Resource Guarding

[Guest Tes623]

I was reading the thread about greyhounds biting and several people mentioned resource guarding and I was wondering what ya'll were talking about

[Fruitycake]

If your dog finds something (anything) so precious that he/she will not allow you or someone else to take it without offering resistance (from growling, to grabbing and running away, to actually biting/fighting to keep "offenders" away) they are resource guarding. It can be mild, to extremely severe.

 

It could be anything from food (relatively common), toys (also pretty common) to beds, to a person, or anything, really. I have a friend whose dog is possessive of him - won't let any other dogs near him because he is HERS.

Edited July 22, 2011 by Fruitycake

[Guest Tes623]

Thanks for the info!

[GeorgeofNE]

The first time I gave George a bone, when I'd only had him for a while, I thought nothing of reaching to take it away from him--and almost lost my hand! He'd probably never had such a prize before, and he did NOT want to give it up!

 

That's resource guarding, and you can't blame a hound who has never had to share before.

 

You'll also hear about "trading up." After he snapped at me, I went and got a Milk Bone, handed it to him, and too, the bone! He was happy to trade the bone for the cookie!

 

I never tried to just take a bone away from him again (although now, after four years, I expect he'd let me 'cause he trusts me now, and he knows more bones will show up eventually!).