My name is Rhiannon and I’m a Canine Behaviourist and Training Advisor here at Battersea
Today I’m going to take you through how to prevent your dog from resource guarding
Resource guarding is when a dog becomes defensive in order to keep you away from a particular item or “resource” that they find particularly valuable
The resource can be food, treats, a toy, or a place like a bed or a favourite chair, or even occasionally a person
Resource guarding is a natural behaviour in dogs, but there are some things we can do to offer reassurance, and let them know that they don’t have to become defensive
However if your dog is showing extreme resource guarding behaviour we would recommend getting in contact with your vet who can put you in touch with a qualified behaviourist
To start you will need some treats
The trick is to teach your dog that a person approaching is a positive thing
As your dog is eating their meal calmly approach, drop some treats near to the bowl and then calmly walk away
Allow your dog to eat the treats and then return to finishing whatever is in their bowl
Repeat this a few of times over a couple of days always remembering to move away and let your dog eat the treat
Over time you may see that as you approach your dog they look up in anticipation of receiving a treat
This is a good sign and shows your dog sees people approaching as a positive thing
As your dog starts to anticipate the treats you can approach whilst they are eating and drop the treats slightly closer before moving away
Once they’re comfortable with you dropping the treats closer you can then step it up again
At mealtimes keep back some of their food wait until they've nearly finished then approach and add another handful to their bowl
Let them finish it completely then approach again and add a little more
Approaching and rewarding will show your dog that someone coming close to them is a positive thing
You can use the same technique to prevent your dog from guarding toys or chews
When your dog is settled with their toy or chew place some treats down next to where they are lying
and move away
Give them the opportunity to move away from the resource and take the treat
Approach them again and put another treat down nearby
Repeat this as many times as needed
Once your dog has left the resource calmly pick it up and put it away
While using positive methods your dog will continue to associate you approaching their resource with nice things like treats
If your dog is already showing some signs of resource guarding behaviour it is important to prevent this from becoming any worse
The more a dog repeats a behaviour the more likely they are to continue doing it so it's important to get in there early and manage the situation
Here are a few things to remember:
Make sure all family members and any visitors are told never to approach or interrupt the dog when they have food, a toy or a chew
As best as possible remove or hide any items your dog may steal to prevent having to confront them over guarding behaviour
It is important that you never punish or tell your dog off for resource guarding as this could add stress to the situation and may make the behaviour worse
When exchanging items with your dog put some food or treats down a good distance away so your dog has to move
This will give you the time and distance to safely pick up the item
If you can wait until your dog is in another room entirely that's even better
Another helpful tip is to teach your dog the “leave it” cue
This will allow you to ask your dog to leave whatever they are guarding in a safe and positive way
Check out our “leave it” video on the Battersea YouTube channel or our website to find out how
Remember every dog is different with their resource guarding and if your dog has bitten or is causing you concern we would recommend contacting a certified behaviourist for help
Those are our tips on resource guarding if these methods are not working for your dog it's a good idea to contact your vet who can put you in touch with a qualified behaviourist to help with your situation
If you’d like to learn more about how to teach your dog the Battersea way subscribe to our YouTube channel, visit our website, and follow our channels
