27 Dec Thats Mine!
Resource guarding can be a serious issue, and if left unchecked, lead to dangerous situations and bites. Thankfully, there is help for even the most serious of guarders.
Guarding can take many forms. Some pups only guard from other dogs, while others insist humans stay away from their valuables. And valuables can be anything, from the expected like a bone to the unexpected like space or even a human. Below are a few tips to help prevent and treat resource guarding. Please, if your pup has already bitten or shows serious guarding, contact a force free trainer to help you through the treatment process.
Tip #1:
Trade. For everything. When we take something away from our pups we want their response to be ‘Great! Now I get something better!’ If you take anything from your pup offer them something more appropriate (and tastier / more fun) in return.
Tip #2:
Give it back. When you trade for something, if the object you took isn’t harmful, give it back. If its something you really want, you can trade again (and again, pups will usually lose interest in the object the more you trade)
Tip #3:
Do drivebys. When your pup has something valuable – a bone, their food bowl, a special toy – walk near them and drop something even more valuable. Then walk away. We want your approach to mean great stuff happens.
Tip #4:
Management. If your pup already shows signs of guarding, its essential to manage your environment in order to prevent your pup from rehearsing the guarding behavior. For example, if your pup guards their toys, put the toys away unless you’re doing an active dog training session. If your pup guards their bed, put the bed out of reach unless you’re training.
[mk_circle_image src=”https://www.puptopianyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2014-01-20-13.44.50.jpg” image_diameter=”700″]
Having a pup who guards things can be very frustrating. Its important to know there is something you can do, and that you’re not alone. These four rules can help start you on the right path to treating resource guarding. More dog friendly information can be found in Jean Donaldson’s book “Mine!” and for more help, talk to a qualified behavior consultant.
No Comments