# Resource guarding puppy - what was your experience?



## hahuston (Jul 5, 2017)

I'll be using the search feature, too, but in the meantime, what have your experiences been with a resource guarding puppy? Asher hasn't been resource guarding until today. I've always traded him something of higher value to establish trust when I wanted to take a bone or bully stick for those emergencies when I really needed to take something without a trade.

Today I gave him a small soup bone that still had some of the marrow in the middle. He went nuts over it. My husband tried to take it from him without trading and gained a few holes in his skin as a result. I was able to trade it for bacon a few times but then that game ended and he tried to bite me, too. I lured him away from the bone with more bacon and put the bone away. I'm not giving him such high value treats for a while. We were surprised, shocked and a little disheartened. 

Obviously I'll be talking to our trainer.

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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

I would not be using that high value of a treat. Why are you?

When training you want to set pup up for success; not failure.


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## hahuston (Jul 5, 2017)

jennretz said:


> I would not be using that high value of a treat. Why are you?
> 
> When training you want to set pup up for success; not failure.
> 
> ...


I didn't know it was a bad idea. I read so much about the health benefits that it seemed like a good once-in-a-while treat. And you're right, I WANT to set him up for success.

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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

We have a toy poodle who will guard very high-value items. He's fine with regular treats, chews and so on, and readily gives them up. So we just don't give the stuff he will guard. Too bad for him.


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Rukie tried resource guarding the first time I gave him a giant knuckle bone and tried to get it back after a little while. I think I got it away with a trade and put it up for a few days. It actually was scary to me and I didn't like it at all. My son in law worked with him some on giving it up later just by distracting him with a toy or something and kicking it away then picking it up and giving it back. He hasn't done it anymore with new knuckle bones but I try not to make it an issue and usually trade or distract him away. They are sort of high fat at first so I don't let him chew a new one for very long. If it had kept happening, I would have quit giving them.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

'I didn't know it was a bad idea. I read so much about the health benefits that it seemed like a good once-in-a-while treat. And you're right, I WANT to set him up for success.'

I don't think it was a mistake to give it to him, I do think that the mistake was made in attempting to 'take' it back from him. That is like asking an elementary age child to pass a university entrance exam- far exceeds their current 'educational' level and life experiences. 

There is no harm in giving a high value treat such as a yummy bone, however, in all fairness to the dog, they deserve and should be allowed the 'freedom' - time and space (perhaps in a 'safe place', such as crate or x -pen, or gated off room) to relax and enjoy it, for a while, without interruption. They can and do learn to give up high value items, but we need to take the time, to help them develop the 'knowledge' and the 'skills' we want them to have.


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## usually lurking (Apr 21, 2017)

In my experience, the best way to prevent resource guarding is to teach your dog that nothing he gets is free, and that he isn't "in charge of" resource allocation. You control all the resources, including whether or not he gets some or all of any given item. Make him work for everything. Practice taking things and giving them back. Take his food while he's eating, add something, then give it back. And, yes, he'll have to work to get it back - asking for a sit or a down until you release him should be sufficient. Take treats from him, inspect them, give them back. If his worldview is that resources always come back the same or better, he'll never feel the need to guard. Move from low value items to high value items over time.


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

What I do is place a lot more importance on the dog feeling safe around food/treats/high value items vs. trading. Learning to trade is important, but if that core feeling of safety isn't there, then it leaves a lot of room for issues. And if I am continually having to trade for items, then something is wrong with my management/training/prevention and can also lead to an unwanted chain of behaviors. If we are constantly putting the dog in a situation where he or she must make a choice to trade, even in training and even for higher value items, it can make a dog wonder if he/she will be able to chew or eat in peace.

As you see, this was not a situation where your husband should have simply taken away such a high value item. Probably a good time to have a discussion about his thought-process leading up to this action if he does not already understand why this was a mistake on his part and not a problem with the dog.


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

usually lurking said:


> asking for a sit or a down until you release him should be sufficient.


Asking for a sit or stand or whatever is a good idea before giving high value items especially. But I don't do it so my dog knows I'm the "boss"-- the reality is, he can kill me and he chooses not to. We have a partnership.  I do it so that I can assess how aroused my dog is about the item. If the dog is overaroused, then I might choose to give a different treat or make sure the dog is in a safe area like a crate to enjoy it. Or, I can work on bringing the arousal level down before I release the dog to the treat, so that my dog is in a (relatively) calm state and less likely to be reactive. I will say that as my dog has matured, not much other than new people gets him overly aroused and he used to be extremely food motivated and become very intense, though he did not/does not guard items.


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## usually lurking (Apr 21, 2017)

Anele said:


> But I don't do it so my dog knows I'm the "boss"


That certainly isn't what I meant to imply, if I did. It's teaching respect for my space, the way I respect his. If I put his dish down, he isn't entitled to barrel over to it and throw himself into it, nor can he leap towards me to grab something. He can sit and wait patiently until I tell him it's okay. In return, I don't go running up to him and take things willy-nilly just because I feel like it. I enter his space calmly, ask for the item, and, 99% of the time, give it back. You're only "the boss" if you act in an unfair manner. 

Having said that, resource control, for a dog that has shown himself to be a resource guarder, becomes a safety issue. One of you has to make the decisions that both of you will have to live by. That individual cannot be the dog. It's still a partnership, but not all partners are equal.


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

usually lurking said:


> That certainly isn't what I meant to imply, if I did. It's teaching respect for my space, the way I respect his. If I put his dish down, he isn't entitled to barrel over to it and throw himself into it, nor can he leap towards me to grab something. He can sit and wait patiently until I tell him it's okay. In return, I don't go running up to him and take things willy-nilly just because I feel like it. I enter his space calmly, ask for the item, and, 99% of the time, give it back. You're only "the boss" if you act in an unfair manner.
> 
> Having said that, resource control, for a dog that has shown to be a resource guarder, becomes a safety issue. One of you has to make the decisions that both of you will have to live by. That individual cannot be the dog. It's still a partnership, but not all partners are equal.


Completely agree with everything you've written here. However, behavior-wise, I do not see it in alignment with this statement: 



usually lurking said:


> Take treats from him, inspect them, give them back.


If anyone took away my brownie with ice cream and hot fudge while I'm eating (unless they were giving me a second one!) I'd be an unhappy camper.

I think, too-- not that you personally have this attitude-- but that for me-- the "nothing in life is for free" mentality takes out the joy of owning a dog because it becomes very rigid. Every cuddle, treat, and interaction is measured, planned, and executed. I don't have the desire or even energy for that kind of relationship.


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## usually lurking (Apr 21, 2017)

Poor use of words --- willy-nilly meant to imply that it is done without purpose and care and/or that it's always take, take, take and never returning. 

It isn't rigid. You don't take every treat back, but if you never practice enough to teach your dog that having things taken isn't "bad," one day he might bite, or decide that he's not giving up that high value item that is toxic.


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

There is a good book on resource guarding titled "Mine!":
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y2GXSX3/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

It isn't a long book, and inexpensive on a kindle. It might help you.


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## hahuston (Jul 5, 2017)

BriGuy said:


> There is a good book on resource guarding titled "Mine!":
> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y2GXSX3/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
> 
> It isn't a long book, and inexpensive on a kindle. It might help you.


Thanks. 

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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

usually lurking said:


> Poor use of words --- willy-nilly meant to imply that it is done without purpose and care and/or that it's always take, take, take and never returning.
> 
> It isn't rigid. You don't take every treat back, but if you never practice enough to teach your dog that having things taken isn't "bad," one day he might bite, or decide that he's not giving up that high value item that is toxic.


Again, I completely agree with you here. I suspect the limitations of written communication are at play and that we agree far more than we disagree. 

To the OP, there is also a sticky at the top of this forum if you haven’t checked it out yet about RG.

I think you are right to contact the trainer just because it’s so helpful, as Megora often says, to have a set of eyes on both you and the dog and catch things you might be missing.


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## Goldhill (Jul 3, 2016)

One thing that I do with young puppies/dogs is only let them have a very high value chew if I am holding it. It's a win for the dog too, because it's hard to get a good chewing angle when you don't have opposable thumbs! Some puppies take some time to get used to sharing it while they chew rather than tugging it away, but in my experience once they figure it out they actually really enjoy it. It's a great way for them to learn to accept your hands on a high value object, and it also helps retrain their thinking away from the idea that once they get their teeth on a high value object it is 100% theirs and they need to protect it.

Of course if a puppy displays resource guarding behaviors when you have your hands on the object, this is not a good method and you'd have to take several steps back. But in terms of getting over the mentality that hands near special chew toy = bad news, I've had a lot of luck with the shared chewing method. And it doesn't hurt to put some peanut butter on the bone now and then when you are "sharing" it to sweeten the deal a little. 

I've done this a lot with my dog and she will pester me to hold her bone for her. When she was little I did a whole lot of practice making our interactions positive when she was chewing on something, and I never took anything special away without offering something in return.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

So you discovered something very important about your dog: if he wants something badly enough he will bite hard enough to break skin to keep it. This is valuable information. Because you have children in your home you have to be extremely diligent, more so than the average home with adults only. He didn't air snap or hit you lightly to warn you off, he made holes. I don't blame you all for being surprised and disheartened. But it's a good reminder that he's a dog and he reacted like dogs will. Try to look at it from the point of view that thank goodness it happened with your husband and not one of the kids. I hope you will sit down and have a very serious talk with the kids about not taking anything from the puppy and always having an adult handle it if he needs to have something taken away. If your kids are like mine they will need frequent reminders about this for a long time.

The book 'Mine' that was suggested above is an excellent one for understanding this situation. Absolutely read it. The other thought I have is that "Nothing In Life is Free" would probably be a wise thing to institute in your house if you haven't already started doing it. The idea that dogs work for their privileges is an excellent training protocol for a dog that may have some tendencies to push the limits. We have bred these dogs to work with us and Goldens especially respond well to having a job. Nothing in Life is Free isn't complicated and it's not bullying the dog, it's more about treating him like he's a dog in a non-threatening way. Simple things like teaching him to 'down/stay' while you fix his meal and then have him wait to eat till you release him. Teaching him to 'wait' while you open the door and then signal him to go through when you release him. Having him 'sit' or 'shake' for petting. Not letting him up on furniture. All of these are a great way of teaching a puppy that he does not run the household. 

You will want to pay close attention to your puppy as he develops, be sure he does not show any signs of guarding certain toys, his bed etc. Hopefully this will be something that doesn't escalate with him and you all can work through it.


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## hahuston (Jul 5, 2017)

nolefan said:


> So you discovered something very important about your dog: if he wants something badly enough he will bite hard enough to break skin to keep it. This is valuable information. Because you have children in your home you have to be extremely diligent, more so than the average home with adults only. He didn't air snap or hit you lightly to warn you off, he made holes. I don't blame you all for being surprised and disheartened. But it's a good reminder that he's a dog and he reacted like dogs will. Try to look at it from the point of view that thank goodness it happened with your husband and not one of the kids. I hope you will sit down and have a very serious talk with the kids about not taking anything from the puppy and always having an adult handle it if he needs to have something taken away. If your kids are like mine they will need frequent reminders about this for a long time.
> 
> The book 'Mine' that was suggested above is an excellent one for understanding this situation. Absolutely read it. The other thought I have is that "Nothing In Life is Free" would probably be a wise thing to institute in your house if you haven't already started doing it. The idea that dogs work for their privileges is an excellent training protocol for a dog that may have some tendencies to push the limits. We have bred these dogs to work with us and Goldens especially respond well to having a job. Nothing in Life is Free isn't complicated and it's not bullying the dog, it's more about treating him like he's a dog in a non-threatening way. Simple things like teaching him to 'down/stay' while you fix his meal and then have him wait to eat till you release him. Teaching him to 'wait' while you open the door and then signal him to go through when you release him. Having him 'sit' or 'shake' for petting. Not letting him up on furniture. All of these are a great way of teaching a puppy that he does not run the household.
> 
> You will want to pay close attention to your puppy as he develops, be sure he does not show any signs of guarding certain toys, his bed etc. Hopefully this will be something that doesn't escalate with him and you all can work through it.


Actually, Asher did give warning but my husband ignored it. Whale eyes, growling, stiff body, pulled the bone in closer, he gave warning. My husband shouldn't have pushed it. My older kids would not have pushed it though my toddler might have, which is why he wasn't allowed in the kitchen while Asher had the bone. It was just so shocking because he hadn't behaved that way before.

We are continuing to talk about it. I'll get our current trainer's thoughts and suggestions and talk to a trainer we've used in the past to see what she says. I really like our current trainer (who received her training via Ian Dunbar) and respect her. My husband has never met her but really respects the other trainer who uses pinch collars, electronic training collars and dominance. Even though their training methods are very different, maybe there will be some common ground in this case. That would really help.

Thank you for everything you've shared. We've had a resource guarder before and it was a tough situation. We couldn't overcome her resource guarding and fear. I'm confident we can over come this or minimize this with Asher. It will be much easier if my husband and I are on the same page. 

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## Gleepers (Apr 20, 2016)

I?ve experienced this with every young dog I?ve had. Young dogs like young humans haven?t developed impulse control. And also I see it as an excellent opportunity to build trust. 
When I start with high value chews (like bones) I try to use it as practice and a learning opportunity. First letting them chew it while I hold it. Then moving to letting them have it but passing by frequently and touching their head. Touching the bone. I may get a warning growl but try to calm them with nice words and move on. Trying to reassure that I?m not out to steal it from them. Next step is taking it. Looking at it, moving it a few feet and giving it back. 
Usually after a little bit and some practice they will be cool with me taking their treat. 
Also lots of practice trading on the lower value stuff. 
These skills come in quite handy later if/when they get something really cool like a bunny or a bird.


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

hahuston said:


> Actually, Asher did give warning but my husband ignored it. Whale eyes, growling, stiff body, pulled the bone in closer, he gave warning.


Has Asher given these signals in other situations?

One more thing to keep an eye on-- if he gets extra "waggy" with an item, I also see this as a sign of possible guarding, because it shows a heightened state of arousal. 

I have explained to my children that we never get into conflicts with a puppy-- ever. (A trained adult who has had thousands of positive interactions can be trusted not to have to trade every single time.) This means always making sure that the puppy is comfortable or, at a minimum (in case of emergency), distracted with having an item taken away. As you probably know, guarding can spread to other items, places, and people. 

As others have said, impulse control work is important but I imagine you're already incorporating those exercises into your everyday training with him.

You mentioned your husband liking the other trainer's methods... I will tell you that my husband had different views of how dogs should be trained when we got our first dog as a family. What I did was say, leave the training (and work!) up to me. I do just about all the dog care, with some help from my children. This leaves my husband to enjoy the dogs, and there is no debate about how to handle situations. I don't know if this would work for you.


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## hahuston (Jul 5, 2017)

Anele said:


> Has Asher given these signals in other situations?
> 
> One more thing to keep an eye on-- if he gets extra "waggy" with an item, I also see this as a sign of possible guarding, because it shows a heightened state of arousal.
> 
> ...


No, we haven't seen that before with him. He has been very easy and sweet, happy to trade for anything. The kids and I almost always traded to establish that trust, understanding, and acceptance.

Before Asher, we tried to adopt rescue dogs. The kids and I watched a lot of videos, looked at lots of pictures, and watched tons of Animal Planet so we could learn to recognize and better read a dog's body language. 

Our Missi, whom we dearly loved, grew more and more fearful, reactive, and became a big resource guarder. But she was also unpredictable and amped up so fast that sometimes we couldn't respond to her signals fast enough. What was okay one moment/day, was not okay the next. She was attempting to bite, or arectually biting, everyone but me. We had to return her to the Humane Society. It was devastating. We won't get a rescue dog again until our kids are all much older. 

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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

hahuston said:


> No, we haven't seen that before with him. He has been very easy and sweet, happy to trade for anything. The kids and I almost always traded to establish that trust, understanding, and acceptance.
> 
> Before Asher, we tried to adopt rescue dogs. The kids and I watched a lot of videos, looked at lots of pictures, and watched tons of Animal Planet so we could learn to recognize and better read a dog's body language.
> 
> ...


I hear you. My first priority is a safe dog-- no negotiation in that respect.

This sounds like an isolated incident, which is a relief. You and your kids take body language seriously, which is critical. Seems like the issue may be your husband-- getting him on board to either leave the training to you or to become more educated about body language and the consequences of ignoring signals. Had it been only you in this situation I don't think the bites would have happened. The goal now is for them to never happen again, because as you know-- the more a dog "practices" something, the deeper it becomes ingrained. But from what you have described, it seems this is a very controllable situation and unlikely to happen again now that you know.

I'm sorry about your last dog. It is heartbreaking.


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## usually lurking (Apr 21, 2017)

Anele said:


> Seems like the issue may be your husband-- getting him on board to either leave the training to you or to become more educated about body language and the consequences of ignoring signals.



Sadly, husbands are harder to train than dogs. At least, that has been my personal experience.....


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## hahuston (Jul 5, 2017)

usually lurking said:


> Sadly, husbands are harder to train than dogs. At least, that has been my personal experience.....


Lol! You are so right, but in all fairness, maybe it applies to husband's or wives, depending on who is the one most interested/involved with training.

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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

Ha, I just saw this article and thought you might get a much-needed laugh (and comfort!) reading it!

https://www.petexpertise.com/dogs-bite-when-you-are-mean.html


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## hahuston (Jul 5, 2017)

Anele said:


> Ha, I just saw this article and thought you might get a much-needed laugh (and comfort!) reading it!
> 
> https://www.petexpertise.com/dogs-bite-when-you-are-mean.html


Love this! Thanks. 

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