Resource guarding in dogs: why it is simple to fix but nobody wants to do it?
Resource guarding in dogs has always been a hot topic among new dog owners, trainers and the whole dog community in general. Somehow people think this is a complex issue and it is usually justified with many narratives that involve genetics, past issues, history of alleged abuse and so on, when in fact is just another trait that any dog can display when owners are not aware of. What do I mean by that?
Well, let’s think of resource guarding as the ability to literally guard objects, food, toys, things and people ferociously. The resource is there, nobody claims it, the dog does and whoever tries to take it will be faced with a possible attack. The act itself is straight forward but people get caught up in the why, and that is where all the problems begin.
I see many people searching for the why, not only when it comes to resource guarding but all the other problems they may face with their dogs. I understand the need to know the reason, but often enough people settle for an emotional justification that stops them from acting towards resolution, and that is why these dogs never truly progress. We all must be aware that in the dog training industry not all trainers are truly invested in the owner’s true success. Many of them will convince you that genetics and emotional trauma is behind behavior issues simply to put you in a position to stop yourself from finding the simples answer, which is correction.
Since the need for clarification should be met, let’s get to the real reason resource guarding develops in dogs, and the answer is quite simple: freedom. When we bring new dogs into our homes, we often believe the best we can do for them is give them freedom. We want them to feel comfortable, so we present them with many options of space, a multitude of resources, including toys, beds, food and treats. We forget these are animals, predators, and they thrive on competition for hierarchy and dominance, after all that is what guarantees their safety so here is where everything starts to get wild.
An animal will see the surrendering of space and resources as a sign of hierarchy readjustment. What does that mean? It means that he just came in and whoever was the leader, protector and provider in that territory just stepped down and that role needs to be fulfilled. Since the dog understands the need for leadership, he sees that as an invitation to take the role. He will do that by claiming that territory and all its resources without any hesitation, believing that is the correct option. Notice that all the process is very natural to dogs since it’s in their nature to see this as a proper hierarchy for survival. We become surprised simply because we refuse to see dogs as animals, let alone predators and we have been conditioned to deny their true nature. Dogs are not children nor angels with paws. They are still very strong animals with high adaptability and failure to see that may lead to a constant battle of wills between humans without proper knowledge and animals without guidance.
So, if it’s so simple how do we make it work?
Once we understand who the dog is as a species, we must always put ourselves in a position of full responsibility for the dog’s actions. We brought this animal to live with us so it’s our job to teach them how to behave and act around our domain and our social world. Since we know what they look for (leadership, protection and safety) we must step up to that role and show them that we can take care of them in a way they understand. We take over the territory, with all its resources, and we show them how to participate in it. That means walking the dog through every step of the learning process, guiding them and marking good and bad behaviors in order to bring clarity into this relationship.
When it comes to resources, we present them as ours, we show them how to have them, and for how long, and we remove them when the time is up. Having the resource politely is rewarded with more time with the resource. Fighting for the resource is punished indicating that reaction is never allowed. How do we do that? We do it using the best tool available to us in dog training, which is the remote collar, or e-collar. That is not the only tool, but it is the most significant when it comes to marker training and should be seen as the best way to clearly communicate with the dog.
Remember, resources are not just objects or food. Resources can also be spaces and people, so the crate is also another crucial piece of the puzzle when it comes to stopping resource guarding. Most dogs are not created often and that means they have plenty of time and freedom to explore and claim new resources. We are not always able to supervise and interact with our dogs so when we are busy or unable to pay close attention to them, they may find a way to explore new possibilities.
The majority of the dogs I’ve worked with that had resource guarding issues were not crated at all, and even though some of them didn’t have access to the entire property, they had enough space to claim whatever they could find, so that shows how important it is for us to fully have control of where they are and what they are doing, especially in the beginning stages of training.
Through proper training we simulate many scenarios where dogs could have access to resources and we practice that response, using rewards and punishment. We always must remember that dogs learn through associations and repetition in different scenarios so practice will make sure the dog fully understands and shapes behavior. The technicality of it is quite simple but it takes human understanding and the correct mind set to put that into practice without hesitation. If we as humans focus objectively on what we want to achieve and we understand the true nature of dogs, the whole process can be done very easily. The only roadblock is a confusing perception and all the projections that constantly cloud our judgment.
In the end resource guarding, like many other behavior issues in dogs, is just another sign that we as humans, somehow are failing in our leadership role with our dogs. Denying that fact will always prevent us from having the dog we always wanted.
