My dog guards his bone aggressively. Is this normal behavior?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Five is not old. It sounds like he is being protective of the bone and he is walking away with it because he doesn’t want anyone to take it. Since he is being aggressive about it, I would recommend finding a way to get the bone away from him and not giving it back. If he cannot play with his toys in a safe manner then he cannot have them. I am afraid the behavior could get worse. Good luck and kisses to Dartos!

Pipo is being aggressively protective of his bone. I would take away that bone and not allow him to have it while this other dog is in your home. I would also look into keeping them apart as much as possible. He isn't neutered, and dogs who aren't neutered can become territorial over their toys and home, leading to aggression. Keep them separated as much as possible during this visit will help prevent any further incidents of aggression. Feed them in separate rooms, and definitely do not allow this other dog near Pipo's food while he is eating. If you do face another situation where he has a toy the other dog wants and Pipo is getting upset, immediately remove the other dog from the room, and Pipo from the toy. Do not reach for the toy as he will likely bite again. If you are going to be babysitting other dogs in the future, I would consider neutering Pipo, as that cuts down and can eliminate hormonally related aggressive behaviors such as territorial aggression.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is of course unacceptable behavior and it is called food aggression. This is usually corrected with appropriate training. I would highly recommend you consider reaching out to a dog trainer who can work with you in person to correct this. Best of luck!

Hi there. Many dogs will freeze and growl, snarl, or snap if they have something valuable (like a bone or bully stick) and they're afraid you might take it away. This is actually quite a normal behavior for dogs, and is just their way of trying to protect their stuff :) To help Sam learn that you're not a threat, you can try walking by and casually tossing him a treat occasionally while he's chewing on his bone. This way, he learns that good things happen when you approach - so no need to growl! NEVER reprimand him for growling, and never try to forcibly take the bone away, as this will only teach him that he was right to be wary of you approaching and is likely to make the problem worse. If you want more detailed information about how to work on this problem, I highly recommend the book "Mine!" by Jean Donaldson.

This can be a sign of food aggression or you may have simply startled him and that is his natural response to protect himself. make sure he knows you are there next time If it continues then you need to seek training and stay on top of that to make sure he understands that is unacceptable behavior

While neutering may be of some help if he is old enough for the surgery, there is no guarantee that it will solve your problem. This sounds more like an imbalance in the relationship between you and your dog. I would have him checked by the vet to be certain that this behavior is not being caused by a medical problem. If Blondi is physically healthy, you can ask for a referral to a behavior specialist (not just a dog trainer!). You are also welcome to click on the prompt to initiate a consult and I can be of assistance, though it is easier to work with the dog on site.

Good for you for wanting to work on this behavior now, while Jax is young. Resource guarding is a common behavior in dogs. He acts this way because he's afraid you are going to take away his food or bone, and feels that he has to protect his stuff from you. Treatment for this problem is focused on changing the dog's emotional reaction to having you approach. Essentially, you want to teach him that great things happen when you come near - so there's no need to get upset and growl or snarl. You can start by standing at a distance and tossing treats to him while he's eating or chewing on a bone. From there, as long as he's comfortable, you can progress to walking by and dropping treats on the floor or into his bowl. Eventually, it's possible to work up to touching his bone or food bowl, praising and giving a handful of tasty treats, and walking away again. NEVER try to deal with this problem by punishing Jax or taking away his things, as this will only make him more tense and defensive around you in the future. If you have difficulty with this training plan or if you are not seeing improvement within a few weeks, I would recommend consulting with a veterinary behaviorist or a good reward-based trainer who can help you in person. I also highly recommend the book "Mine!" by Jean Donaldson - it's an excellent guide to dealing successfully with resource guarding in dogs. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here (www.dacvb.org) or a qualified trainer here (www.ccpdt.org)