Resource Guarding - more than just food

I get a lot of emails from people about aggression. Either between dogs and humans or dogs and dogs. In many cases you can track it down to a resource. Especially between dogs. My own dog Jade will guard and fight over high value items with another dog. I'm working on it, but it's not really a surprise. They are dogs! Humans do not like to share or have their items stolen either.

Unfortunately, we tend to work with the food bowl and toys with dogs to make sure we can take it away without an issue. I see trainers teach it as a "leave it", "mine" or some other verbal command. That's fine, if everyone knows your "word". I teach a verbal leave it, but also teach the dog to respond to the universal sign that their item is about to be take...an open human hand. Jade will see my hand coming towards her food bowl or item, look up scoot back and wait. That way no matter who reaches for her food, she should respond the same way. I won't get into the details on how to do it. Email me and I will send you the info. It's easy, safe and can be done with most dogs. Your dog should voluntarily back up and leave an item alone if you reach for or your 2 year old niece.

This is where most people stop. I see fights between dogs when they are guarding their owners. I noticed this in a friends dog. The little corgie mix would do what I call the "casual cross" whenever another dog was about 4 feet from his owner. The owner was complete unaware of his actions until he growled or barked. I made her aware of his little cross, freeze and hard stare. At that point she interrupted the sequence and did a variety of actions. Noise, shooed the dog away, or left. Dogs can covet a space, item or even their owners. If another dog comes near or into this space a fight could happen. If your dog is a resource guarder with food, look for other items they covet. Teaching a dog to not resource guard is more about how you own the items and communicating to the dogs that they do not attempt to take items from other dogs in the house. you need to teach the dogs to share among themselves. That again, is whole other blog.

I am about to do that exact training with Jade so you will all get to see her progression. She used to do the attention hog and casual cross when she first arrived. She now knows if one of the shibas is getting love, she waits patiently for her turn- if it happens. Lot's of butt blocks and tethering!

Two paws up!

www.KcDogGuy.com

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