guarding
With resource guarding dogs, there are several signs that he or she may exhibit. Common resource guarding behaviors to be aware of are:
- Rigid body posture
- Leaning over the object
- Glaring
- Growling
- Using its body to block the object
- Running away with the object
- Refusing to release the object
- Rapidly eating when a “threat” approaches
- Baring teeth
- Barking
- Snapping
- Lunging
- Biting
The last two signs on the list, lunging and biting, are more aggressive forms of resource guarding.
Why is my Dog Resource Guarding?
So, why does resource guarding happen in the first place?
Let’s find out!
Guarding possessions against humans or other animals is normal behavior for dogs. In the wild, animals must protect their food, resources, and mates from other animals, and they are stronger, healthier, and higher ranked because of it. While this is a natural instinct for some dogs, in your home it is unwanted behavior.
Another motive for resource guarding begins when pups are just days old. They often have to compete with littermates for food, and the dogs who are the most driven and forceful are the ones who succeed in getting the most food. This behavior may continue as the dog gets older. But with time and training, resource guarding puppies can be taught that it’s not necessary to guard their food.
Let’s look at several other reasons a dog may resource guard.
A dog that resource guards its human can stem from a significantly strong bond that has formed between them, or from well-meaning pet parents trying to teach their dog to be protective when really the dog just becomes aggressive. There is such a thing as protection dogs, but those are highly trained animals who are also well-socialized and know when protection is needed and when it is not. Only professional trainers specializing in working dog breeds can truly train protection dogs the correct way.
Next up, if your dog’s toys are always accessible, he or she may end up feeling like they are in control of their stash, when they can play, and for how long.
And finally, if you notice a negative change in behavior in your senior dog, there could be an underlying health issue you’re not aware of. Dogs can experience stress from diseases such as heartworms or cancer, or discomfort from joint pain. And too much stress can lead to aggressive behaviors you’re not used to seeing.
It’s best to consult with your vet and have them perform a check-up on your pet. They may run bloodwork and other labs to rule out any health conditions.
How to Stop My Dog from Resource Guarding
Resource guarding behaviors do not typically resolve themselves. Oftentimes, if not corrected, it can escalate into more aggressive behaviors like biting. Resource guarding is usually correctable if you put in the time and effort, though a more severe case that involves biting may require assistance from a professional trainer.
It’s best to stop resource guarding before it even starts. By implementing preventative measures and positive training tactics early in a puppy’s life, you drastically decrease the chance of your dog developing these negative behaviors.
But if you already have a dog who is displaying the signs of resource guarding, there are steps you can take to correct the issue.
Resource Guarding Food or Toys
If resource guarding dogs are protective over their food, there are measures you can take to correct this.
- Sit near your dog but outside of its reaction zone while he or she eats a meal. The first couple of times, you don’t need to do anything but be near your dog.
- The next step would be to add a soothing voice while talking to your dog. This can be as simple as saying something like, “How’s your dinner, bud? Are you enjoying the food?” Have a one-sided conversation with him (I know I do that all the time anyway!).
- Next, you’ll want to occasionally toss a high-value treat to your dog until he or she finishes their meal, while continuing to work in that one-sided conversation. Continue to do this for another 5 meals (or until your dog seems more at ease with your presence).
- Once you feel your dog is getting more comfortable with you being near while they eat, repeat the steps above, but instead of tossing the treat lean in and place it about a foot away from your dog. This means your dog will have to reach for it, closing a bit of the distance between the two of you.
- Once step 4 has gotten easier on your dog, sit a little closer to your dog and how the treat in your hand. Success in this step is when the dog does take the treat from you.
- In this step, you will be sitting even closer to your dog and placing the treat in its bowl, while still talking in a soothing voice to your pup.
- The final step is to sit near your dog, but instead of putting the treat in its bowl, slowly take the food bowl, place the treat in it, and slowly return it to your dog. You should only take the bowl a few inches from your dog before returning it.
This will take patience but will be worth it to have your dog’s trust! Keep up the positive reinforcement even after your pup is ok with the final step.
If there is more than one person in your household, each person should follow these steps (at different times).
Important NOTE
Teaching your dog the “leave it” or “drop it” command is good for dogs who protect their toys. Instead of trying to take what your dog is protecting, offer it something of higher value so he or she willingly leaves what they were protecting. This is another lengthy training process, but it’s an extremely valuable command. The AKC does an excellent job of explaining the steps to take to train your dog to “leave it”.
If you’ve just brought home a new puppy who does not resource guard its food, you’ll want to hand-feed at least one meal a day (and use the other meal for training if possible). Talk to your puppy in that soothing voice we just discussed and eventually (and slowly) pet your dog as they eat when you feel they’re comfortable enough with it.
You can slowly phase out hand-feeding by introducing half of its food in a bowl and the other half in your hand. Once your dog eats exclusively from a bowl, surprise them every once in a while by dropping something of higher value (like a piece of beef or its favorite treat) into its bowl. This will continue to reinforce the positive association between you and your dog’s mealtime.
If you have children in the house, it’s critical they know not to mess with your dog or its food while it eats a meal or enjoys a chew snack.
Never take your dog’s food away as a joke or punishment. This can quickly lead to resource guarding.
Resource Guarding Owner
Sometimes a pet parent might not even realize their dog is resource guarding them until someone new enters the home and they’re greeted with snarls, barks, and lunging.
You’ll want to set up some staged scenarios to address this problem.
When you have a trusted friend or family member over, go into one room with your dog and have the other person slowly enter the room. They should not come close to your dog, but rather, toss a high-value treat in its direction and then leave the room. Have them repeat this several times.
The next time that person is at your house, have them start with the same tactics but end by standing 1-2 steps closer to your dog when throwing a treat (if your dog seems comfortable with that).
Eventually, with enough time and repetition, this person should be able to hand feed your dog a treat and finally coexist in the same room with you and your dog.
Remember that when you’re in public with your dog, it’s not a good idea to let strangers pet them so as not to get too close to you or invade their space. For positive reinforcement, have them toss your dog a treat and then walk away.
Conclusion
If a dog resource guards you, its food, toys, or other objects, don’t panic! Just know that with patience, training, positive reinforcement, and consistency, your dog can get back on the right path.
If the guarding ever escalates to biting, you’ll need to talk the situation over with your vet, and if necessary, enlist the help of a professional dog trainer. There are plenty out there who are experienced in this area!
Have you used any methods not mentioned in this article that have worked for your resource guarding dogs? Please do share in the comments as it may be helpful for other readers to hear about your experience!