How to stop my dog from growling when she resource guards stolen items?

Resource guarding can be a difficult problem to manage in some dogs. It sounds like you are doing lot of things right (trying to "trade" for higher value treats, avoiding punishment, etc.), so good for you! Since you are doing most of the things we usually recommend and are still having problems, I would really encourage you to make an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate Sadie in person and help you put together a detailed treatment plan to work on this issue. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org In the meantime, I would also highly recommend the book "Mine!" by Jean Donaldson. It gives a great, very detailed overview of resource guarding in dogs including some examples of treatment plans to help guide you.

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

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.

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.

Hi there. Resource guarding is a very common (and normal, to some extent!) behavior in dogs. Do not try to take high-value treats away from her while she is chewing them, as this will only teach her to be anxious and on guard whenever you approach. Instead, leave her alone to chew them in peace. You can also practice walking up to her while she is chewing on something, dropping a tasty treat like a piece of cheese or a hot dog slice, and walking away without bothering her. This way, she learns that having you approach her when she has a "treasure" is a good thing, and not a threat! If this behavior escalates over time instead of getting better, then I would recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist or a good reward-based trainer who can evaluate her in person and help you put together a training plan to address it. Play growling during tug of war is normal, and it not typically a cause for concern.

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)

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.