Resource guarding in dogs is something that can be trained out of a dog with the right methods!
There are so many levels with resource guarding. Some dogs exhibit mild forms, but other dogs can be dangerous. Additionally, dogs may pick and choose what they resource guard and who they resource guard from.
As a dog trainer, I’ve helped lots of dog owners change the relationship they have with their dog in order to resolve resource guarding.
Resource Guarding in Dogs
What is resource guarding?
Resource guarding is a mindset a dog carries where the dog feels they have to protect things- and it could be anything! Resources can be food, toys, people, furniture.. even a floor board in the house.
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Dogs can exhibit resource guarding to different degrees. Some dogs are mild in their behavior, while others can be dangerous to other animals or people in the house or even their owners.
Because resource guarding is usually about resetting you and your dog’s relationship plus their relationship with resources, it’s recommended to work with a dog trainer who has experience with training dogs who resource guard. This is especially true if your dog is growling or exhibiting any aggressive behaviors through
Don’t have a dog trainer? Schedule a consult now to discuss a custom plan for you and your dog!
What causes resource guarding in dogs?
Your dog may develop resource guarding behaviors over time, or they may come from a shelter or rescue environment and already have developed resource guarding tendencies.
Symptoms of resource guarding can appear early in life, so building trust and a healthy bond with your puppy is the easiest way to avoid any problems with resource guarding.
Additionally, this is why the first few weeks with your new shelter dog being home are so important. From the moment you meet your dog, you are either conditioning them to trust you or to feel like they have to manage their resources.
Signs of resource guarding in dogs
Signs of guarding include:
- Plays keep away with any item
- Body blocking from other dogs
- Heightened state of anxiety around other dogs or people when the resource is available
- Chasing food frantically when it is dropped
- Eating quickly
- Reactivity or other aggressive tendencies
- Sensitivity to space
- If someone approaches, your dog…
- Becomes still and tense around the thing they’re protecting
- Raises their lip
- Nips
- Vocalizes
- Wags their tail to help break the tension. (Tail wags are not always a good thing)
- Shifts their weight toward the person or thing
- Going from chewing to a closed, tense mouth
- Giving a “Whale Eye” to the threat
A dog may not exhibit all of these symptoms, nor is this an exhaustive list of symptoms and signs that your dog is feeling like they have to control their resources.
Can you train away resource guarding?
Whatever your dog is guarding, it is important to focus on changing the relationshipw ith your dog and advocating for them to have peace when it comes to things they tend to guard.
So, whether or not your dog is guarding space, like the bed or furniture, starting to work with your dog on furniture will give you an understanding of how to start communicating and working with your dog, rather than against them.
Resource guarding in dogs food
Food and people are one of the most common things dogs tend to guard. These are also some of the more dangerous things for dogs to guard.
If your dog is resource guarding food it is important to manage the problem. This means making sure your dog never has an opportunity to practice guarding. You might need to crate your dog, hand feed, or utilize crates, gates and doorways to make sure your dog can feel peace when eating their food.
Dog Resource Guarding Human
When it comes to guarding humans, excusing your dog’s behavior as “they’re protecting me” is only okay if there is an actual threat. Other dogs, humans and animals in the house are not threats.
This is where it is most important for the human who the dog is guarding to change the relationship they have with that dog. You should be the one “checking IDs” and giving people permission to approach you, not your dog. Therefore, it is important to not allow your dog the opportunity to guard you.
You need to be mindful of your dog in your space. They should not be on your lap, or next to you on the couch (this is the most common place for your dog to practice resource guarding). And it’s especially important to teach your dog a “place” command so that you can give your dog instructions to move away from you if someone is approaching you.
Using a place command, you’re able to give your dog a different job (rather than guarding you). And you are the one making decisions about who is allowed in your space, not your dog.
How to stop resource guarding in dogs
Your dog doesn’t pay rent, cook or clean in the house. So, it’s absolutely fair for you to create boundaries and expectations when it comes to resource guarding.
Resource guarding is based in a scarcity and competitive mindset from your dog. What you need to do is change their mindset to one of abundance and trust that their needs will be met- and that YOU will make sure their needs are met.
1. Hand Feed Food
This is one of the simplest steps in teaching your dog that YOU are the giver of all good things. So, if it is safe, offer your dog their meals through work or through hand feeding them.
Related: 17 Indoor Dog Activities Guaranteed to Tire Any Dog
If they don’t take treats well, you can throw the food on the ground. In fact, the Focus Game is one of the best games to play with your dog who resource guards food (especially if you hold your treats behind your back!)
**Play with only one dog at a time**
Grab your free PDF of the focus game below!
The Focus Game : Training Exercise to Decrease Your Dog’s Distractability
2. Crate train or utilize management
A crate is a must for any dog who is resource guarding against other dogs or people in the house. A crate is a way to outsource your dog’s management so that they can stay safe, and others in the houes can feel safe.
Related: Crate Training a Rescue Dog | 5 Tips for Teaching Your Dog to Love the Crate
Additionally, it’s more important that your dog who is resource guarding utilizes a crate rather than the dog who is the victim of resource guarding. The dog who is in a trusting, abundant mindset, should not have to modify their lifestyle to accommodate a dog.
That being said, both dogs being crated is also a great idea.
A crate teaches a dog to self-sooth and can give them a sense of relief since they don’t have to protect anything.
If they start to resource guard their crate, utilize your obedience going in and out of the crate. Ask for a sit before going in and coming out. Leave the leash on in the crate so you can guide your dog out if needed.
It is not theirs to guard, it is your gift to them.
Dog resource guarding a favorite human being
It is so important for the person who is being resource guarded to participate in training. If they are resistant to training, this is a good indicator that there is a very unhealthy relationship between the dog and the person. It’s probably time to consult a professional dog training to discuss your dog’s individual case and the risks and benefits of training.
3. Learn your dog’s behavior
Your dog is not resource guarding out of no where or with no warning. Your dog has subtle behaviors that warn people and other dogs that they are uncomfortable.
These signs can be as subtle as going from loose to tense. They may stop chewing their food and become still, or even wag their tail at a low level to try to warn and ease tension before they bite.
Dog behavior is complex and unique, but dogs almost never do anything without telling you first. So, it is absolutely critical that you learn to tell when your dog is starting to feel tense, untrustworthy or uncomfortable.
4. Pick up resources
If your dog is guarding toys or food you need to pick them up! Have designated play time and meal time. Your dog should not have free access to anything that they are trying to guard.
Imagine having to be on high alert to guard for something 24/7- it can be quite stressful. Plus, YOU want to be the giver of all good things! Not the food bowl or the toy bin. YOU should be the one giving these things to your dog.
And in some cases, they’ll feel like they need to guard the toys or things from you! Don’t give your dog that opportunity or the anxiety.
Resource guarding in dogs bed
5. Restrict full access to the house
Even if your dog is not guarding the furniture, it’s important to demonstrate that there is a difference in control between you and your dog. YOU control the space in the house, not your dog.
So, start implementing “people only” sections of the house. And yes, your bed should be included in this one, and probably your furniture too.
This way your dog starts to learn that you control space, but won’t deprive him of his own space.
If this seems like a hard challenge, that is an indicator you and your dog need to implement these boundaries.
6. Work on leash work
This step is often one of the most overlooked steps, but arguably one of the most important.
Your dog’s resource guarding likely comes from a place of not feeling confident. So, take your dog out on walks and socialize them to all sorts of environments while also advocating for him.
Related: Loose Leash Dog Training in 4 Simple Steps
Teach your dog that he can rely on you when he’s feeling uncomfortable. Show him that YOU can help solve his problems and that you won’t make him do anything that is unsafe.
Teach him that even though he hears loud things or sees lots of people, there is no pressure to interact with them and he can look to you for security and guidance.
Related: How to Use a Slip Leash
Resource guarding in dogs toys
7. Call your dog away from something they are resource guarding before taking it.
Whenever your dog has something they shouldn’t have or are guarding something, it is so important to avoid taking something directly from them.
When you want or need to take something from your dog, their thought process should be “I’d love to give this to you” rather than, “I don’t trust giving this to you.”
Related: 21 Best Toys Your Dog Can’t Destroy in 5 Minutes
We need to train the dog to have a trusting abundant mindset with you, rather than a scarce competitive relationship with their resources.
You have two options when your dog is guarding:
1) Call them away from the thing. This might take some coordination. You’ll want to make sure that you have someone ready to take the thing once your dog’s attention is on something else. Don’t be sneaky with your mindset- be confident and calm. If your dog tries to take it back, don’t fight them. Fighting a dog for something will increase their competitive side, and increase the resource guarding.
2) Trade up. Offer your dog a trade. This might mean you offer a better treat, a more exciting toy, kibble from your hand, or to go outside. You can get creative with this, but you want your dog to be thinking about how great it would be to give something up!
How to stop resource guarding with other dogs
8. Practice utilizing space
Just because food falls on the ground doesn’t mean that it immediately becomes your dog’s property.
Dog’s primarily communicate with space. And it’s up to you to control the dogs in your house with your space in a way that makes sense to your dogs.
As long as it’s safe, and with only one dog at a time, practice dropping a treat behind you and blocking your dog from the food with your space. When your dog looks at you, you can reward them with a treat from your hand.
Do not let them have access to the food on the ground. The good things come from YOU. Not the ground.
Resource Guarding Training Obedience
9. Teach a place command
It’s been said before in this post, but I’ll say it again- it is so important to never take anything directly away from a dog that is resource guarding.
One way to do this is to utilize your obedience. If you can create good obedience commands, you can override your dog’s guarding behaviors with obedience. Then, you can safely take away the thing they are guarding.
A place command helps a dog develop impulse control and allows you to send them away from things.
When taught correctly, a place command can last up to 90 minutes and teaches a dog how to cope with their FOMO, how to self-sooth and how to use impulse control to get the things they want.
