# 7.5 month golden Gabbar and resource guarding



## Kinjal (Dec 26, 2011)

Hi all, we have been dealing with on and off issues of resource guarding by Gabbar since we got him home at 8 weeks. 

We have been giving him treats (bones, pigs ears) and he had started coming up to us with the item in his mouth and we could stroke him all over. 

We were happy as it seemed to be an improvement from the days where he used to growl, air snap at us of we came close to him. But then today he was chewing on an pigs ear, had sat in my lap for fifteen mins and then was on the floor. After an hour I thought it was toilet break time and with a treat in my hand said "drop" like I always do and he let a low deep growl and did an air snap to the ground towards the bone. I was freaked out. I took a step back crouched down and showed the treat and he dropped. I picked the bone up gave the treat and gave the bone back. 


I'm really at my wits end on how to progress from here on. 

Suggestions please.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

I think you handled it all fantastically!! And that you have done really well with Gabbar. I would just take it as a sign that you need to rehearse and reinforce his giving up items of value. When he brings an item to you, take the opportunity to not just pet him but to reinforce the trading and returning it to him. 
Pig ears and bones are very high value items to a dog, and at this stage I don't think Gabbar is quite ready to be having these things, they are just a little too valuable -right now, and you don't want him to 'practice' guarding. 
Take a step back in your training, you have done really well so far, work with low value items and slowly work up to his favorite chew toy, or ball. This is not a reflection on you, it is just that Gabbar has told you that he needs more practice with not resource guarding.


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## Kinjal (Dec 26, 2011)

Thank you so much. I feel better now. I love him so much, but as a first time dog owner Im a little nervOus when he displays such behaviours as he seems unrecognisable the instant he guards.


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## Kinjal (Dec 26, 2011)

Anyone else got a view on this?


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

I agree with what CharlieThree said, don't give him such high value treats yet. Sometimes you just have to go back a couple steps and take things from there. Don't dwell on it, let it go, and move forward.

And best of luck.


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

I am going through something simular with my almost 4 month old golden. I agree with the trade option and also not allowing him to have things of high value.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Kinjal said:


> Hi all, we have been dealing with on and off issues of resource guarding by Gabbar since we got him home at 8 weeks.
> 
> We have been giving him treats (bones, pigs ears) and he had started coming up to us with the item in his mouth and we could stroke him all over.
> 
> ...


I really don't like growls. Goldens can be possessive of bones which could turn out to be dangerous. I wouldn't give the dog bones for a while if ever. Perhaps try a Nylabone as a substitute.


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## willows pack (Apr 14, 2012)

We have had the same issues from 8 weeks as well and started right away with give trade exercises and hand feeding etc And also monitoring what was considered too high value. She is now 5 months and was down at the dog sitter who had a bone lying around from her 2 dogs and we got a growl guarding reaction and not a nice little growl.

We are making progress..She used to guard a tissue as high value but we are desensitized on most of those items now. I thought I'd get a bone and she if I could get her used to them as not so high value..She was good the first day and I took it away and brought it back out the next day but when we approached her this time we got a growl snap . So the bone got shelved for now. We were very disappointed (distraught) as you have to somehow get them used to the items without the guarding. 

So I've gone back to the everest chew which is somewhat high value...She can chew it like a bone but it's compressed cheese from Nepal and so far no issues with sharing.

We have a great dog, love her to bits but the resource guarding is quite strong inherited so we realize we'll need to work on it for quite sometime still so we feel your pain.

We are also not sure at what point to try a bone again as you do need to work on the issue without making it worse,


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## Deber (Aug 23, 2011)

I would pick up and put away for a long time, perhaps Never give back! When handling resource guarding in the rescues (ones we don't have long) I quickly learn what is high value and that is removed. If it is toys, then they are picked up, none left down and only get a toy in a different environment (like outside) when playing, but never get it in the house where they were guarding. Same goes for food. We have a crew and can't have that at all. When a dog comes in and guards their food, they are fed in another part of the house away from the others and when more secure, then food is left out all over in many dishes. Dog quickly learns to not care about food, cause it is everywhere and once calm and eatting well, I can start removing the extra food until they are fed at the same time as the others. 

I would not give any pig ears, antlers or chew toys or balls to a guarder - perhaps ever. There are other things you can do outside like pick up a sturdy stick and throw and let him chew as he is playing fetch with you, at night instead of giving a bone or ear, use this time for brushing and gently massage them as you tell them how much you love them with lights more dim and house/room quiet. If they are not given a time and object to res. guard I think they usually forget about it as they mature.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Deber said:


> I would pick up and put away for a long time, perhaps Never give back!


I agree with Deber, it just may not be worth the risk. If you end up making a mistake (don't get every single item picked up before company comes over, it gets hidden or lost) and there is a bite, you don't get a 'do-over'. It's done.


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## Kinjal (Dec 26, 2011)

Okay question to willows pack: you said you desentisized from tissues, how did you do that? 

And how are things with you now?


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## willows pack (Apr 14, 2012)

The resource guarding is a work in progress - she is really good with us for most things now - tissue is almost a game at this point - and she'll trade for it but always tries to keep some small part in her mouth that she can then chew in front of you as it tends to get into pieces once in the mouth, and drive you nuts.

we have been working on the give and trade - and always praise with a 'good give' loudly when she drops something. I realize that they are getting rewarded for grabbing something they shouldn't but I'd rather have that than a stand off or worse.

We also really force her to look at us when she is in trade mode. We have the command 'look at me' which we have trained when feeding almost any treat or dinner item. So we use that when she has something she shouldn't because she'll tend to not meet your eyes because she knows if she does she'll have to respond. 

We thought we were doing great but a month ago at a sitter whom she was perfect with the first visit - resource guarded not once but 3 times on the visit with a tissue, plastic piece and a stick of all things - growl and all - we were mortified but the sitter is an experienced dog owner and waited her out and eventually she gave back the items. So we were back to working harder on the training. I think she was testing the new person to see what she could get away with! I also had gotten lax and only brought kibble for treats for the day which in a resource guard showdown was probably not enticing enough to trade - so that was my fault.

We also don't make a big deal over a tissue as it isn't a big deal - they all love to steal these - some items we don't feel are worth going after and hopefully this makes them less guarded over the items as well. 

She has been great and we've had zero issue for quite awhile now but yesterday we went to get an icecream - all 3 of us in the car parked - and she is in the back leaning into the front - as we gave her a lick or two from a baby cup and then she had to sit and behave = she was leaning in too forward so we were pushing her back (normally she's in a crate but we are letting her sit in the back on a few short runs now that she is better behaved in general) She gave a tiny growl and we both looked at her shocked and verbally scolded and she stopped immediately - you could see her almost realizing as it was out of her mouth that it was unacceptable behavior and she stopped herself short. She sat in the back and looked out the window after that and didn't bother us anymore. 

With her I think it's very much instinctual but she is learning to self regulate - she is also much more attached and feeling comfortable with us and gets lots of 'normally' good vegetable and fruit treats. We want her to feel safe knowing that the food supply is always there - but thru us exclusively for now. 

We still do some hand feeding - and use the kong dispenser in the backyard for the rest of her meal that she has to work at to get the food but she loves it. We also make her sit and make eye contact for every item that goes in her bowl - we want the bowl approach to always be positive. 

So I imagine we will be working on this for quite some time to come but it is definitely much better than before. She has been a great dog in all other aspects and I'm hoping with maturity she'll learn to control herself without requiring reminders. 

But I think it's always something that will need to be monitored.


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## willows pack (Apr 14, 2012)

So spoke too soon on the tissue...She grabbed some this morning, didn't realize the garbage had any but a friend had been over..clamped down and wouldn't give an inch...didn't have any trades on me so we had the big wait each other out session...with a couple of small growls to boot...but she managed to eat it so that was that...dragged her into the crate immediately..

I was mad. She'd been giving them up on a walk if she inadvertently gets her lips on one...but this time she didn't want to relent. Very frustrating and back to the drawing board. Again!

We figured it was the death knell when we posted she was making great progress! LOL


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## Kinjal (Dec 26, 2011)

Awww.... I know what you mean buddy, I once wrote Gabbar was coming to us when he was chewing bones, etc as he was making great progress and one month after that we are dealing with some items being to special ...


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

Love this post as we just started with resource guarding. Tayla is 8 months old today and her big one is clothing items when we forget to shut the bedroom door or anything else she seems to know isn't hers. We've had her 4 months and not sure how the other owner handled this, but if it's like other things, not well. She has now gotten bad with her big bone so that is now put away and we are working on trading items. She is my first Golden puppy and our old Golden was never like this and neither was our Aussie/BC. You could take food or treats right from their mouths. Tayla is a challenge every day. I knew puppies were full of energy and mischief, but never knew we would have this many problems.


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