From the editors of

Resource Guarding
 What you can do . . .
Is Your Dog On of dog food bowls
(or food), places
Closely observe your dog; what
Guard, Eliminating (dog crate, dog bed,
sofa, etc.), items is he telling you with his body
language and voice?
Unwanted Canine (rawhide, bones,
balls, tissues, etc.)
Set up your resource-guarding
Behaviors and less commonly,
people. dog for success by managing
his environment and preventing
Resource-guarding access to his most-guarded
How to reduce, simply means items. Keep his stress level low
and prevent him from practicing
that a dog gets
eliminate, or better uncomfortable undesirable behaviors.
when we (or other
yet, prevent resource- humans) are Begin a behavior
modification
around him when
guarding. he has “his stuff.” program, or
seek help from
He’s nervous that
a qualified,
By Lisa Rodier we’re going to take
positive trainer.
it away, so he tries
Ever had a dog who won’t give you his bone or to warn us off in a
chew toy if you try to take it from him? Or one variety of ways, ranging from simply consuming
who gets uncomfortable or growls if you get close his food faster, to an all-out bite.
to him when he’s eating his dog food? Or snaps
at you if he’s on the sofa and you want him off? Although canine resource-guarding appears to
Or lifts his lip in a snarl if your friend tries to get be more prevalent in certain breeds or classes of
close to you? dogs, it can appear in literally any dog, including
that sweet Papillion that lives down the street,
Answer yes to any of the above, and you’ve or the goofy Golden Retriever who greets you
successfully diagnosed your dog as having a happily on your morning walks.
guarding issue. The catch-all, technical term is
“resource-guarding,” and can include guarding Many shelters and trainers use a tool called an
"assess-a-hand," a fake hand on a stick, to test
dogs for resource-guarding. This dog is clearly a
food-guarder.

It’s important to recognize, identify, modify, or

at least manage this behavior because a dog
who is repeatedly pushed or punished in these
situations is highly likely to eventually bite. Sure,
it might be you that he bites, but it could also
be your child, your neighbor’s child, your boss,
or your grandmother. Children are most apt to
be at risk for a number of reasons. They tend
to disregard warnings to “leave the dog alone”
when he’s eating or has a toy; they frequently
fail to notice the dog’s warning signs (stiffening,
Many shelters and trainers use a tool called an “Assess- growling); and they are closer to the ground, so if
A-Hand,” a fake hand on a stick, to test dogs for the dog decides to bite, most likely the child’s face
resource-guarding. This dog is clearly a food-guarder. will bear the brunt of the attack.

The Whole Dog Journal™ Resource Guarding — 2 www.whole-dog-journal.com

Nature or nurture? ■ A
 pproached after he finds some kind of
Resource-guarding “is a perfectly normal survival food item in the gutter or on the street
skill that allows smaller, weaker, and lower-status
dogs to keep possession of a highly valued object “Some dogs may be compulsive, guarding all food
even when that object is the target of a larger items and even an empty dish,” says Donaldson,
and stronger dog’s desire,” says Pat Miller, a but she also notes, “The majority will guard
trainer, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, and only when actually in possession of sufficiently
Whole Dog Journal Training Editor. In her book, motivating food.” The fact that a dog does not
The Power of Positive Dog Training, Miller notes guard a particular food does not rule him out
that, “Natural behavior or not, resource-guarding as a guarder. It just might not be worthy enough
is a serious problem when it results in open to him as, say, a chicken wing. The only way to
aggression, especially toward humans.” determine whether a dog will guard a particular
highly motivating food item is to test whether
In the wild, “a group-hunting carnivore would you can readily take that item when the dog
have reproductive advantage over one who has it.
gladly relinquishes. It’s a good trait, like a well-
developed immune system or legs that can With “object-guarding,” the extent of guarding
run fast,” says canine behavior expert Jean is dependent upon the value of the object to
Donaldson, in her highly educational book, Mine! the dog. Items can include, but are certainly not
(devoted solely to the topic of resource-guarding). limited to, bones, rawhides, pig ears, favorite
Of course, she adds, “In a domestic environment, toys/balls, laundry items, tissues, wrappers and
it is undesired.” other garbage, sticks, and/or any “forbidden”
objects the dog happens to pick up – which are
Sarah Kalnajs, trainer and Certified Dog Behavior made more valuable by extreme owner reaction,
Consultant, describes resource-guarding as such as chasing the dog around the room to get
having both nature (genetic) and nurture the item back, or screeching at the dog to give the
(upbringing) components. A dog might be item up.
genetically inclined to guard, but depending
how much he is allowed to practice the behavior While some trainers classify bones, rawhides, pig
throughout his life also contributes to the severity ears, and edible garbage as “objects,” Pat Miller
of the problem. classifies them as food as the dog’s intent is to eat
them; therefore, she classifies the dog’s behavior
Resource-guarding from other dogs is a much as food-guarding.
more “acceptable” or natural behavior in terms of
a dog’s ability to cohabitate with humans. It can As with food-guarding, the dog may show signs
certainly lead to big problems, and should not be of guarding simply when a person is in the
dismissed, but for the time being, our discussion vicinity, as the person approaches, and/or if the
will focus on guarding from humans. Note: A dog person tries to take the object from him. It is very
who guards from other dogs will not necessarily common that a dog won’t want something unless
resource-guard from humans. you want it. “Location-guarding” is also common
in modern, dog-loving households. This would
What’s your type? describe the following:
“Food-guarding” seems to be the most common
kind of canine guarding behavior, and is present ■ A dog who does not allow owner or
if the dog “threatens” or bites when: spouse into the bedroom or on the bed
once the dog is on the bed
■ Approached while eating from his bowl
■ A dog who is grumpy if jostled while on
■ The owner tries to take back a food item furniture, or when someone tries to
the dog has grabbed move him

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 ■ A dog who threatens passersby while he’s resource – food or a bone, for example – that is
in his crate, car, or favorite rest spot valuable to the dog. He may react if his human
carries treats or a bait bag. In this case, what,
The severity of resource-guarding depends upon really, is the dog guarding: item or owner?
the value of the item, and who is approaching.
In the case of location-guarding, the dog might Trainer Virginia Broitman notes that many
allow “the wife” on the bed, but not her husband. dogs who guard their owners are actually very
insecure, and might feel empowered to act out
“Owner-guarding” seems to occur fairly because their humans are there. Or, the dog is
frequently when other dogs are present. on leash and cannot escape, so he resorts to an
impressive display to keep the stranger away.
Occasionally, however, the dog will guard his Were he without his handler, or not on leash,
person if the dog is on leash with the person, we might see a different reaction.
or near her. Some people interpret this as
“protectiveness.” Stay positive
You’ve shouted “No!” You’ve stomped your foot.
Pat Miller differentiates these behaviors. “A good You’ve used a physical correction. But your dog
‘protection’ dog recognizes a legitimate threat still freezes and growls when you get near him
to his person and acts to deter the threat, or when he’s eating or when he has his “stuff.” What
waits for instructions from the human to act. A can you do?
dog who is ‘guarding’ his person – in the sense
of resource-guarding – covets his owner as a First, you need to understand that shouting,
possession that he’s not willing to share with stomping, and using physical corrections on
other dogs, or sometimes other humans. He sees the dog will only make matters worse.
the approaching dog/person as a threat to his
enjoyment of his resource, rather than a physical I recently saw video footage of a trainer working
threat to the person.” with a large, young dog who had a history of
guarding his food bowl. Over time, the owners
Owner-guarding can also become somewhat had tried a variety of approaches: yelling at the
muddied if the owner has in his possession some dog, leaning over him while he ate and yelling,
hand feeding, and petting the dog while he ate.

Unfortunately, the owner reported that the dog

had become reactive to the owner when the
owner was at a greater and greater distance
from the guarded food. And when the owner
tried “dominance” — in which he stood over the
dog while the dog ate and “made” him do things
for his food, then physically reprimanded the
dog for being aggressive – the owner got bitten.

While the footage was stellar – the camera

caught all of the dog’s warnings superbly – the
method that the trainer recommended for
dealing with the problem was not. Instead of
using behavior modification, which has the
potential to make the dog safe around anyone,
The contrast between this Chihuahua’s diminutive size the trainer elected to use force and physical
and his car-guarding ferocity amuses passers-by, who corrections using a choke chain to “show the
sometimes tease him – which aggravates the problem. dog that the people were in charge.”

The Whole Dog Journal™ Resource Guarding — 4 www.whole-dog-journal.com

How Bad Is It?
During resource-guarding, dogs exhibit components of ritual-  Pushes face into bowl, his body tense, and/or tail tucked,
ized aggression. That is, they have a fairly explicit hierarchy of with an exaggerated guarding posture (rear end up high, front
warnings – accelerated eating, cessation of eating or “freezing end low, covering resource in a stiff and still manner).
up,” glassy/hard eyes, growling, lip lifting, snapping, biting
 Freezes, glares, shows “whale eye” (head slightly turned
– that they’ll run through to get a competitor (YOU!) to back
away but eyes turning toward his focus so that whites show),
away from what they have. They’re nervous that you’re there
or lip lift.
and don’t want to share.
Trainers and behaviorists take these warnings and apply a Level 6: I’m Warning You, Don’t Take It!
rating scale, ranging from reactions that pose no risk to humans  A low rumbling growl might be presented on its own,
to those that are extremely serious. These descriptions, below, or in combination with other threats. It may or may not be
are written primarily with food- or item-guarding in mind, protracted. Can be very quiet!
but the same sort of warnings and escalation can be seen with
place- or person-guarding. This information is compiled from  Might carry the item under a chair, bed, or to his crate,
Jean Donaldson, Pat Miller, and Sarah Kalnajs, describing a then growl as you approach.
dog’s reaction when a person approaches.  Might try to push food bowl away from you.
Level 1: Don’t Worry, I’m Level 7: This is Gonna Get Ugly
Happy!  Snarl, exposing teeth by vertically retracting lips. This
 Relaxed and happy and wants may occur before, after or in conjunction with other threats
attention, and does not perceive (i.e., growl and snarl, together).
you as a threat.
 Stops eating or engaging with Level 8: Can You Hear Me Now?
the resource and approaches you.  Aggressive tooth display, and disengages from the food
bowl or resource and snaps.
Level 2: I See You  Little or no contact, no punctures, but dog is telling you he
 Looks at you, wags his tail, but is not willing to share with you. (Note: Donaldson describes
keeps eating. a snap as “an air bite; dog deliberately misses.” She reports
 Still fairly relaxed with you around. that people often say that the dog tried to bite them, but they
were able to move away quickly enough. Donaldson says,
 If given an item, will lie down with it where he is.
“This is unlikely, as a geriatric, couch-potato dog has a reac-
Level 3: I Said, I Know You’re There tion time better than an Olympic athlete. When dogs intend
 Slight tensing of body as you approach. to bite, they bite. When they intend to snap, they snap.”)

 Speed of tail wag and tension in body increases as you Level 9: I Don’t
approach; you’re starting to make him nervous! Know How Else
to Tell You
Level 4: Granite Rabbit  Dog bites with-
 Becomes still or freezes, often almost imperceptibly. out breaking skin
(has good bite inhi-
 If the dog was chewing, he stops chewing; if the dog was
bition).
eating, he stops eating, but does not abandon the resource.
 Glassy-eyed stare accompanies a cessation of activity. The Level 10:
stare is rarely aimed at the approaching threat; many owners Danger!
report a spaced-out, detached-looking expression. This can be  Dog bites; contact is quick, hard, and most likely will
an extremely subtle sign that many people miss. break skin.
 Typically bites multiple times, and might consist of punc-
Level 5: I have to Finish This Before You Take It tures moving up the person’s arm or face.
Discomfort with your

proximity increases and This is a rough guide to determine the seriousness of the
behavior escalates. issue. Some dogs haven’t read the rule book, and might not
move neatly through the hierarchy, leaping, for example,
If the dog was eating,

from a growl directly to a bite. A dog can move through this
he will eat faster, often
hierarchy quickly – in seconds – and might exhibit signs so
“punching” at the food
subtle that we miss them completely.
with his muzzle.
Nevertheless, trainers often hear the cry, “He bit without
 If chewing, he chews warning!” More often than not, there was a warning, some-
faster and more intensely. where, sometime – we just missed it.
 The trainer advised the couple to approach It’s possible to suppress guarding behavior using
the bowl with the dog on leash and physically force, says Pat Miller. “However, you haven’t
correct the dog for lunging toward the bowl or changed the dog’s emotional response to a threat
showing any signs of aggression (guarding), then to his resource, just his physical response. It’s
“make” the dog sit about a foot away from the quite possible that the guarding behavior will
food. Once the dog was “calm,” he was allowed return if and when he feels too threatened, or is
to eat, remaining on leash with the owner. If the approached by someone that he doesn’t perceive
dog showed any aggression, the handler was to as capable of overpowering his desire for
physically correct the dog and yank him away his resource.
from the food bowl, wait for the dog to “calm
down,” then start again. “Any time you use force, you risk escalating
the level of violence rather than modifying the
There are several problems with this approach. behavior. You may not know until you’ve done
First, the couple hoped to one day have children, significant behavioral damage that your dog is
and this “method” taught the dog nothing about one who escalates, rather than shuts down, in
interacting with someone who didn’t have a leash the presence of violence.”
and the strength to make a physical correction.
In addition, the trainer repeatedly triggered a Here’s another dire scenario: If your dog growls
reaction from the dog. Behavior experts agree at you over his food bowl and you punish or
that, in contrast to the approach used in the challenge him in some way, it might very well
video, successful behavior modification works occur to him that his growl wasn’t sufficient to
at a sub-threshold level, at a low-enough level of warn you off. He may resort to the next warning
intensity to prevent the dog from reacting. Also, level – a snarl, snap, or worse – in an effort to
the trainer also did nothing to address the dog’s more effectively protect his food.
emotional state (nervous, insecure, and stressed)
and instead intensified it; what was defined as Behavior modification:
“calm” was anything but. Get to the problem’s root
Experts agree that the best route to take in
dealing with resource-guarding is to use a
combination of management
and behavior modification.
It Has Nothing to Do With Dominance!
Remember, resource-guarding is a normal canine behavior – and a highly
adaptive trait in a natural environment. “If dogs had to fend for themselves
tomorrow, guarders would have the survival and reproductive edge over
non-guarders,” says Donaldson. This has nothing whatsoever to do with a
“dominant” or “pushy” personality in the dog.
As proof of this point, be aware that many dogs respond well to desen-
sitization and counter-conditioning, and either stop guarding or reduce their
guarding behaviors. If the dog stops guarding, does that mean we have made
him less dominant by using these techniques? Donaldson notes that many
dogs who guard have other problems such as submissive urination, shyness,
or lack of confidence, which all are “diametrically opposed to the concept
that the dog is overly assertive.”
The fact is, many “aggressive” canine behaviors are triggered by fear
or anxiety (“She’s gonna take away my bowl!”), both of which cause an
increase in adrenaline and stress hormones. Punishing your dog for resource-
guarding can cause him to stop giving warnings altogether, or strengthen Anxiety and insecurity, not aggression or dominance,
the behavior. His underlying emotion (“I wish she would stay away from lies at the root of most resource-guarding problems.
my bed!”) remains. Instead of growling, he’ll just bite without warning.

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Essentially, “management” entails intervening Donaldson stresses the need to work at a low
in (or anticipating and preventing) a situation threshold; if at any point the dog shows the
so that the dog cannot repeat inappropriate original reaction, you have gone super-threshold,
behavior. For example, we keep food and toys and it is necessary to back up and start at a point
picked up around a resource-guarder so that where the dog does not react. “No good comes
he cannot engage in guarding. Management of rehearsing the dog’s old, growly behavior
does not necessarily or teach the dog anything; by replicating super-threshold versions of the
he simply has less opportunity to practice an trigger. In fact, it can make the dog worse.”
undesirable behavior.
Donaldson also makes it clear that when working
The most important tools in the behavior- with a guarder, we need to be sure that the first
modification toolbox, though, are systematic event (the “threat” to the resource) must come
desensitization and counter-conditioning. before the delivery of the counter-conditioning
treat. For example, in a food bowl exercise, “the
Desensitization involves exposing the dog to approach, bowl touch, or bowl removal must
whatever it is that previously evoked his fear or precede the addition of bonuses to the dish.”
anxiety, but at a distance and intensity that does This means that we do not, for example, show a
not produce a response. dog the bait in hopes of preventing a guarding
reaction. Doing so will not condition
Counter-conditioning is a process in which we the appropriate emotional response.
replace a dog’s involuntary, undesirable reaction
(such as fear) with a more desirable response – Doing the work
one that is incompatible with the undesirable old Ideally, you start with a young pup who doesn’t
response (such as the eager anticipation of a tasty guard and teach him early on that your presence
treat). We create a positive emotional response predicts good stuff, says Miller. “You do this
by associating an event (your approach) with by offering to trade something wonderful for
something good (a reward). This methodology whatever he already has – such as a toy of
has been proven to work, and is relatively easy moderate value, to start with – working your way
and pleasant for both human and dog. up to really high-value items. I teach a ‘Give’ cue
by saying ‘Give,’ then offering a high value treat
With counter-conditioning, you don’t exert
your “control” over the dog in any way, but
instead, transform your presence around
the dog’s possessions into a signal that even
better things are coming. One event becomes
a reliable predictor of another event, and the
subject develops an anticipatory response to
the first event. By pairing good things (extra
scrumptious treats) with the formerly bad thing
(your approach or presence near whatever he
is guarding), your proximity starts to become
a better thing – a predictor of what is to come
(treats!).

The goal is to transform a food-guarder who

becomes tense or upset when a person approaches
him while he’s eating into a dog who is happy to be
approached while eating, as this reliably predicts Paws sometimes guards rope toys and Frisbees. Berkeley,
the delivery of even more food or treats. California, trainer Sandi Thompson “trades” a low-value
toy that Paws has dropped in favor of a high-value treat.

The Whole Dog Journal™ Resource Guarding — 7 www.whole-dog-journal.com

in exchange for his object. Repeat until he will of the treat. This exercise would be repeated
happily give up any object when you ask him dozens of times over a number of sessions.
to ‘Give.’ ”
Note: If the trainer is concerned that the dog
Trainers use different protocols; there is always may act aggressively in order to take the higher-
more than one way to approach an exercise. The value treat, she should have the dog on a tether,
protocol you use should be tailored to your dog, position herself just out of reach, and toss the
depending on the seriousness of his guarding treats in such a way to most safely reach for
behavior. “Progress gradually to the next step, the low-value item. Again, in the case of a dog
only when your dog is totally relaxed at the whose guarding behavior rates higher than a
current step,” says trainer Virginia Broitman. four on the scale found on page 5, the services of
a qualified, positive canine behavior professional
“Some dogs will move quickly through the steps, are recommended.
while others may need weeks of work. Don’t rush!
If at any point you are concerned for your safety Only when the dog is comfortable with the first
or unclear on any step, discontinue the exercises step would the protocol change, first by giving
and consult an experienced trainer/behavior the dog the item and walking away, giving him
counselor for personalized assistance.” a minute to enjoy the low-value item, and then
returning to trade. As long as the dog continues
One example of a protocol for a dog who already to respond well to these exercises, you would
guards objects begins with a good look at all the work up to the more valuable items higher on
items in the dog’s environment and ranking them your dog’s list. Training would occur in a variety of
according to their value to the dog. For instance, locations, and from then on, throughout the dog’s
a ball may be a low-value item, while a rawhide life, “spot checks” would be instituted to be sure
may be extremely high-value. A list might look that the dog retained what he learned.
like this:
Note: This example is a summary provided
• Stuffed squeaky toys only to give the reader an idea as to what is
• Latex squeaky toys involved in rehabilitating a guarder. If you
• Rubbery flying disks
• Pig’s ears
• Rawhide chews
• Rope toys
• Balls
• Socks
• Newspapers and magazines

Once the items have been ranked, training

begins with the items that the dog doesn’t
especially care about and does not want. Initially,
higher value items must not be available to
the dog, because we want to prevent him from
“practicing” his guarding behavior.

A session begins with the trainer presenting a

low-value item to the dog and telling him to
“Take it!” Almost immediately, the trainer gives a
cue for “Drop it!” and gives the dog an extremely The author’s Bouvier, Axel, used to guard tennis
delicious treat.” The idea is that the dog is more balls. He learned to give them up through “give” and
than happy to “drop” the low-value item in favor “trade” cues, starting with low-value items.

The Whole Dog Journal™ Resource Guarding — 8 www.whole-dog-journal.com

 have a guarder, you will need to follow a more reward him for coming away from/off the place
detailed, structured protocol, and may require the willingly. Donaldson likes to use target training as
assistance of a qualified behavior professional. part of this protocol.
See “Finding the Right Trainer,” below.
Manage in the mean time
If your household includes children, you will need Guarding behavior can be a daunting challenge
to take special precautions. Initially, only the to overcome, especially if it has progressed
adults should work with a dog who guards; kids significantly. In this case, you must find an
should be a part of the guarding-rehabilitation experienced trainer/behaviorist with whom to
program only after the adults have worked work. Until you are able to get help, management
extensively with the dog, and only under direct is a valid alternative. This involves avoiding
supervision of an adult. Never assume that once the problem or trigger through environmental
your dog stops guarding with you, that he’ll stop control. For example, if your dog guards pig ears,
guarding his items from the kids. remove them from your home and do not allow
him access to them. Keep the bedroom door
Similarly, you should never assume that once your closed to a bed-guarder.
dog no longer guards his cherished items from
you or your family, he will no longer guard them If there is a “management failure,” and the dog
from other people. Plan, manage, and supervise gets on the bed, you can either ignore the dog
your dog’s interactions carefully, to prevent any and wait for him to come off the bed on his own,
possible harm to other people. or, more proactively, redirect him to an alternative
activity, such as calling the dog to the kitchen for
For location-guarding, follow a similar protocol. a cookie or inviting him out for a brief walk.
Start by using a place the dog does not guard and

Finding the Right Trainer

If you have a resource-guarder, you should find a positive San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers, founded
trainer with whom to work. by Jean Donaldson, which maintains a list of trainers taught
When interviewing prospective trainers, trainer Ali Brown by Donaldson (see sfspca.org/academy/index.shtml). Most
recommends avoiding any “who don’t have a working knowl- graduates of this program are highly qualified to deal with
edge of operant conditioning, classical conditioning, positive resource-guarding.
reinforcement, and negative punishment. Stick with trainers The prognosis for a resource-guarder, especially an older
who talk about building working relationships, use a clicker, dog, depends on a number of factors, including owner com-
and avoid choke chains, prong collars, shock collars, shaker pliance, the presence of protracted warning signals (stares,
cans, spray bottles, or throw chains. The trainer you select growls, snarls, and snaps), and the degree of the dog’s bite
should be comfortable with working with resource-guarding; inhibition (ability to control the strength of his bite).
not all trainers are.” Depending on the level of guarding, rehabilitation can
Pat Miller suggests, “To start, look at the listings on web- take weeks to months. Trainer Ali Brown says this can depend
sites such as the APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers, apdt. on many factors, including your consistency; how well you
com), IAABC (International Association of Animal Behavior manage the situation; whether you work with a professional,
Consultants, iaabc.com), and the CCPDT (Certification Council positive trainer; whether you have worked with a problem like
for Pet Dog Trainers, ccpdt.com). While not all trainers listed this before; how well everyone else in the family manages
use appropriate non-force methods, it’s a good place to start and trains the dog; whether the dog is under other stressors
looking. I have a trainer referral list on my website (peace- that can be diminished; and whether there are any medical
ablepaws.com), and those trainers are all positive (by my problems that might contribute to the problem.
definitions). Ask the trainers exactly what tools and methods “Any behavioral problem has many variables to it,” says
they use. Avoid any trainers who use methods designed to Brown. “We can’t control them all, but we can try to control
cause pain or use intimidation.” as many as possible to hedge our bets that we’ll see quick
Another good resource for well-educated trainers is the progress.”

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If your food-guarder ever manages to pick up to take the toy or bone away from him, stop
something that’s dangerous (such as a bar of trying.
dark chocolate) or valuable to you (like your
prescription glasses), Donaldson advises trying 2) Analyze. Your next action depends on your
a quick, calm, “bait and switch.” Bribe or distract lightning-fast analysis of the situation. If your
the dog with anything you can think of. “Although dog is about to bite you, retreat. Quickly. If you’re
bribery is totally ineffective for fostering actual confident he won’t escalate, stay still. If you aren’t
behavior change, when you’re in a jam, anything sure, retreat. Err on the side of caution. Complete
goes,” she says. But remember, repeated your analysis by identifying what resource he had
management failures teach the dog nothing. that was valuable enough to guard, and what you
were doing that caused him to guard.
Rehabilitation of a resource-guarder takes time
and requires patience. But the payoff in the end – 3) Retreat. If you already retreated because
for you, your dog, and your friends and family – you feared a bite, go on to #4. If you stayed
is well worth the effort. still, wait for some lessening of his tension and
then retreat. Here’s the dilemma: dogs give

Unwanted Dog off guarding signals – a freeze, a hard stare,

stiffening of the body, a growl, snarl, snap, or bite

Food Guarding – to make you go away and leave them alone with
their valuable objects.

Behavior Your safety is the number one priority, so if a

bite is imminent, it’s appropriate to skedaddle.
However, by doing so you reinforce the guarding
Five things to behavior. “Yes!” says Dog. “That freeze worked; it

do when your
dog guards a
toy, bone, treat,
or bed.
By Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, CDBC

Resource guarding may be a

natural, normal dog behavior,
but it’s alarming when your own
dog growls – or worse, snaps – at
you over his resource. Resist your
first impulse to snap back at
your dog. Instead, do this:

1) Stop. Whatever you did that A fake hand, mounted on the end of a stick, is used to safely assess whether
caused your dog to growl, stop this dog guards his food – obviously, he does! If a dog habitually or intensely
doing it. Immediately. If you were guards food or other resources like this, find an experienced, positive
walking toward him, stand still.
behavior professional to help you. And employ scrupulous management to
If you were reaching toward him,
stop reaching. If you were trying keep everyone safe!

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 “trade” on verbal cue for a high value treat such
as chicken, starting with low value objects and
working up to high value, so he’ll happily give
you his things on cue when you need him to. Out-
think your dog. Resource guarding behavior is not
a good place for a battle of wills.

How to React When

Your Dog Begins
Resource Guarding
Against Other Dogs
Peanut guards his food bowl from the other
resident dog, Otto – even though Otto couldn’t
care less about Peanut’s food. In order to
Improve the behavior
prevent future problems, we’re working to – and emotional
counter-condition Peanut’s response to having
Otto near his food. response – of dogs who
guard resources from
made my human go away.” Reinforced behaviors
are likely to repeat or increase, so you can expect other dogs.
more guarding next time.
By Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, CDBC
If, instead, you are safe to stay still and wait for
some relaxation of tension and then leave, you Resource guarding is a natural, normal canine
reinforce calmer behavior. “Hmmmmm,” says Dog. behavior. In fact it’s a natural behavior for most
“Relaxing made my human go away.” If you can do warm-blooded animals. Even we humans guard
this safely, you increase his relaxation when you our resources – sometimes quite fiercely. Think
are near him and decrease his guarding behavior. about it. We lock our doors. Store clerks have
loaded .22 rifles under checkout counters, while
4) Manage. Give your dog guardable things only homeowners keep shotguns and baseball bats
when you won’t have to take them away. Crates leaning in the corner by the back door. Companies
are good places for a resource guarder to enjoy hire security guards. Banks keep valuables in
his valuable objects. When he’s crated with good vaults. Some of us get insanely jealous if someone
stuff, don’t mess with him, and don’t let anyone pays too much attention to our significant other.
else mess with him. When small children are I could go on . . .
around, put him away – for his sake and theirs –
since you may not always know what he’ll decide Dogs guard their resources as well, sometimes
to guard, especially when kids bring their own quite fiercely. This is most troublesome when
toys to play with. they guard from humans, but can also get them
in hot water when they guard from other dogs.
5) Train. Work with a good, positive behavior That said, some dog-dog guarding behavior is
professional to modify your dog’s guarding quite appropriate and acceptable. The wise dog
behavior so he no longer feels stressed when owner not only knows the difference between
humans are around his good stuff. Teach him to appropriate and inappropriate guarding, she

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also knows when and how to intervene, manage, 4) Now We’re in Trouble, Part II: Dog B is socially
and modify. inept – Dog A is chewing on (insert valuable
resource). Dog B approaches. Dog A gives “the
Guarding Scenarios look.” Dog B is oblivious, and keeps blundering
If dogs didn’t guard their resources from other forward, until Dog A feels compelled to escalate
dogs they’d be in danger of starving – both in the intensity of his message, to aggression if
the wild and in multi-dog households. It’s this necessary, to get his point across.
survival instinct that triggers everything from
the canine dirty look known as a “hard stare” 5) Now We’re in Trouble, Part III: Dog B is
to the ferocious blood-letting, sometimes fatal inappropriate and Dog A doesn’t defer – Dog A
battles that can occur when dogs fight over is chewing on (insert valuable resource). Dog B
valuable, mutually-coveted resources: food, toys, approaches. Dog A gives “the look.” Dog B gives
objects, locations, beds, and human attention. Dog A “the look” back. Instead of deferring, Dog
A takes offense and escalates his aggressive
There are several different scenarios that can behavior to maintain possession of his resource.
occur when one dog chooses to guard something Dog B reciprocates with increased aggression,
from another dog, ranging from a very healthy, and a serious fight ensues.
normal interaction, to those that risk the very
lives of one or more of the combatants: The same five scenarios can apply to other
guarding situations – the dog who doesn’t want
1) Ideal: Dog A and Dog B are both appropriate to share his sticks or toys; who becomes tense if
The ideal resource-guarding scenario another dog approaches him on his bed; or who
probably plays itself out frequently in multi- claims his owner’s total and undivided attention.
dog households, dog parks, doggie daycares, So whether it’s food or some other valuable
and anyplace dogs randomly gather. It looks possession your dog is guarding, what do you
something like this: Dog A is chewing happily on do about it?
a (insert any valuable resource here). Curious, Dog
B approaches. Dog A gives Dog B “the look.” Dog B Beware, and Be Aware
quickly defers, saying, “Oh, excuse me!” by calmly First, you have to be aware of the guarding
turning and walking away. No harm done. Much tension. It’s hard to miss in Scenarios 3, 4, and 5,
of the time the dogs’ owner isn’t even aware that but if you have dogs engaged in one of the first
this occurred. two you may have overlooked it. Time to sit up
and take notice! With Scenario 1, where both
2) Second Best: Dog B is inappropriate but Dog dogs respond appropriately, all you need to do is
A defers – Dog A is chewing on (insert resource). keep an eye on things and breathe a sigh of relief.
Dog B approaches. Dog A gives Dog B “the look.” As long as the pattern repeats itself, you needn’t
Dog B gives Dog A “the look” back. Dog A defers, worry. You just need to stay calmly observant and
“Oops, sorry!” by dropping the resource and take note if the pattern changes – if, for example,
leaving. Dog B was inappropriate, but Dog A Dog B is slower to defer over time, which may
didn’t want to argue about it. The danger here cause an increase in Dog A’s tension and possibly
is that somewhere along the line Dog A may get escalate to higher-intensity guarding. Many dogs
fed up with Dog B’s inappropriate behavior and live happily together their entire lives politely
decide not to defer. signaling and deferring in relation to valuable
resources. That’s how it’s supposed to work –
3) Now We’re in Trouble, Part I: Dog A is perfectly appropriate
inappropriate – Dog A is chewing on (insert and normal.
valuable resource). Dog B approaches. Dog B
would defer if warned, but rather than giving If you see subtle signs of increasing tension,
“the look,” Dog A leaps into action and attacks however, or if you see Scenario 2 behavior,
without giving Dog B the opportunity to defer. where Dog B is bullying Dog A into giving up the

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resource, you have potential trouble
brewing. It’s possible that Dog B will
calmly defer for the rest of the dogs’
lives together. You could continue to
observe, and intervene only if things
start to escalate. Maybe it never
will. Or you could intervene with
management and/or modification
now, before you have significant
relationship damage to repair, and a Oh yeah; he guards his bed, too.
more difficult behavior modification
challenge.

Of course, anything more dramatic

than Scenario 2 behavior requires
immediate action in the form
of management and, if you choose to do so, your modification program by minimizing as
modification. many other stressors as possible in your dogs’
world. That includes creating structure and
You Can Manage predictability in their lives; exploring and treating
I’m a huge fan of management. If your dogs’ list any possible medical conditions that may cause
of guardable items is relatively short and the pain or distress; and eliminating the use of
dog-dog guarding interactions are reasonably any coercive or pain-causing training tools and
predictable, then management may be a realistic methods (shock, choke and prong collars, physical
option. Feed meals to your dogs or give them pig or harsh verbal punishment).
ears only when they are safely crated or closed in
separate rooms. If you have a toy guarder, do toy- At the same time, incorporate calmness-inducing
play with the dogs separately, and put coveted products and procedures such as increased
toys away when the dogs are together. Case aerobic exercise, the “Through a Dog’s Ear”
closed. recordings, Thundershirts or Anxiety Wraps,
calming massage, and TTouch.
Modification is in order, however, if battles grow
increasing likely to erupt unexpectedly over an There are a few different options for modifying
ever-growing list of miniscule triggers, such as a resource-guarding behavior between dogs. You
crumb dropped on the floor, a preferred resting can classically condition Dog A (the guarder) to
spot on the rug, the hallway to the kitchen, love having another dog around him even in the
equitably delivered treats to both dogs, or a presence of valuable resources; you can operantly
rapidly growing radius around a valued human. condition Dog A to perform a different response
Of course you’ll manage in the meantime, when he’s in possession of a valuable resource
but since management always carriers a risk and another dog approaches; and you can
of failure and guarding battles can be fierce, operantly condition Dog B to avoid the guarder
the more generalized the guarding, the more when he has a valuable resource. Here’s how each
critically important it becomes to convince your of these work.
dogs to act appropriately with other dogs in the
presence of high-value resources. Counter-Condition Dog A
The point of counter-conditioning is to change
Modify Dog A’s emotional response to the proximity of
Aggression is caused by cumulative stress that Dog B in the presence of a guardable resource.
pushes a dog over his aggression threshold. This procedure will require dogs with very solid
We’re all grumpier when we’re stressed. Begin sit-stays and down-stays. Alternatively, you can

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 use tethers. It’s critically important that Dog A Step 2: Have a bowl of high-value treats. Hang out
not be triggered to guard during these training with Dog A in a good-sized quiet room with the
sessions; awareness of threshold distance and door closed – watch TV, read a book, work on the
the dogs’ proximity to each other is paramount. computer – but don’t feed him any treats. In fact,
ignore him completely. After 20 to 30 minutes,
Step 1: Start with the two dogs sitting a few bring Dog B into the room on leash and have him
feet from each other – farther, if necessary to sit. Feed him a treat, then spend 20-30 seconds
avoid guarding behavior. Have a bowl of pea- giving generous treats and praise to Dog A. Then
sized, high-value treats. Give a treat to Dog B remove Dog B from the room.
(the non-guarder), and then give one to Dog A,
accompanied by happy-voice praise. If the dogs At varying intervals, bring Dog B back into the
are so far apart you have to walk some distance room and repeat the procedure – always bringing
to get to Dog A, start praising as you walk. Repeat Dog B into the room before you make any move
until you see Dog A brighten noticeably when to reach for the treats in the bowl. Repeat until
Dog B gets his treat; this tells you he’s made the Dog A looks consistently happy – the CER – as you
association between Dog B getting a treat and move to bring in Dog B.
the next delicious treat coming to him. This is
a “conditioned emotional response” (CER) – the Step 3: Repeat Step 2, but this time Dog A is in
physical manifestation of the emotional change possession of a guardable resource – a bone, a toy,
that happens because of the pairing between a favorite bed. If there are things he guards less
the presence of the other dog and the arrival of a intensely than others, start with a lower-
high-value treat. value resource.

If you start with the dogs far apart, when you Tether Dog A with his resource as far from the
have established a consistent CER with Dog A, door as possible, and hang out for another 20 to
gradually move them closer together, continuing 30 minutes before bringing in Dog B. Step in the
with the counter-conditioning and achieving door with Dog B, have him sit, feed him a treat,
CERs at each new distance until the dogs are and then do your 20- to 30-second praise-and-
happily taking treats a few feet apart. treat routine with Dog A. Repeat until you have a
Depending on your dogs, this could take one consistent CER – Dog A brightens happily when
session or many. you enter the room with Dog B.

Trainer Sarah Richardson feeds Otto Then Sarah feeds Peanut a treat. She Instead, the little guarder brightens and
(a.k.a. “Dog B”) a small, high-value treat. repeats this Step 1 exercise a number looks at Sarah every time Sarah feeds
Peanut (Dog A, the guarder) is tethered. of times. Soon, Peanut doesn’t look at Otto, anticipating correctly that he
He intently watches Otto eat. Otto when Otto is eating a treat . . . (Peanut) will receive a treat next.

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 As you do these repetitions, occasionally dogs, individually at first, then in larger groups,
encourage brief eye contact between the dogs until Dog A offers consistent CERs regardless
several times at each distance, so that trigger gets of what dog or what room. Continue up the
built into the procedure. If eye contact triggers resource-value ladder until Dog A shows no sign
significantly greater intensity from Dog A, stay at of tension
the door until that intensity goes away and you
are getting consistent CERs even with Step 6: Do occasional “cold trials” without the set-
eye contact. up and repetition – a deliberate “management
failure” in which counter-conditioning meets
Gradually move closer with Dog B, obtaining real life. Do at least one cold trial per day, and
consistent CERs from Dog A at each new distance if you see tension reappearing, go back and do
before moving closer again. Remember to look for repetitions of the procedure at whatever step is
and reward some eye contact between the dogs. necessary for your dog to regain his equilibrium.
When you have closed the distance by half, mark Then move through the steps to completion –
that spot and start over again at the full distance, probably much more quickly than the first
but this time with Dog A untethered. This should time through.
not trigger any tension from Dog A, and you
should be able to move closer to him with Dog B Operantly Condition Dog A
more quickly than before. Resource-guarding behavior lends itself
Step 4: Repeat Step 3 with the same value beautifully to the “Constructional Aggression
resource, in all the rooms in the house, until Dog Treatment” (CAT) operant conditioning protocol
A displays consistent CERs everywhere. developed by Dr. Jesus Rosales Ruiz and Kellie
If you have multiple dogs who Dog A guards Snider, MA, a few years ago at the University of
from, repeat Steps 1 to 4 with each of the dogs. North Texas. Our Dog A gets tense and eventually
Then do the same thing with multiple dogs in aggressive because he is concerned that the
the presence of Dog A and a low-value guardable approaching dog is a threat to his valuable
resource. resource. These aggressive distance-increasing
signals are often successful in making the other
Step 5: Go back to Step 3, again with Dog A dog go away, hence they are reinforced, and
tethered, but now in possession of a somewhat behaviors that are reinforced are repeated.
more valuable resource. Repeat all steps with all

Sarah demonstrates Step 3, where the She feeds Otto a treat, and then spends Within just a few repetitions, Peanut’s
guarder (Peanut) has a very guardable 20 to 30 seconds feeding one treat emotional response to the sight of Otto
resource – in this case, a Kong toy after another to Peanut, praising him near his Kong has changed from guarded
stuffed with yummy treats. warmly the whole time. to a happy and anticipatory.

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To use the CAT procedure, tether Dog A with a the guarder. You can teach Dog B to withdraw on
low-to-moderate-value guardable resource, and your cue; you can also teach Dog B to withdraw in
approach from a distance with Dog B. If you know response to any noticeable warnings from Dog A,
that Dog A begins showing signs of guarding such as a hard stare or a lip curl. The advantage
at a distance of 15 feet, start at 25 feet. As you of a cue from Dog A is that it happens, and Dog
approach, watch Dog A for any small sign of B responds by leaving, even if you’re not there to
tension. The instant you see it, stop with Dog B, give your cue.
mark the spot, and wait. As soon as you see any
decrease in Dog A’s tension, any sign of relaxation, Eventually you may find that the mere presence
quickly turn and walk away with Dog B, back to of Dog A-with-resource becomes the cue for Dog
the 25-foot distance. B to leave, which is just fine and dandy. If you see
Dog B leaving the room before the cue, go ahead
Pause there for at least 15 seconds (longer, if you and reinforce that – it’s a good thing!
think Dog A needs more recovery time), and then
repeat, returning to the marker at the spot where When the cue is given (yours, or Dog A’s), guide
you stopped before. Continue these repetitions (lure or prompt) Dog B to a specified target,
until you see no sign of tension from Dog A when ideally in another room. Throw a treat-and-praise
you arrive at the marker with Dog B. fest there for Dog B, and hang out with him there
for several minutes before returning to Dog A’s
On your next approach move four to six inches room and repeating the process. Dog B should
closer and mark that spot. You will likely see Dog soon be dashing to the other room when the cue
A display signs of tension again at this distance. is given – either yours, or Dog A’s lip curl.
Repeat approaches and departures at this
distance until the tension is gone, then decrease So what happens if Dog A is in the designated
distance slightly again. target room with a valuable resource? Great
question! It’s a good idea to operantly condition
What you are doing with this procedure is Dog B to a second target location in a different
teaching Dog A that a new behavior – acting calm room. When Dog A is in Room X, Dog B learns to
and relaxed – makes the threat to his resource go target to the spot in Room Y. But if Dog A is in
away. As he continues to deliberately act calm and Room Y, Dog B learns to target to a spot in
relaxed, he actually becomes calm and relaxed, Room X.
and eventually no longer feels threatened by the
approach of Dog B. Ideally you will see “crossover” It’s Worth the Work
behavior, where he acts very friendly and affiliative Keep in mind that you are likely to always need
as Dog B approaches, offering distance-decreasing some degree of management, even with your
signals instead of his previous repertoire of successful modification programs. For example,
distance-increasing signals. When you’ve worked even if you’ve done a great job of modifying
through the procedure with low-to-moderate- the behavior of a dog who tends to guard toys,
value resources, repeat with high-value resources. the high-arousal of a dog-to-dog game of tug
With counter-conditioning, you change your dog’s carries a high likelihood of retriggering guarding
emotional response, and as a result his behavior aggression. Reserve his tug playing for games
changes. With operant conditioning (CAT), you with you, and limit his play time with his canine
change your dog’s behavioral response, and as a pals to romping and running games. Be smart.
result his emotional response changes. Manage as needed, keep your eyes open for signs
of returning tension, and be prepared to do a
Operantly Condition Dog B little remedial modification as needed.
You can also operantly teach Dog B a new
behavior in the presence of Dog A and a valuable So there you have it. Select the method(s) that
resource. This is a useful second line of defense, appeal to you and get started. It will do your heart
in combination with modifying the behavior of good to see the decreasing tension between your

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canine family members. It will also be gratifying
to see your guarder gain new associations and
Eliminate
learn new behaviors without fear of losing his
valuables to his four-legged siblings.
Aggressive
Dog Guarding
Behaviors
What you can do . . .
■■ Manage, manage, manage. We Stop your dog’s
cannot stress strongly enough
the importance of managing “resource guarding,”
your dogs’ behaviors to prevent
the triggering of over-threshold a natural (and
guarding behavior.
dangerous) behavior.
■■ Be observant. Watch your dog’s
behavior around other dogs By Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, CDBC
in the presence of valuable
resources to determine if Dusty, our diminutive eight-pound Pomeranian,
everyone is being appropriate grabs a chew-hoof and darts under the coffee
or if intervention is needed. table with his prize. Tucker, the 75-pound Cattle
Dog-mix approaches, eyeing the hoof covetously.
■■ Remember that it’s natural for
Dusty curls his lip and emits a surprisingly
dogs to guard their valuables.
convincing growl for such a tiny canine. Despite
If appropriate “go away”
the fact that he could easily take the hoof away
signals are being given and
from the much smaller dog, Tucker backs off,
the approaching dog defers,
leaving Dusty to chew in peace. We watch, and
don’t interfere. That’s how it’s
chuckle at the mini-drama that plays out in our
supposed to work!
living room almost daily.

It’s most common for dogs to defend their food,

but edible items are not the only things that
dogs will keep from all potential rivals. Some
dogs will defend their “ownership” of toys,
a favored place to sleep, or the water bowl.
Behaviorists and dog trainers call these protective
behaviors “resource guarding.”

A dog who defends his food from other dogs is

exhibiting a perfectly normal and appropriate
canine behavior. In the wild, where food supply
equals life, the dog who gives up his food easily
has a poor chance for survival. Because survival
of individuals is important for survival of the
pack, higher ranking pack members often,
although not always, subscribe to a “possession
is nine-tenths of the law” philosophy. It’s generally
not worth the risk of injury to a pack member
to argue over a bit of food or bone.

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Resource guarding is far less acceptable, of Generalized food guarding is the most common
course, when it’s directed toward us. For our manifestation of resource guarding, and
own safety, we want dogs to understand that often the most dangerous, since it is virtually
everything they have is really ours. But dogs are impossible to control the presence of food in
probably somewhat confused by our species’ the dog’s environment. No matter how diligent
apparent ignorance of the “nine-tenths” rule. you are, he will inevitably find a cookie that fell
Accommodating creatures that they are, most between the cracks of the sofa, a bag of fast-food
dogs learn to give up coveted possessions to remnants in the gutter, or a deposit of kitty-poo
their owners without much of a fuss, but from in the garden. (While we may not consider cat
time to time one of our canine pals decides poop to be edible, to a dog, anything consumable
to aggressively assert his ownership rights to is food.)
something: a precious toy, a tasty rawhide chew,
or a bowl of food. If this describes your dog, you Determine extent of guarding
have a serious problem on your hands. Resource guarding describes a continuum of
behaviors, all of which indicate that a dog is
Identify objects of dispute not comfortable with the presence of you or
The more specific the guarding, the easier the some other human in his “space” while he is in
behavior is to manage. If your dog only guards possession of a valuable article. Let’s look at a
truffles, say, you’re pretty safe – at $20 per pound, description of various food-guarding behaviors,
your dog won’t often stumble across a forgotten from those that pose no risk to the dog’s human
pile of the costly fungus. If anything remotely companions to those that pose a grave risk:
edible falls into his definition of “guardable,”
however, you have a much bigger challenge. Level 1: The ideal and safest response when you
approach Fido at his food bowl is that he stops
eating, wags his tail, and comes over to greet you.
He is telling you that he doesn’t perceive you as
a threat to his food, or if he does, he doesn’t care.
The food’s not all that important to him; he’d be
happy to share it with you.

Level 2: A slightly less perfect but still very safe

reaction is that Fido looks at you, wags his tail,
and continues eating, but is still relaxed about
your presence in the food zone.

Level 3: The first sign of discomfort on Fido’s

part is usually a slight tensing of his body as you
approach. He may also wag his tail. However, if
the speed of the wag increases as you get closer
to him and the amount of tension in his body, he
is communicating that your presence near his
resources makes him uncomfortable.
If this dog was a serious “resource guarder,” this
would be quite dangerous for the person. As it is, Level 4: As the dog’s discomfort escalates, so does
this dog is showing a low – but detectable – level of his behavior. At the next level you are likely to see
anxiety about having someone so close to his food: a glare in his eye when he looks at you, perhaps
His tail is not wagging; his body is braced, and he’s
watching the person as he eats, though he does not a lifting of the lip in a snarl, maybe a low growl,
make friendly eye contact. More serious guarding and an obvious increase in eating speed. One very
behavior might also include growling, raising his lips effective way to prevent you from getting any of
to show his teeth, or a quick biting attack. his food is for him to eat it quickly.

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Give-and-Take: A Good Game for ALL Dogs to Learn
You can help prevent resource guarding in a dog who does not treat. Don’t be stingy here; hard dry cookies and bits of dog
display overt signs of the behavior by teaching him a give- kibble just may not be exciting enough to convince him to give
and-take game. Note: Do not do this if your dog lunges and up a toy that he likes. Even the toughest nut will usually crack
aggressively tries to grab treats out of your hand. for something like a piece of sardine or a baby-food hot dog.
Start by offering him a toy that he likes (but is not extremely
valuable to him). When he opens his mouth, say “Take It!” When If after a couple of times he just looks for the treat and ig-
he does, tell him he’s a good boy, then offer him a treat. nores the toy: Good! You’re convincing him that the stuff you
When he opens his mouth to take the treat and drops the toy, have is better than the stuff he has. That’s what you want him
say “Give,” (or “Trade,” or “Share”) and let him nibble at the to think. You can either plan to do just a few repetitions each
treat while you pick up the toy. The nibbling part is important. session, or you can gradually increase the value of the object
If you let him eat the treat and then try to pick up the toy he will he shares with you.
race you for it, which may actually encourage resource guarding. Once your dog has learned to play the give-and-take game,
While he is nibbling, slowly and calmly pick up the toy. Let you can use it for objects other than toys. When he grabs some-
him finish eating the treat, then offer him the toy again and say thing he shouldn’t have, such as your new Nikes or the remote
“Take It!” as he puts his mouth around it. control, instead of playing the “Chase” game, go get a nice treat
Practiced several times a day, a few repetitions at a time, this and ask him to share. He should be happy to trade.
game will teach your dog the very useful behavior of “Give” on If your dog won’t trade you his object for the treat in your
cue. He will also learn that if he gives something up to you, odds hand, or worse, starts to guard it aggressively, drop high-value
are good that he’ll get it back again, or something even better. treats on the ground in a trail that leads away from the object.
When he drops it to follow the treat trail, wait until he is far
Troubleshooting away from it and have someone else pick it up, or leave him a
If he won’t take the toy: Find a toy that he likes more. If he is large pile of treats and calmly walk back to the object and pick
only a mild resource guarder (Level 3 or 4) you can even use a it up yourself. If necessary, Hansel-and-Gretel him with a treat
toy such as a Kong with a cookie inside it. Use a low-value treat trail into another room and close the door before you pick it up.
(a bland cookie or cracker) in the toy, and a much higher-value Then reevaluate your training program to figure out where you
treat (a piece of cheese or roast beef) for his reward. went wrong, and consider calling in a professional to help you.
If he won’t drop the toy for the treat: You need a much better

Paws rushes to take a toy. Don’t use your After just a couple of treats, Paws readily After more repetitions, Paws doesn’t
dog’s favorite toy at first. He should want drops the ball for a treat. He doesn’t mind want the toy at all. That’s fine! He should
it, but not be obsessed with it. Sandi’s reach for the ball. anticipate rewards for sharing.

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Level 5: If the food is portable, such as a chew-hoof to higher levels. The behavior you see may be
or pig ear, at this level, the dog may carry the item the worst that they ever offer, especially if you
under a chair, a bed, or into his crate, then growl implement a behavior modification program
at you when you come too near. If he can’t pick it before the response escalates. The prognosis
up, he may try to push the food bowl farther away for successful behavior modification improves
from you when you continue to trespass. greatly if you begin a program as soon as possible.

Level 6: A serious food-guarder is more than The bad news is that higher level dogs don’t
willing to put some teeth into his warnings. A necessarily give you lower level warnings before
snap is the next step on the continuum – no they launch an attack. Higher levels of resource
contact with your flesh, but a no-uncertain-terms guarding can be very challenging to modify.
statement that Fido is not prepared to share his
food with you. Meanwhile, the behavior presents an extremely
high risk of injury to those around the dog,
Level 7: As Fido’s protectiveness increases, so does especially children.
the threat to your safety (or the safety of the child
passing by). More serious than a snap is the actual A skilled and knowledgeable owner may be able
bite. Rarely does a food-guarding bite not break to effectively modify food guarding behavior up
skin – the contact is usually very quick and hard, to Level 4 or 5. Anything beyond that definitely
and may consist of several puncturing bites that begs the assistance of a qualified trainer or
move up the transgressor’s arm or face. behaviorist. A person who is not confident about
working with the dog’s behavior at lower levels,
Level 8: Severe food guarding can be triggered or who tries and does not make progress, should
even at a distance. At the strongest level, even also seek professional help with the dog.
a person on the far side of the room can be
perceived as a threat to the highly valued food It can be a lot of work to manage and modify the
or item, and the dog’s behavior can escalate behavior of a resource-guarder. You will have to:
very quickly and alarmingly with a seemingly
innocuous movement, even from far away. • Manage the behavior through resource
control unless and until the behavior
Behavior modification has been completely and successfully
The key to winning the resource guarding modified. You must identify and remove
battle lies in: all potential guarding triggers. Food
bowls, even empty ones, should not be
1.) excellent management of guardable left lying on the floor. Stuffed Kongs,
resources in the dog’s presence, and favorite toys, balls, pillows – anything
that triggers even a mild possession
2.) convincing the dog that your presence is not response – needs to be put away,
a threat to his food supply. and given to the dog only in very
controlled circumstances.
Rather, he needs to see you as the welcome
harbinger of all delicious consumables. Your • Relocate the dog’s feeding area from a
presence near your dog should be a reliable high traffic area to a low one to minimize
predictor of the advent of more good stuff, not risk. A dog regularly fed in the kitchen
less. Your role as benevolent distributor of valuable may guard the entire room. A dog fed
resources is the foundation of your behavior on the back porch may guard the entire
management and modification program. yard. Choose a little-used room, at least
10 feet wide, that visitors are not likely to
The good news is that not all dogs who display stumble into, such as the basement office
low levels of guarding behavior will advance or the pantry.

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 • Spend two to four weeks preparing your rehabilitated through resource guarding
dog for the program. Feed two to three modification programs, especially those who
times a day. Confine him away from the exhibit only the lower level behaviors. Many
feeding area. Place the food bowl in the are not. There is a strong likelihood that you
feeding room, bring the dog to the room, will always need to reinforce your resource
leave the room, and close the door until guarder’s new nonguarding behavior, and
he has finished eating, up to 30 minutes. avoid situations that could retrigger
the guarding.
• Attend a positive dog training class
using a variety of desirable food treats Because small children almost always come
as rewards. (Do not do this if your dog with food – cookies, crackers, etc. – and they are
lunges aggressively for food in your naturally closer to the dog’s own level, many prior
hand). Be sure to let the trainer know resource guarders are never trustworthy around
that your dog is a resource-guarder. children. Of course, dogs and small children
should never be left together unsupervised,
• Implement a “Nothing in Life is Free” but this goes far beyond that. Many families
program, where the dog has to earn all understandably choose to rehome their resource-
good things. Have him sit or lie down in guarding dogs rather than risk a serious bite.
order to get anything he wants, including
food, toys, attention, and going outside Of course, finding a good home for a dog with a
to play. history of aggression is yet another big challenge.
Rehabilitating a resource guarder can take a huge
• Exercise him more. A tired dog is a well- commitment of time, resources, and emotion.
behaved dog. Weather permitting, three Throughout the program, you, other family
to four 15-20 minute tongue-dragging members, and visitors to your home are at risk
sessions of fetch can work wonders in of being bitten if there are inadvertent slips in
reducing inappropriate behaviors. Watch the program.
out for heat stroke; do not overdo exercise
in hot weather. Spend more time with We applaud responsible dog owners who are
the dog in general, doing things that you willing to make the commitment required to
both enjoy. change their dogs’ behaviors. We also urge them
to think long and hard about their commitment
• Identify and avoid situations that trigger and liablility, and to be realistic about whether
aggression. they are able to do what it takes to ensure
the safety of others during the process of
• Teach the dog to “Give” on cue (see “Give- reprogramming a resource-guarder. And we cheer
and-Take,” page 19). when we receive reports from those who have
been successful in getting their dogs to “share.”
• Avoid punishing the dog should a food-
guarding or other aggressive incident
occur. Food Bowl
• Implement a desensitization program
(see food bowl desensitization) after two
Desensitization
to four weeks of doing all of the above. By Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, CDBC
This complete program can take four to
eight months or longer. This program can take four to eight months (or
longer) to rehabilitate a serious food- guarder
The final outcome – and even then, your dog may never become
Some dogs are successfully and completely completely trustworthy. If at any point you are

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fearful or feel inadequate to deal with the dog,
call a qualified positive professional trainer or
behaviorist. This program should be implemented
only by adults or very responsible older teens. Do
not move to the next phase before the minimum
time indicated, or before the dog’s demeanor is
perfectly calm at the previous phase. Also, keep in
mind that following the program outlined below
does not guarantee your safety.

Phase 1: No bowl (one to two weeks) Place the

dog’s daily meal in a bowl on a counter or shelf in
his feeding room. Include some high-value treats
as part of the meal. Schedule several feeding
sessions throughout the day. Feed him one-
quarter to one-tenth of his day’s ration in each
As he progresses, the dog’s expression should change
session, a piece at a time, by hand. If he lunges from vigilant to relaxed.
aggressively at your hand while feeding, tether
him and feed him his meals, a piece at a time, by
tossing them from just out of lunging reach. Wait a counter or shelf in his feeding room. Put a
until he is sitting quietly each time to toss him handful of food in each of two bowls and place
another piece. one bowl on the floor. Put lower-value food into
the bowls; save the higher-value food for treat
Phase 2: Empty bowl, single pieces dropping. If you cannot safely put down the
(two to four weeks) Schedule several feeding bowl in your dog’s presence, tether him, put
sessions throughout the day. Place the dog’s daily him on a sit-stay, or shut him out of the room
meal in a bowl on a counter or shelf in his feeding while you put the bowl down.
room. Place his empty bowl on the ground at
your feet. Alternate between feeding him several While he is eating from the first bowl, place the
pieces from your hand, a piece at a time, and second bowl on the floor a safe distance away.
drop- ping several pieces of food, a piece at a “Safe” will depend on your dog, and could be as
time, into his food bowl from waist height. Wait much as 10-15 feet or more. Err on the side of
until he has finished each piece before drop- ping caution. Return to the first bowl and drop treats
the next. into it as he continues to eat.

Phase 3: Empty bowl, multiple pieces (two to When he has finished the first bowl, stop
four weeks) During several feeding sessions dropping treats and direct him to the second
throughout the day, place the dog’s daily meal bowl. While he is eating from the second bowl,
in a bowl on a counter or shelf in his feeding return to the first bowl and pick it up. Continue
room. Place his empty bowl on the ground at to drop treats into the bowl from which he
your feet. Drop several pieces of food into his is eating.
food bowl and wait until he has finished them.
Then feed him several pieces, one at a time, from Over the two to four weeks of this phase, very
your hand. Now drop several more pieces into his gradually – a few inches at a time – place the
bowl. While he is eating those, drop more treats, bowls closer and closer together. Watch for signs
one at a time, into his bowl from waist height. of tension or aggression. If you see any, you have
closed the distance too quickly; go back to the
Phase 4: Two partial bowls (two to four weeks) distance between bowls where he was relaxed
Again, schedule several feedings throughout and work at that distance for several days before
the day, and place the dog’s meal in a bowl on moving the bowls closer together again.

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Phase 5: Several partial bowls (two to four weeks) has been progressing well, you should be able
Repeat the previous phase, using several bowls to move through the phases relatively quickly.
(up to six). You can prepare all the bowls at the Continue to look for other real-life resource-
same time and set them on the counter, but place relevant opportunities to reinforce the message
them on the floor one at a time, while he is eating that your presence means more good stuff. Re-
from the first bowl. Continue to drop treats into member that, depending on the success of your
the bowl he is eating from, and occasionally pick desensitization program, your resource- guarding
up an empty one that is a safe distance from the dog may never be totally reliable in the presence
dog. During this phase, re-duce the number of of valuable items. For the rest of your dog’s life,
meals to two or three. Also look for opportunities always be aware of the environment and be
outside of feeding time to drop treats near the prepared to intervene if there is a potential risk.
dog when he is in possession of other reasonably
valuable items.

Phase 6: Calling the dog (two to four weeks)

Repeat Phase 5, except try to call the dog to you Lisa Rodier became interested in guarding be-
from a distance of six to eight feet just as he haviors through her volunteer work in shelters
finishes the food in a bowl. Have the other bowls and Bouvier rescue. She lives in Alpharetta,
set out so he must pass you to go to another Georgia, with her husband and two Bouviers,
bowl. Be sure to give him a very high value treat and serves on the Board of Advisors for Service
when he comes to you. Gradually start asking him Dogs of Virginia, Inc.
to come to you before he fin- ishes the food in the
bowl – first, when he is almost done, then when Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, CDBC, is WDJ’s
there is more and more left. As long as he stays Training Editor. Author of numerous books
relaxed, gradually move closer to the food bowl on positive dog training, she lives in Fairplay,
he is eating from before you call him. Maryland, site of her Peaceable Paws training
center, where she offers dog training classes
Practice this phase for at least one full week and courses for trainers.
before moving closer to him. Also, look for
opportunities outside of feeding time to call him Thanks to Sarah Richardson, CPDT-KA, CDBC, of
to you to feed him high value treats when he is in The Canine Connection in Chico, California, for
possession of other reasonably valuable items. modeling with Otto and Peanut.

Phase 7: Adding people (two to six weeks)

Starting back at Phase 1, have a second person
repeat the exercises. This should be another
person who is close to the dog, not a child, and
not a stranger. Have the person move through
the phases, spending up to a week at each phase
or longer if necessary. If he is doing well with a
second person, add a third, then a fourth. Be sure
to use people who are well-educated as to their
training duties, and able to follow directions.

Phase 8: Coming out of the closet

(two to six weeks, for the rest of the dog’s life)
Again, starting back at Phase 1, move the food
bowl exercises out of the dog’s feeding room
into other areas of the house: the kitchen, the
dining room, the den, etc. Assuming the training

The Whole Dog Journal™ Resource Guarding — 23 www.whole-dog-journal.com