Resource guarding me

[MaeFlowers]

Ok where to start?

I think my 6 year old jack russel mix is resource guarding me. It seems to be just me, as he has no issues when he’s with my husband and I am not around.

Some background on Sampson; he will be 6 at the end of May, and I have had him since he was 6 weeks old unfortunately. I was told he was 8 weeks old, and found out later that I had been lied to. He has had problems since the very beginning, going through serious separation anxiety issues, which have gotten better with training. He is not sociable with other people or animals, rather aggressive with strange dogs, especially large ones. It’s not for lack of trying on my part, I brought him around friendly people and dogs (big and small) as a pup, but he was just never very friendly. As far as I know, there was never a “moment” where something happened that would have made him dislike everyone.

We do have other pets that he mostly gets along with. We have 3 guinea pigs that he likes, 4 cats that he gets along with as well for the most part, and another adult female jack russel cross. He is great with her normally, cleans her ears, snuggles with her, all normal.

His problems seem to involve resource guarding. He doesn’t like the other animals near him when he is eating, or near his toys when he is playing with them. I can deal with that, and everyone tends to leave him alone now anyways, as they understand that he doesn’t like it. My problem now is that we brought a new puppy into the house, and when I am around he is horrible. He growls at her when he is on the couch and she runs by. He has gotten better, but last night he was being really aggressive to all the animals, and I ended up having to put him in the bedroom alone so he could calm down.

I’ve gotten bit twice now while pulling him away from attacking one of the other pets, which has happened in the past but I had thought we were finished with that. I try not to yell at him, as I know that doesn’t help, and I don’t ever hit him for it, even when he bites me.

He is on fairly good food; he gets Wellness CORE Ocean dry kibble (grain free). He gets plenty of exercise and play time.

Trying to think of anything else that might help, and once again, he is only like this around me. My husband says he is a perfect angel when I am gone. Our new puppy got right in his face this morning trying to play and he just ignored her.

I’ve seen some helpful stuff for resource guarding objects, but what do I do when it seems to be me he is guarding? He is also very fearful of a lot of things, and he will run to me for protection when he is scared of something.

I just need him to be able to coexist peacefully in the house with everyone when I am around. I don’t expect him to be a playful pup with our other animals, he just needs to tolerate them and not try to randomly attack them because they dared to walk by in front of him.

[JudyN]

I'm just bumping this for you as you haven't had any replies