How to stop my 8-month-old Goldendoodle puppy from resource guarding?

It sounds like you're definitely on the right track with Maggie! :) It's always recommended to trade for a higher value treat when your dog has a stolen item that you need to get back - never chase her or try to forcibly remove it from her mouth, as this often makes resource guarding issues worse. If she occasionally gets growly even though you're doing the right things, it would be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist who can help you determine why this is happening, and what you might be able to change about your current training plan to avoid this. In some cases, you may need to go through a systematic counter-conditioning/desensitization protocol to work on the problem, rather than just "crisis management" when she actually has something you need to get from her. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org. You might also want to check out the book "Mine!" by Jean Donaldson - it gives an excellent, very detailed overview of resource guarding in dogs, including specific instructions on how to work through this problem.

Hi there. I would recommend getting Jean Donaldson's book "Mine!" for a detailed guide to how to deal with resource guarding in dogs. Basically, you need to work with the dog to show him that you are not a threat, and that good things happen when you come near his food or toys. If you have any qualified trainers in your area that could work with you in person, this would also be highly recommended as it can be challenging to deal with these issues yourself if you don't have experience.

Yes - in general, it sounds like you're doing all the right things! Some dogs are genetically hard-wired to have a stronger resource guarding response than others, which means this issue can be harder to treat in these individuals. If you want to continue working on the problem and hopefully make things better over time, I would strongly recommend the book "Mine!" by Jean Donaldson - it gives very detailed instructions on how to set up a training plan to work on resource guarding issues, so that you can work on the problem in a more systematic way. You could also consider working with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate her in person, and may be able to help you tweak your current plan a bit to get better results. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

In general, this is done by teaching the dogs that great things happen when you come near his bowl. You start at a distance where he’s comfortable and toss his extra-tasty treats while he’s eating, then gradually work your way closer as long as he’s happy and comfortable. It can be very challenging to do this on your own, especially if the problem is severe, so I would recommend working with a veterinary behaviorist or s good reward-based trainer if you can. NEVER take away his food bowl or use any kind of punishment for this behavior, as this will only make him more upset and defensive and make the problem worse over time. For more details on resource guarding and how to address it, I highly recommend the book “Mine!” by Jean Donaldson.

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)

Although this behavior can be common, mild aggression can very easily escalate and quickly. Especially, if your older dog decides to challenge her or not back down.It's not aggression you are seeing, it's resource guarding. I'd recommend always supervising them during feeding times and when treats or other high-value items are around. Teach your younger dog that there are no shortages of great things, ever. This means working with her around your other dog and showing her if she has something good like a bone/treat/toy there is another one coming. I call them treat parties where you have both dogs sit and give them rewards, alternating back and forth. This teaches them that they have to wait their turn, but they both will get something. Start with something basic like kibble, and every turn "trade up" for something more scrumptious each round. And offer plenty of "treats". This should help with some of the resource guarding you are experiencing. Keep practicing this regularly and it should help. If things begin to escalate more please call a professional trainer for a consultation and help. Nip this in the bud, before it gets to be harder to control.

Hi there! I would recommend getting a really special, tasty treat (something like chicken or roast beef, for example). Let him see that you have it, and toss it on the floor a little distance away from where he is. If the treat is exciting enough, he should leave the bully stick to go and eat the treat. Toss him a whole handful if needed to keep him busy while you pick up the bully stick. Alternatively, if you don't *need* him to come out of the conference room right now, just leave him alone until he's finished. Either way, this is probably something that you want to work on, so I would recommend getting in touch with a good reward-based trainer who can help you put together a plan to improve this behavior. Treatment for resource guarding is based on teaching the dog to associate good things with having you approach them, so they don't have any reason to guard their treats or food from you. You can search for a qualified trainer in your area here: www.ccpdt.org I also highly recommend reading the book "Mine!" by Jean Donaldson - it's a great resource for understanding and working with dogs who have resource guarding issues.