Resource protection is when dogs become defensive to keep others away from something of value. It’s completely normal for dogs to want to protect their food supply, toys, or equity ownership of where they sleep. Some dogs are even protective of their humans. After all, they are all valuable resources they want and need. But if dogs think access to those resources is threatened, they can become overprotective.
Some of the factors that contribute to resource protection may include:
- problems with early socialization
- resource deprivation at any stage (especially early life)
- breed and heredity
- fear and anxiety
- territory
- disappointed.
Signs of resource protection in dogs
Recently learn found dog parents interested in obvious warning signs such as growling or biting, but were less able to recognize more subtle signs, such as: avoidance (moving their bodies to assert asserting control over an object or running away with it), squeezing / stiffening, and eating food quickly.
Some common signs of resource protection objects include:
- Swallowing food/eating fast
- Turn head or whale eyes
- suspended
- Run away with a resource
- Stiffness and/or staring at perceived threat (person or other animal)
- wandering
- growl
- Snapshot
- Bite
Multiple resource guard dogs are usually more intimidating. When a dog feels a resource is threatened, it is more likely to try to protect it. Many times this means running away with valuable resources or even resorting to aggression to prevent it from being taken.
Protecting resources among dogs
Resource conservation behaviors can also target other animals, especially household animals. Watch for signs and signals to prevent problems in homes with multiple pets.
Pets don’t have to compete with each other for resources, so take that stress away. Rely on these tips to prevent resource guarding among dogs:
- Be on the lookout for resource protection signs
- Always feed pets separately from each other and do not feed freely
- Make sure there are plenty of toys and sleeping areas for each pet and that each pet has its own space where they can go.
- Encourage and train pets to interact appropriately and positively with each other in sharing resources.
- Prevent access between pets while consuming or interacting with high-value items.
For more tips check this out videotapes.
If you suspect your dog is guarding resources, seek help from a professional, based on rewards coach or behaviorist sooner rather than later.
Master resource guard dog
Believe it or not, you are also a resource. You provide love, attention, delicious things, joy, fun, and the list goes on. You are your dog’s world!
Follow your dog:
- Try to block other dogs or even people approaching you
- Show signs of stress such as panting, licking lips, walking back and forth, whale eyes, etc. when another person or dog approaches you
- Piloerection, growling or getting irritated when someone is near you
Advice:
- Work on building your dog’s confidence to be independent and comfortable around other people
- Spend time away from your dog
- If you have multiple pets, share the wealth and spend quality time with each pet
- Don’t constantly pick up or hold your dog, this can cause anxiety, separation problems, and protection
Although less common than object protection, protect people not occur. Escalating aggression can be a real safety issue, so always find a way Professional help, based on rewards as soon as possible if you suspect your dog is protecting you.
How to prevent resource protection
Your first line of defense is a good offense: don’t create an environment or situation where your dog feels he has to protect resources in the first place.
A lot of resource conservation behavior can be avoided in the first place by giving our dogs their own space! Make sure your dog has space, time and privacy to eat, gnaw and chew, and sleep or rest.
Back in the day, people used to brag about being able to bend down and take away the dog’s food while it was eating. Some people believe they can take a dog’s bones to show dominance or nonsense about “showing the dog who’s boss” or “being the leader”.
Advances in modern training, coupled with numerous studies and changing attitudes about our relationship with pet dogs, make these authoritative performances obsolete if not outdated. very silly. And dangerous! In fact, studies show that taking valuables away from dogs can make conservation of resources worse.
The best way to avoid sources dogs protect their food? Leave him alone while he eats. In fact, make sure he has a space away from house and vehicle noise and can eat in peace. Free-feeding can exacerbate and even cause resource conservation. If you feed freely, stop! free feeding Also not recommended for many other reasons.
If you suspect your dog is guarding resources, management is a good first step. So, for example, don’t allow children near dogs that are eating, playing with toys or bones, or resting. In short, give your dog space!
More ways to stop resource protection tips:
- Take care of you dog body language and make an effort to protect or protect everything whether it’s toys, food or space, etc. Pay attention to how your dog acts.
- Keep your dog’s distance when he is playing with toys, bones or food, or resting in a favorite place.
- Do not confront your dog in an angry, frustrated, or aggressive manner or attempt to take objects from your dog or force him to leave a favorite space.
- Do not try to get or pry objects out of your dog’s mouth; Doing so will likely make your dog more intent on holding the object, and it can quickly escalate into outright aggressive behavior.
Our dogs determine what’s valuable, not us, so pay attention to what your dog wants and loves. If someone tries to take your wallet, phone or car, you will be very upset. It’s not fun to feel like you have to be on guard all the time. So does your dog. Actively supporting a safe and comfortable environment for your dog keeps everyone safe, comfortable, and happy.
Teach your dog a solid Drop hint
Help your dog understand that giving up goods is not always which means giving them up forever is a valuable skill to prevent resource conserving and support emotional stability. So teach your dog (or dogs!) how to Release so that they agree to the release of the resource. He needs to know that there is no reason to fear temporary loss or even giving up on things. Something better is on the horizon. It’s also a great suggestion if your dog occasionally picks up something you don’t want him to pick up, or even something potentially dangerous.
Train it:
- Engage your dog in a toy tug of war, starting with the lower value toy first. This may take some time, so be patient!
- Place the reward near the dog’s nose that has a higher value than the toy.
- When he drops a toy, immediately reward him.
- As soon as he releases the object, mark it with a verbal marker(Drop it!) or click with the clicker; Offer rewards while safely taking objects out of reach.
- After he’s finished enjoying, return the item to him.
- After a few exchanges like this, add a verbal “drop” signal when the child drops the toy.
- Repeat several times until your dog only listens to verbal cues.
- Generalize what has been learned by gradually moving to higher value toys and in different environments (different rooms, outside, etc.).
If you can’t get your dog to join the tug of war or he’s too engrossed in his toys, try getting him to drop objects in other ways that you can mark and handle, such as:
- Be more interesting! Many of us wish dogs would just play with toys alone. Take another toy and make it squeak, talk, or manipulate/animate it.
- Go to your snack box or food storage and make a fuss about it, pretending you’re getting something delicious.
- Act like you’ve found something absolutely amazing: point at it, ooh and ahh on it, even pretend you picked it up and are eating it.
More Drop it cue tips:
- Don’t forget to give your dog time to respond. He is learning something new and needs time to process the information. It may take several training sessions.
- Use a slightly larger toy so that when your dog tries to get the toy, he won’t grab your hand (if he does, the game will be “over” and try again later: all dogs should be taught the “don’t bite” rule).
- Your dog needs to be invested in the toy and excited about having it but not so excited that it crosses the threshold. If he gets too excited, reduce his toy selection or try again later when he’s less excited.
- If he’s not excited enough, you need a better toy or a better reward; You can also try using a chew stick or a bully stick instead.
- Generalize behavior towards toys and other objects that you demand dropped by your dog (such as a toddler’s toy or something suspicious outside).
If you’re really having trouble getting your dog to play with the toy, use chew sticks or other edible objects. teach a”Take it“Hints can also be helpful.
