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Resource guarding... what is it?? what does it look like??
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A dog who resource guards is basically a dog who claims and perceives an item as his own. They feel threatened by any person or animal that comes too close.. in fear that threat may take their possession away. Resource guarding is quite a common tendency in the world of animals because this is often linked to survival. The source of resource guarding can be the result of nature or nurture or a combination of both. Some dogs may be genetically predisposed to resource guard, but often the environment may be a big contributor.
As a rescue, we sometimes get dogs that may have been indirectly taught that guarding is a way to survive, therefore we have come up with ways to "ask the question" to the dog to see if guarding is part of their repertoire. |
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What does it look like?? Above, you’ll see a video of our trainer Jamie “asking the question” to one of our newly rescued dogs while he chews on his beloved ball. “Asking the question” allows the dog to communicate at each appropriate level of space invasion and allows the human to take their time and observe. Rather than overriding the dog and just reaching to take his possession away forcing a confrontation.
Off camera, to start, Jamie walked towards him asking “how do you feel when I enter your space bubble as you chew on your ball?” He showed all the signs that he was totally okay with it and continued to show those signs as Jamie sat beside him. Those signs include soft eyes, no change in body language, continued chewing, soft corners of the mouth and loose body. No guarding behavior seen.
On camera, Jamie then asked the question “how do you feel when I touch your back while you chew on your ball?” As Jamie touches his back you’ll see him stop chewing and turn his head towards where her hand is, close his mouth, lick his lips, tighten the corners of his mouth with harder eyes. This is what we would consider a Change in Behavior. These signs are clear communication from the dog that all mean.. please give me space, I’m uncomfortable, I now see you as a threat, this is my ball. Jamie listened to him and took her hand off his back. This is resource guarding on a low and very well communicated level. As soon as Jamie stops, he goes right back to his happy, ball chewing self!
Visit our Speak Dog page for more info of dog body language!
Taking this process step by step allows the outcome to be positive and continues to build trust between person and dog. Overriding the dog and just taking the ball away would force the dog to make a hasty decision to protect himself and could result is a bite or snap. Once a change in behavior is seen, there is no need to keep pushing. That level is where all of the learning can take place! That is where you can show the dog “you don’t have to be threatened by me. Having me around your possessions is a good thing!” This can be done in various positive exercises like trading with a treat or changing the channel. The LAST thing you want to do in a situation like this is punish a dog for guarding or force take his possession away. This will only break down trust. It may suppress the guarding behavior in the short term, but it will make it worse in the long term because it does not address the root issue.
Also, punishing these pre-cursor signs (including showing teeth or growling) will only show the dog that those signs of communication do not work. The next time around they will skip those signs and go right to the extreme, biting.
Resource guarding in dogs is manageable and can easily be worked though with the help of a professional! This video was done by our trainer Jamie, a professional trainer with 10 years experience working with rescue dogs and private clients. A lot went into account before approaching this particular dog to ensure safety of the human and wellbeing of the dog are paramount. Do not experiment with this at home. If your dog exhibits guarding behavior and you are unsure how to proceed contact a professional right away!
Off camera, to start, Jamie walked towards him asking “how do you feel when I enter your space bubble as you chew on your ball?” He showed all the signs that he was totally okay with it and continued to show those signs as Jamie sat beside him. Those signs include soft eyes, no change in body language, continued chewing, soft corners of the mouth and loose body. No guarding behavior seen.
On camera, Jamie then asked the question “how do you feel when I touch your back while you chew on your ball?” As Jamie touches his back you’ll see him stop chewing and turn his head towards where her hand is, close his mouth, lick his lips, tighten the corners of his mouth with harder eyes. This is what we would consider a Change in Behavior. These signs are clear communication from the dog that all mean.. please give me space, I’m uncomfortable, I now see you as a threat, this is my ball. Jamie listened to him and took her hand off his back. This is resource guarding on a low and very well communicated level. As soon as Jamie stops, he goes right back to his happy, ball chewing self!
Visit our Speak Dog page for more info of dog body language!
Taking this process step by step allows the outcome to be positive and continues to build trust between person and dog. Overriding the dog and just taking the ball away would force the dog to make a hasty decision to protect himself and could result is a bite or snap. Once a change in behavior is seen, there is no need to keep pushing. That level is where all of the learning can take place! That is where you can show the dog “you don’t have to be threatened by me. Having me around your possessions is a good thing!” This can be done in various positive exercises like trading with a treat or changing the channel. The LAST thing you want to do in a situation like this is punish a dog for guarding or force take his possession away. This will only break down trust. It may suppress the guarding behavior in the short term, but it will make it worse in the long term because it does not address the root issue.
Also, punishing these pre-cursor signs (including showing teeth or growling) will only show the dog that those signs of communication do not work. The next time around they will skip those signs and go right to the extreme, biting.
Resource guarding in dogs is manageable and can easily be worked though with the help of a professional! This video was done by our trainer Jamie, a professional trainer with 10 years experience working with rescue dogs and private clients. A lot went into account before approaching this particular dog to ensure safety of the human and wellbeing of the dog are paramount. Do not experiment with this at home. If your dog exhibits guarding behavior and you are unsure how to proceed contact a professional right away!
Play conversations between two great communicators!
Snowman and Rockford are both sensitive dogs. They are very different, not just in appearance but also in the way they process data .. both dogs are extremely attuned to energy, sound, scent, touch and visual cues.. this makes them incredibly fascinating to observe and in doing so we understand better that we humans , in the way we move, think, even where we look, aware or not, are actually sending information to our canine companions. They listen WAY MORE than we tend to!
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Here is an interesting dialogue.. both dogs are quite relaxed and calm. Body language is soft.. tails are mid level and sway slowly.. Snowman has a plan but is patiently allowing Rockford to step in and have "dip" . Snowman is perhaps dealing with his emotions for having to wait for RF to get the hint by sniffing about.. he really has his mind on lounging in the kiddie pool himself.. Rock gets the message and happily turns the pool rights over to his big pal. Notice how they both react to passerby.. and what changes take place in their body language.
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The chase is on!! One of the best dog games around! Its all out glee.. Snowman always runs out of gas before Rockford does.. He ends the running game by changing channels both energetically and by stepping into the kiddie pool... ..Rockford checks in with Snowman
Theres a lot of conversation going on in these adorable video clips of Snowman and Rockford sharing play time and a kiddie pool! What do you see happening? For trainer Jamie's take & further dog talk info click here |
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