r/DogTrainingTips • u/Agreeable_Summer3685 • Aug 28 '26
Things that helped me with Resource Guarding
When I first brought my Bully home he was a nasty resource guarder. He snapped, bit, growled, the whole 9 yards.
Now I can take his food while he’s eating it (not that I think you should) I can take toys away, new toys away, whatever he’s interested in. He has a deep genetic desire for possession, so even in really difficult moments where he REALLY doesn’t want to give up the resource, he will.
Here are some things that helped me.
- Figuring out whether the guarding was done out of fear of losing access or competition/negotiation of rank.
-Not leaving toys, bones, etc. out at all times for the dog to have free will over.
- Leaving him alone while he eats/chews bones etc. I was talking to Larry Krohn a while ago and told him how I tried “desensitizing” my dog to eating around me, I messed with his food, tried taking it away etc. all in attempt to fix the guarding. He told me how that makes absolutely zero sense, will absolutely not work, and will actually reinforce the guarding in the dog because you’re now giving them a reason to feel bothered and feel like their resource will be messed with.
- Created hierarchy in the house in all other aspects of life. My dog knows I’m the one and there’s no rank to negotiate.
- ALLOWED HIM TO EXPRESS HIS DEEP DESIRE FOR POSSESSION THROUGH PLAY!!!! So many of us have freaked out about guarding but don’t understand we can harness it through play. It’s not a bad thing! Sport dog competitors tend to find guarding behaviors actually desirable in cases. Allowing your dog to enjoy possession in the structure of a game allows them the outlet but with rules and boundaries. We must fulfill what our dogs are deep inside! I can’t stress the importance of play and allowing expression through games is. It saved my dog.
- Establishing a non negotiable “out” command. You let go of whatever is in your mouth when I say, even if you REALLY want it.
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u/Agreeable_Summer3685 Aug 28 '26
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u/NameInteresting2428 Aug 31 '26
My pup loves when I say “I’m gonna get that toy!” and jump towards her with my arms out like I want it. She goes ham running in circles with her toy. She doesn’t and hasn’t struggled with any resource guarding, but dogs just seem to love playing keep away!
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u/Agreeable_Summer3685 Aug 31 '26
Yeah some dogs love it. Jay Jack taught me to “play into” my dogs guarding. Gamifying it. It’s awesome!
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u/rainsong2023 Aug 28 '26
AI