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What is it?
‘Resource Guarding’ is a label given when a dog shows defensive behaviour to keep and protect a resource such as food, toys, spaces or even people. It is often normal behaviour for animals to display and enables an animal's survival by acquiring and maintaining resources. Other animals including humans show it! I wouldn’t let you take my cake so easily!
However, it can be dangerous for others to interact with dogs if they show aggressive behaviour around these resources. This can lead to serious injuries via bites and seeking help at earlier signs can be beneficial for dog and caregiver. It is also stressful for the dog themselves being on ‘guard’ to protect resources from others.
What signs do I look for?
Dogs show lots of signals when uncomfortable or stressed about something. With ‘resource guarding’ behaviours can include:
Standing or laying over the item, sometimes keeping one paw over it
Rushing to grab it first
Running away with the item or trying to hide with it
Trying to bury the item
Ingesting it quickly or stopping chewing/interacting with the item to stare at and check in with where you are.
They also may show body language signals as shown below, such as; Ears back flat on their head, face and body tense and still, mouth shut tightly, showing the whites of their eyes in a ‘side eye’ look, giving a direct stare, lowered head, growling, baring teeth and snapping.
What do I do?
Keep good housekeeping by keeping items you don't want your dog to get hold of securely away
STOP and ASSESS, do you actually need the item back? Is it unsafe? Or is it valuable or breakable?
NEVER take an item directly away from a dog that shows these signals, or has a history of doing so.
ALWAYS trade and swap an item from a dog
Don’t test it, it is much better that your dog will drop on cue, and then you offer a reward as you take the item. If you test it and always take then you are reaffirming from your dogs point of view that hands coming towards when they have a resource = bad things happen i.e. the item always gets taken away.
Avoid telling your dog off, it wont help you get the item back, help your dog feel better and can damage the trust in your relationship.
Try and spot the more subtle signals a dog will show that they are uncomfortable such as the lip licking, hiding, paws over the item and stiffening to be able to create space then before your dog escalates to growling, snapping or even biting.
If your dog already has hold of something EITHER, get some high-value food and place this away from your dog without directly approaching and when they are away, calmly collect the item. OR, if your dog is likely to rush back to the item before you or has a history of biting, call your dog in a happy tone into another room, shut the door, give them something else to do and with the dog separated, collect the item and put it safely away.
If food-related, do not give any long-lasting chews in the same space as you, and feed in a separate room.
Seek behavioural support if you are experiencing issues and need further advice.
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