What is Resource Guarding

What is Resource Guarding

Resource guarding (also known as 'possession aggression') is behavior a dog may display in order to control access to a valued item or space. A valued resource includes anything of value to that particular dog. Just as people value different items, so do dogs. A dog may feel the need to guard food, a bone, toys, space, another dog, or even a human. When a dog is actively guarding a resource, he might display defensive behavior to keep another dog, person, or animal away from the item or space.

Resource guarding is a normal, natural survival behavior that all animals, (including people) experience in varying degrees. The severity of the guarding behavior can range between mild and serious.

What Resource Guarding May Look Like

Many of us know it when we see it; the dog with a bone that stands over it with his head held low, body tense at your approach. Some dogs remain quiet and stare intensely at the threat of approach, others growl, bare teeth, lunge, or air snap (also known as 'air bite'). These behaviors are used to remove a perceived threat to the resource being guarded. Some dogs (after their warning signals have been ignored) resort to a bite in order to remove the threat.

Here is a list of sample behaviors or warning signals a dog guarding a resource might display:

• When a threat approaches they may stop, freeze or display slow body movements.
• Intense staring and/or wide eyes.
• Lip licking, flicking the tongue out, or nervous or agitated movements with the mouth.
• Hovering over or near the item, sometimes with the head low and eyes focused on the threat.
• Low or deep growling, baring of teeth, lunging forward, or air snapping.
• Biting comes in many forms. As soon as teeth make contact this is considered a bite, whether the dog causes injury or not. That the dog decided to lunge and bite but shows restraint from causing injury does not mean the dog did not bite. Some dogs will bite and nick the skin, causing a bruise, or will puncture the skin. Some dogs bite and quickly release (I call this a 'snake bite'). More serious and dangerous bites can occur when the dog continuously bites and/or holds on without releasing.
• Muzzle punching. The dog will either gently or forcefully bump his nose/muzzle into the threat. This is known as a closed mouth bite and in some cases can be a very serious warning sign.
• Fixated or intensely focused on a threat. Typically, the dog’s eyes might be glued to the threat and will be aware of their every movement. Some dogs might follow the threat around in an intense way when guarding. I find this occurs when a dog may feel very concerned or conflicted.
• Body Blocking or Body Positioning. This typically silent behavior is intentionally used by dogs to block access to their valued resource. For example, you might find they will stand over or in between their resource and other people or dogs. If a dog is guarding a human, say their owner, you may find that they lean against that person, usually while staring at the threat. Or they may position themselves by standing in between the threat and the resource.
• Some dogs will vigilantly look at the threat, then look back at the resource, then again at the threat, and again at the resource. This is also a silent behavior that is often missed.

Why Dogs Resource Guard

Some of these reasons include:

• Feeling threatened due to insecurity and an inability to cope.
• Changes in the environment (a new baby, a visitor, a new dog, someone entering or exiting a threshold or doorway, etc.).
• Competition for resources.
• Feeling like the resource might arbitrarily be taken from them, which could cause a dog to feel conflicted, vigilant, concerned, or angry.
• Feeling the need to control the outcome of the environment.

Addressing Resource Guarding

If your puppy or dog is displaying resource guarding behavior you should hire a qualified behavior professional to help provide a behavior modification plan. You can check out behavior professionals from these organizations.

• International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants- iaabc.org
• Certification Counsel of Professional Dog Trainers- https://www.ccpdt.org/dog-owners/certified-dog-trainer-directory/
• Victoria Stilwell Licensed Positive Dog Trainer- https://positively.com/dog-training/find-a-trainer/find-a-vspdt-trainer/
• De Marinis Dog Training & Behavior- https://www.thegoldcoastdog.com/remote-consultations/

What NOT To Do

• Don’t punish your dog for resource guarding. The confrontation could cause the resource guarding behavior to become worse.
• Don’t try and steal the item from the dog. If your dog stole your shoe, sock, or another item that might be yours, do not try and take it back. This could cause your dog to learn to protect the item more or it could teach your dog to run away from you when you approach.
• Don’t yell at your dog as this could increase the confrontation between you and your dog
• Do not stick your hand or put your body in or near your dog when guarding
• Do not tease or provoke your dog as this could make things worse
• Do not pet or touch your dog when guarding as this can come across as more threatening to your dog.

What TO DO:

• Hire a qualified and credentialed behavior professional
• Trade for food when appropriate and safe to do so. Instead of chasing your dog, trading can be a better solution
• Prevent access from specific items your dog resource guards (when possible)
• Take the time to educate yourself in canine body language and communication signals. Here are some helpful sources:
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Resource Guarding Prevention For Puppies

For those trying to prevent resource guarding from occurring with puppies, here is the link to my blog post on Possession Prevention for puppies. Included in the blog is a video of a helpful exercise I demonstrate with my puppy who was having some possession issues: https://youtu.be/Ff3G6PX96do