#199 Trust or Guard: What Are You Teaching Your Dog?

Ever wondered why your sweet pup suddenly growls when you approach their food bowl or try to take away a stolen sock? Resource guarding isn't a character flaw—it's often behavior we accidentally teach without realizing it.

Chapters

• 0:00 Understanding Resource Guarding
• 1:45 Prevention Strategies and Trading
• 2:36 Creating Trust Around Food
• 3:54 Training Commands Before Issues Arise

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

Let's talk about something that sneaks up on a lot of dog owners resource guarding. I know it sounds like something that your dog just does, but here's the truth. Sometimes we accidentally train it that's right without even meaning to. So today I want to walk you through some of the ways that we can teach our dogs how to resource guard without even realizing it, and what we can do to prevent it. So let's say your dog finds something they shouldn't have Maybe a sock, maybe a chicken bone, maybe a shoe. You panic, you run toward them, maybe you yell hey, drop it. And then you reach in, grab it out of their mouth and put it away. Here's what your dog learns Dang, if I get something cool, people try to steal it from me. Maybe I better run next time, or maybe I should hide, or maybe I should growl and try to chase them off. This is often how resource guarding starts, not because your dog is bad, but because we accidentally teach him that people coming near equals something being taken away equals something being taken away. The same thing can happen with food, bowls or favorite toys, beds or even certain people. If we always show up just to take something away, dogs can learn to guard. It's just their version of back off. This is mine. Okay.

Speaker 1: 1:45

So now let's talk about how we can help prevent resource guarding even before it starts. If your dog has something you want back or something they're not supposed to have, maybe offer them something better. Don't chase them, don't pry it out of their mouth. Just say, hey, you want to trade, and toss a treat or toy in the opposite direction and over time they might start bringing you stuff instead of hiding with it. And don't be predictable. If the only time you approach your dog is to take something away, they'll start to dread your approach. So instead, next time they have a toy or chew, walk up, drop a good treat and walk away. Teach them that your approach can mean good things are coming. I call these flybys and they really work. With enough practice, your dog starts looking up as you approach to see what you have. And when your puppy's eating out of his food bowl, walk by and drop in a few pieces of really good food, maybe chicken or cheese. You're not taking the bowl away, you're not even touching the bowl, you're simply adding to it. And this teaches your dog that people coming near their food means bonus time, not theft, and make sure kids in the house know not to bother the dog when they're eating, chewing or resting. It only takes one tug on a toy or poke in the face to trigger guarding later on.

Speaker 1: 3:27

We want calm, predictable interactions and be sure to give space and not add stress. Let your dog enjoy high-value items like bones or stuffed toys in peace. Set them up in a crate or behind a baby gate so they don't feel pressured or threatened. The less stress around their stuff, the less reason they have to guard. And be sure to practice drop it and leave it before you need it. Teach your dog these cues before they start stealing items. Make it a game. Use toys and treat. Make it fun and rewarding. So if you need to ask them to give something up, it doesn't feel like a punishment. So we can absolutely train our dogs to feel safe with their stuff just as easily as we can accidentally train the opposite. So be thoughtful and be proactive and remember the goal is for your dog to think when people come near me, good things are going to happen, I don't have to guard, I can trust them.