My dog's very much a resource guard when it comes to other animals. He's shown no signs of it with us- when we pick up his toys, he has no issue, he'll give them to us, etc.
However, when we visit family, if there are multiple dogs in the room with toys, our dog will go and take the other dogs' toys (the other dogs don't really seem to care), and pile them up and then lay on them, and he will growl if the other dogs come over and try to get their toys back. (When this happens at my mom's house, she goes and takes the other dogs' toys back away from him and gives them back to her dogs.)
One of my mom's dogs is a little shihtzu, and our dog is a big greyhound/husky mix. He likes to use his feet, a lot, and he is VERY strong with them. If he paws you, it HURTS! There have been times when he had a toy and if the shihtzu came over, he pawed her- hard- luckily she didn't get hurt. And one other time he had a chew toy, so did the little dog- when the little dog came over to him, he snapped at her and growled.
So, at our house he is the only dog, but we also have a cat. Our dog has a few certain toys that he is especially fond of. When the cat is in the room, if she gets within about 3 feet of any of those toys, our dog will run over and grab the toy- which I understand, he doesn't want her to take it.
When he's laying on the floor with a toy and she comes close, he hasn't snapped at her, but he's lowered his head and is very much guarding the toy.
I'm afraid of what happens if she gets too close to him when he is laying with a toy.
I try to avoid the problem altogether by taking his "special" toys and putting them into his crate (where his bed is and he likes to lay) when the cat comes downstairs, so accidents are avoided. She doesn't go near his crate, so there shouldn't be an issue.
My husband thinks that, by me moving the toys every time the cat is around, I am reinforcing to the dog that the might possibly take one, when the dog sees me move them.
However, based on his reactions to her and the other animals, I don't think my reinforcement is an issue because he has shown me that he already thinks she is going to take a toy, and will do what he has to make sure she doesn't.
Can you please help me out with this? Any suggestions? I would love to have my cat and dog peacefully coexist, but I am afraid to take my eyes off his toys for a second when she's around.
Resource Guarding
Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost
You are right. This is a situation to be managed, and you are managing it very well.
What we think is irrelevant - the dog feels he needs to guard. This is only managed by giving him nothing to guard or else nothing to guard against.
It's annoying to us, but in the grand scheme of things it's pretty small beer compared to what other dogs do.
Perhaps your parents would put their dog's toys away before you visit. I am surprised that that breed mix resource guards, but if you'd said it was a collie or GSD, I would expect it
What we think is irrelevant - the dog feels he needs to guard. This is only managed by giving him nothing to guard or else nothing to guard against.
It's annoying to us, but in the grand scheme of things it's pretty small beer compared to what other dogs do.
Perhaps your parents would put their dog's toys away before you visit. I am surprised that that breed mix resource guards, but if you'd said it was a collie or GSD, I would expect it
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Sorry - the no edit facility bugs me - just realised your parents have multiple dogs so it's "dogs' toys" not "dog's toys"
The fact your mother can take the toys off your dog shows what good manners he has. I do hope she or you gives him a 'swap' for it/them.
The fact your mother can take the toys off your dog shows what good manners he has. I do hope she or you gives him a 'swap' for it/them.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
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whatthedeuce
- Posts: 58
- Joined: Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:57 pm
He definitely has great manners with people. When we go to my husband's parents' house, I do make sure there aren't toys around because their dog is obsessed with our dog and wants to be his best friend!! When our dog has a toy, he doesn't understand that the other dog just wants to come cuddle up with him, he thinks the dog is coming to take the toy- so he gets defensive. In that situation, we make sure there aren't toys around.
At my family's, since none of the dogs act aggressive, we usually just keep the toys out and keep an eye on the dogs to make sure everyone is behaving.
I think his resource guarding comes from being a stray. He was picked up by an animal shelter, then he was at a no-kill shelter for 6 months, and for part of that time he had another dog in his kennel with him.
This is why, like you said, I'm not going to try and change the behavior because I can sort of understand where he's coming from- I wouldn't want people taking my stuff either! So I make sure his things are in his favorite area, because I want to reinforce to him that no one is going to take those away and he has nothing to worry about.
I've also noticed that it has taken a few months for him to get attached to his toys, but now that he has his favorites, he no longer seems interested in bothering any of our stuff when we leave the house. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but I don't want to disturb this good habit at all!
At my family's, since none of the dogs act aggressive, we usually just keep the toys out and keep an eye on the dogs to make sure everyone is behaving.
I think his resource guarding comes from being a stray. He was picked up by an animal shelter, then he was at a no-kill shelter for 6 months, and for part of that time he had another dog in his kennel with him.
This is why, like you said, I'm not going to try and change the behavior because I can sort of understand where he's coming from- I wouldn't want people taking my stuff either! So I make sure his things are in his favorite area, because I want to reinforce to him that no one is going to take those away and he has nothing to worry about.
I've also noticed that it has taken a few months for him to get attached to his toys, but now that he has his favorites, he no longer seems interested in bothering any of our stuff when we leave the house. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but I don't want to disturb this good habit at all!
Asides from the going and collecting all the toys and lying on a heap-o-toys like a dragon on a heap-o-treasure....
Your dog seems to have the rules of 'dog possession law' pretty clear in his head.
He even seems to have figured out that the cat doesnt quite speaka da lingo, and so removes himself and his toy from the vicinity of the cat when she approaches (which he doesnt do with other dogs! smart dog!).
Can you teach him at home to take his toys into the crate himself when the cat appears and then you stick to redirecting the cat away from the crate? That would seem fairer I think. (as long as the cat isnt likely to into the crate which would remove his option to take his bat and ball and play elsewhere, whichi WOULD be dangerous)..
As far as your mothers dogs and their toys.. (I have no idea about the apostrophes, sorry Nettle!), honestly I think she ought to reinforce the message 'do not approach him when he has a toy', which he is trying to say fairly clearly himself.
Given his 'all the toys are belong to me' attitude I suspect that its safer to pick all the toys up and put them away when he visits though. If everyone has a chewy and as long as he doesnt take these out of the other dogs mouths, then thats an area to reinforce the 'do not approach him' message (by physically distracting or even removing the other dogs).
It would be lovely if dogs would share things - but they dont (And we humans are rubbish at it too really, especially baby humans!) and approaching a dog who has a pile of toys or is eating a chewy.... is rude!
Your dog seems to have the rules of 'dog possession law' pretty clear in his head.
He even seems to have figured out that the cat doesnt quite speaka da lingo, and so removes himself and his toy from the vicinity of the cat when she approaches (which he doesnt do with other dogs! smart dog!).
Can you teach him at home to take his toys into the crate himself when the cat appears and then you stick to redirecting the cat away from the crate? That would seem fairer I think. (as long as the cat isnt likely to into the crate which would remove his option to take his bat and ball and play elsewhere, whichi WOULD be dangerous)..
As far as your mothers dogs and their toys.. (I have no idea about the apostrophes, sorry Nettle!), honestly I think she ought to reinforce the message 'do not approach him when he has a toy', which he is trying to say fairly clearly himself.
Given his 'all the toys are belong to me' attitude I suspect that its safer to pick all the toys up and put them away when he visits though. If everyone has a chewy and as long as he doesnt take these out of the other dogs mouths, then thats an area to reinforce the 'do not approach him' message (by physically distracting or even removing the other dogs).
It would be lovely if dogs would share things - but they dont (And we humans are rubbish at it too really, especially baby humans!) and approaching a dog who has a pile of toys or is eating a chewy.... is rude!
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whatthedeuce
- Posts: 58
- Joined: Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:57 pm
He does that with my mom's dogs all the timeemmabeth wrote: If everyone has a chewy and as long as he doesnt take these out of the other dogs mouths,
She'll try to give each dog a treat or chewy so that it's fair and she has seen him go over and, litererally, take the treat right out of the other dogs' mouths!