Resource Guarding: Signs, Triggers and Treatment
Two years ago, I saw a side of Denzel I never thought possible. While we have dealt with dog reactivity problems in the past, he has never displayed any negative behaviours towards a human being. That was until a lovely summer's day after a long walk, I had picked up some new bones for them to try (beef kneecap I believe). The paper bag comes out of the treat cupboard, mouths are drooling, tails are wagging, everything is right in the world... Until I gave the bone to Denzel. He has had a plethora of treats and chews throughout the years, but this bone ignited a fire in him that I had hoped and prayed I would never see. His whole body tensed up, eyes wide, fur raised.. He took the bone to his bed and lay over it, shaking, drooling, and staring at me sideways as if to say, "Don't. You. Dare. Woman."
My response? "Ahhhhhhh shoot." (I didn't say shoot)
It's a look many a dog trainer and owner are familiar with, and boy is it ever unpleasant. Denzel was going back to school... AGAIN. In puppyhood, Denzel was a ferocious eater as a result of being the only dog in the litter. He tried to bully Kupo out of toys and food, so I was relatively well prepared for this incident. We had done a fair amount of work to prevent resource guarding as I felt if anyone was going to develop a problem, it would be Denzel! Thankfully because of this preparation, we were able to work through the kinks pretty swiftly to a point where he will graciously give up any treat or bone without argument - although I make sure never to abuse that privilege!
Even if your dog has never guarded before, you never know what your dog will decide is the absolute bees knees, or when it will happen. You don't know if/when your dog is going to pick up a dead bird out on a walk and decide that THIS IS THE ONE - and you've got no steak or roast chicken to get the gross old thing out of his mouth. For us, it was a live mouse Denzel found in our new house.. I had never seen him so proud of himself than throwing that poor mouse around the kitchen. Thankfully, after appropriate training, I could easily retrieve his prized possession (RIP Mickey 2016). This is why I think it's absolutely crucial that dog owners know about and understand resource guarding - how to prepare for it, and how to deal with it if you ever find yourself in a stand off with your dog and his new found favourite treat.
What is resource guarding?
Resource guarding is the display of a negative behaviour intended to ward off or deter a person (or fellow animal) from a highly valued object. The valued object can be anything from a high reward toy, chew or bone, to a person, even an area such as a bed or sofa. These are common household items to be guarded, but it can happen with anything your dog values. These negative signs can range from a stiff body and wide eyed stare to a growl or bared teeth, and at its peak can result in a lunge, snap, bite or attack. The severity of the reaction is usually associated with proximity to the treat (ie. the closer you get, the worse the reaction) - so if you see when you're 6 feet away from your pup he's tensing up, get yourself ready emotionally and physically and do not proceed any closer just yet.
What causes resource guarding?
Honest answer - we're not quite sure yet. From the limited literature available, it would appear that both genetics and environmental factors can affect the likelihood of resource guarding. However, it's a little difficult to pinpoint a gene for "aggression" in this case given resource guarding can be seen in dogs with no previous reactivity issues. A large component can be due to litter size, motherly supervision and learning within the litter, and lifelong training from both the breeder and owner all affecting a dog's tolerance and threshold for reactivity (for more info on aggression and resource guarding studies - check out the papers listed at the end of the post). If you want a definitive answer, I will happily accept funding to investigate further into the genetic basis of resource guarding (get at me NSERC!).
While genetics can be controlled through selective breeding (non-resource guarding mom + non-resource guarding dad = higher chance of a non-resource guarding puppy) the best chance we have as owners at decreasing episodes of resource guarding is through some effective classical conditioning and desensitization.. But first, many dog owners need an attitude change towards dogs and their possessions.
Many owners feel, quite rightly so, that resource guarding is a completely unacceptable behaviour for their dog to exhibit. When it comes to dog-dog guarding, depending on severity, it can be a fairly normal behaviour. For me I don't mind Kupo giving a small, controlled growl to let Denzel know to back down. It's all about how good your dogs are at communicating their feelings without conflict. Denzel will either back down and appease Kupo, or run to the window, bark, and sneak in to steal the toy. Option A is much more preferable for me than Option B. Between dogs, it becomes unacceptable when the dogs are becoming increasingly wary of each other around toys, treats etc, or the situation ever escalates past a "back off, please".
A slightly more concerning situation for owners is when the growls and snaps are directed towards them. One thing I want you to remember is that even if your dog does growl at you - it doesn't mean he's a bad dog. He's not necessarily reactive, or aggressive, he is trying to communicate that if you come closer you are going to make him even more uncomfortable. My pet peeve, and I want to shake the living daylights out of anyone who says this, is people thinking that they have the dog-given right to take whatever they like from their dog at any point they deem necessary. Taking away your dog's food bowl "just because you can" doesn't make you an alpha, or dominant, or Cesar Milan, or any other bogus label we humans like to use - it makes you an a-hole, so on behalf of dog's across the province, please stop it. This is one of the biggest factors that can make a resource guarding dog escalate to the point where a human could be in danger - the dog has given a growl letting its owner know it's uncomfortable and doesn't want to give up the toy. The owner responds by scolding the dog, taking the toy away, and ignoring the dog for the foreseeable future. So now not only did you punish the dog by getting mad, you also took the one thing it really wanted. It's a lose-lose situation for the dog, and next time your dog could up his game to make sure that this time you're not getting the toy back!
What should you do if your dog starts to resource guard?
In the heat of the moment, it's easy to get scared or mad at your dog. It's not pleasant being growled at, but I'd much prefer that than getting bitten. If you find yourself in the position where your dog is guarding something he has been given or found, follow these steps:
1. Heed the warning growl. Remember, a growl is a blessing in disguise. Don't approach the dog, or force the treat/toy/sock away from him.
2. Find something of a much greater value. Food scraps, steak, cooked chicken, liver bites - anything that your dog enormously values.
3. Encourage the dog to come away from the item he's guarding in order to receive your yummy distraction.
4. Once away from the guarded item, lead your dog into another room for a moment while you retrieve the guarded item and put it away.
5. Play a fun game with your dog for a few minutes to diffuse the tension and resume life as normal.
6. Contact a trainer ASAP.
If you have children, I highly recommend removing them from the situation before attempting to retrieve the guarded item. Better safe than sorry! In a study of of 111 dog bites on children reported to a veterinary behaviour clinic in the USA, 44% were bitten in association with resource guarding (Reisner et al., 2007). I'd love to avoid that for any family, so remember to always supervise children around dogs especially when there are toys and chews around.
How can a trainer help?
A trainer will help you identify the triggers and situations in which your dog is resource guarding. For most people, it takes an episode like the ones described above in order to seek help, but a professional trainer familiar with dog body language can help identify subtle cues the dog is giving that may be missed by the owner. A trainer can lead you through exercises designed to retrain the dog's brain - the key here isn't teaching the dog to respond to a specific command (although "Leave It" and "Drop It" can come in very handy!) - what you're aiming for is modifying how they perceive people and other animals approaching their "prized possession". Through lots of classical conditioning and desensitization exercises, it's possible to get your dog excited about you approaching, rather than fearful of what they are about to lose.
Whether your dog is guarding around humans or another animal, it's crucial that you enlist professional help to work with your dog. Avoidance isn't a long term solution for resource guarding - some owners will kennel or separate their dogs because meal time is traumatic, which can work in the short term but doesn't prepare you or your dog for a situation where a food scrap is dropped in the kitchen between two dogs, or an emergency that could put your dog in danger if you can't safely retrieve their prize.
___________________________________________________________________________
Some light reading:
Reisner, Shofer & Nance (2007) Behavioural Assessment of child-directed canine aggression.
Luescher & Reisner (2008) Canine Aggression Toward Familiar People: A New Look at an Old Problem.
Liinamo, van den Berg, Leegwater, Schilder, van Arendonk, van Oost (2007) Genetic variation in aggression-related traits in Golden Retriever dogs.
My response? "Ahhhhhhh shoot." (I didn't say shoot)
It's a look many a dog trainer and owner are familiar with, and boy is it ever unpleasant. Denzel was going back to school... AGAIN. In puppyhood, Denzel was a ferocious eater as a result of being the only dog in the litter. He tried to bully Kupo out of toys and food, so I was relatively well prepared for this incident. We had done a fair amount of work to prevent resource guarding as I felt if anyone was going to develop a problem, it would be Denzel! Thankfully because of this preparation, we were able to work through the kinks pretty swiftly to a point where he will graciously give up any treat or bone without argument - although I make sure never to abuse that privilege!
Even if your dog has never guarded before, you never know what your dog will decide is the absolute bees knees, or when it will happen. You don't know if/when your dog is going to pick up a dead bird out on a walk and decide that THIS IS THE ONE - and you've got no steak or roast chicken to get the gross old thing out of his mouth. For us, it was a live mouse Denzel found in our new house.. I had never seen him so proud of himself than throwing that poor mouse around the kitchen. Thankfully, after appropriate training, I could easily retrieve his prized possession (RIP Mickey 2016). This is why I think it's absolutely crucial that dog owners know about and understand resource guarding - how to prepare for it, and how to deal with it if you ever find yourself in a stand off with your dog and his new found favourite treat.
The light of my life, and source of my grey hairs
What is resource guarding?
Resource guarding is the display of a negative behaviour intended to ward off or deter a person (or fellow animal) from a highly valued object. The valued object can be anything from a high reward toy, chew or bone, to a person, even an area such as a bed or sofa. These are common household items to be guarded, but it can happen with anything your dog values. These negative signs can range from a stiff body and wide eyed stare to a growl or bared teeth, and at its peak can result in a lunge, snap, bite or attack. The severity of the reaction is usually associated with proximity to the treat (ie. the closer you get, the worse the reaction) - so if you see when you're 6 feet away from your pup he's tensing up, get yourself ready emotionally and physically and do not proceed any closer just yet.
What causes resource guarding?
Honest answer - we're not quite sure yet. From the limited literature available, it would appear that both genetics and environmental factors can affect the likelihood of resource guarding. However, it's a little difficult to pinpoint a gene for "aggression" in this case given resource guarding can be seen in dogs with no previous reactivity issues. A large component can be due to litter size, motherly supervision and learning within the litter, and lifelong training from both the breeder and owner all affecting a dog's tolerance and threshold for reactivity (for more info on aggression and resource guarding studies - check out the papers listed at the end of the post). If you want a definitive answer, I will happily accept funding to investigate further into the genetic basis of resource guarding (get at me NSERC!).
While genetics can be controlled through selective breeding (non-resource guarding mom + non-resource guarding dad = higher chance of a non-resource guarding puppy) the best chance we have as owners at decreasing episodes of resource guarding is through some effective classical conditioning and desensitization.. But first, many dog owners need an attitude change towards dogs and their possessions.
Many owners feel, quite rightly so, that resource guarding is a completely unacceptable behaviour for their dog to exhibit. When it comes to dog-dog guarding, depending on severity, it can be a fairly normal behaviour. For me I don't mind Kupo giving a small, controlled growl to let Denzel know to back down. It's all about how good your dogs are at communicating their feelings without conflict. Denzel will either back down and appease Kupo, or run to the window, bark, and sneak in to steal the toy. Option A is much more preferable for me than Option B. Between dogs, it becomes unacceptable when the dogs are becoming increasingly wary of each other around toys, treats etc, or the situation ever escalates past a "back off, please".
A slightly more concerning situation for owners is when the growls and snaps are directed towards them. One thing I want you to remember is that even if your dog does growl at you - it doesn't mean he's a bad dog. He's not necessarily reactive, or aggressive, he is trying to communicate that if you come closer you are going to make him even more uncomfortable. My pet peeve, and I want to shake the living daylights out of anyone who says this, is people thinking that they have the dog-given right to take whatever they like from their dog at any point they deem necessary. Taking away your dog's food bowl "just because you can" doesn't make you an alpha, or dominant, or Cesar Milan, or any other bogus label we humans like to use - it makes you an a-hole, so on behalf of dog's across the province, please stop it. This is one of the biggest factors that can make a resource guarding dog escalate to the point where a human could be in danger - the dog has given a growl letting its owner know it's uncomfortable and doesn't want to give up the toy. The owner responds by scolding the dog, taking the toy away, and ignoring the dog for the foreseeable future. So now not only did you punish the dog by getting mad, you also took the one thing it really wanted. It's a lose-lose situation for the dog, and next time your dog could up his game to make sure that this time you're not getting the toy back!
What should you do if your dog starts to resource guard?
In the heat of the moment, it's easy to get scared or mad at your dog. It's not pleasant being growled at, but I'd much prefer that than getting bitten. If you find yourself in the position where your dog is guarding something he has been given or found, follow these steps:
1. Heed the warning growl. Remember, a growl is a blessing in disguise. Don't approach the dog, or force the treat/toy/sock away from him.
2. Find something of a much greater value. Food scraps, steak, cooked chicken, liver bites - anything that your dog enormously values.
3. Encourage the dog to come away from the item he's guarding in order to receive your yummy distraction.
4. Once away from the guarded item, lead your dog into another room for a moment while you retrieve the guarded item and put it away.
5. Play a fun game with your dog for a few minutes to diffuse the tension and resume life as normal.
6. Contact a trainer ASAP.
If you have children, I highly recommend removing them from the situation before attempting to retrieve the guarded item. Better safe than sorry! In a study of of 111 dog bites on children reported to a veterinary behaviour clinic in the USA, 44% were bitten in association with resource guarding (Reisner et al., 2007). I'd love to avoid that for any family, so remember to always supervise children around dogs especially when there are toys and chews around.
How can a trainer help?
A trainer will help you identify the triggers and situations in which your dog is resource guarding. For most people, it takes an episode like the ones described above in order to seek help, but a professional trainer familiar with dog body language can help identify subtle cues the dog is giving that may be missed by the owner. A trainer can lead you through exercises designed to retrain the dog's brain - the key here isn't teaching the dog to respond to a specific command (although "Leave It" and "Drop It" can come in very handy!) - what you're aiming for is modifying how they perceive people and other animals approaching their "prized possession". Through lots of classical conditioning and desensitization exercises, it's possible to get your dog excited about you approaching, rather than fearful of what they are about to lose.
Ozzy (formerly Clyde) from the St John's SPCA - he has settled in to a happy life with his new family thanks to their hard work overcoming his trust issues and resource guarding. Good job buddy!
Whether your dog is guarding around humans or another animal, it's crucial that you enlist professional help to work with your dog. Avoidance isn't a long term solution for resource guarding - some owners will kennel or separate their dogs because meal time is traumatic, which can work in the short term but doesn't prepare you or your dog for a situation where a food scrap is dropped in the kitchen between two dogs, or an emergency that could put your dog in danger if you can't safely retrieve their prize.
___________________________________________________________________________
Some light reading:
Reisner, Shofer & Nance (2007) Behavioural Assessment of child-directed canine aggression.
Luescher & Reisner (2008) Canine Aggression Toward Familiar People: A New Look at an Old Problem.
Liinamo, van den Berg, Leegwater, Schilder, van Arendonk, van Oost (2007) Genetic variation in aggression-related traits in Golden Retriever dogs.
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