Solving Resource Guarding: A Positive Reinforcement Approach
Resource guarding is a common behavior in dogs where they become possessive over food, toys, attention, or other valuable items. For many dogs, this behavior stems from a perceived scarcity of resources, leading to a ‘not enough to go around’ mentality. This can lead to aggression if not addressed properly. Fortunately, with the right approach, you can help your dog feel more secure and reduce their need to guard resources. This blog post will discuss an effective approach to resolving resource guarding while emphasizing the importance of avoiding confrontation.
Understanding Resource Guarding
Resource guarding stems from a dog’s instinct to protect what’s valuable to them. Humans do this, too - we lock up valuables in a safe and store our money at the bank. When dogs feel their resources are being threatened, things can become problematic. In the wild, resources are scarce, so guarding them ensures survival. This behavior can cause problems in a domestic setting, especially when small children are in the home. The key to resolving this issue is to make your dog feel safe and confident that their resources are not at risk of being taken.
Keep Your Dog Under Threshold
The term ‘under threshold’ refers to keeping your dog calm so they are not triggered into a guarding response. When dogs go over threshold, they become too stressed or aroused to retain information and learn new behaviors effectively. My approach involves keeping the dog calm so that training is quick and effective. Here are some tips to keep your dog under threshold:
Identify Triggers: Observe what preceding event caused your dog to guard resources. Is it a person standing near their food bowl at mealtime? Is it someone walking towards them to remove them from the couch? Does the guarding take place when someone enters the personal space of a highly valued person? Each scenario can trigger a guarding response in a dog who doesn’t want to lose access to their stuff (food, comfy spot on the couch, mom’s attention). Triggers can be people, animals, or places. Write down each of your dog's triggers so we can work on them individually. Knowing these triggers also helps us manage the behavior better during training.
Create a Safe Space: Provide your dog with a quiet, secure area to enjoy their food/chew/resource without feeling threatened. This will reduce their anxiety and the likelihood of them practicing the guarding behavior. This could mean feeding them in the kitchen behind a baby gate so no one bothers them while they eat. Give them chews and special treats inside their crate so no other pets bother them while they enjoy it. Create a safe space for your dog to nap throughout the day so they are less likely to be disturbed while sleeping.
Gradual Exposure: Slowly expose your dog to their triggers at a distance where they can remain calm. There should be no stiffness, hard stares, showing teeth, or growling. If your dog does any of these things, it just means they are feeling anxious, and we need to start at a farther distance. Gradually decrease the distance over time as your dog becomes more comfortable. I never recommend taking the guarded item away from your dog as this will confirm their belief that people want to take their stuff, likely causing a guarding response.
Positive Reinforcement Techniques
Positive reinforcement is the most effective way to address resource guarding because it puts your dog at ease and assures them that no one is coming to take their stuff. In fact, during these exercises, you will focus on giving your dog something good rather than taking something away. This approach involves rewarding your dog for desirable behaviors, making them more likely to repeat them.
Here are some positive reinforcement techniques to help your dog feel secure:
Trade-Up Game: Teach your dog that giving up a resource leads to something better. This can be achieved through playing tug with a toy and then having them trade for a snack. By offering a high-value treat in exchange for a lower-value item, your dog learns to associate your presence with receiving something better than they have. Over time, this will reduce their need to guard items.
Desensitization and Counter-Conditioning: My favorite phrase. It simply means that we will gradually expose the dog to their triggers over time while simultaneously changing their emotional response to a positive one. For example, say your dog guards the food bowl. Stand at a distance where your dog is comfortable and toss high-value treats into their bowl while they eat. Over time, decrease the distance, ensuring your dog remains calm.
Reinforcing Calm Behavior: Reward your dog for calm behavior around resources. If they allow you to be near them while they chew on a favorite toy, offer them lots of praise to encourage them to remain relaxed. Remember never to reach into their mouth and take away something valuable, or your dog might associate you with losing their precious item. If you remain relaxed and calm around resources, they will, too.
Avoiding Confrontation
Unfortunately, some dog trainers take a different approach to solving resource guarding and food aggression. This confrontational approach can lead to increased aggression and the likelihood of a bite happening. Confrontation will only escalate resource guarding and damage the trust between you and your dog. Here’s how to avoid it:
Never Forcefully Remove Items: Taking items away by force can increase your dog’s anxiety and guarding behavior. Instead, use the trade game or a ‘find it’ to get the dog to relinquish the item willingly.
Respect Boundaries: If your dog is showing signs of guarding, give them space. Encroaching on their space can lead to a bite, and our goal is to prioritize everyone’s safety. If you need to get the dog off the couch, try luring them off it so they get off voluntarily. Next, make sure to block off access to that area so the dog doesn’t have the ability to guard it again. Reaching for guarded items or physically moving your dog can trigger aggression and must be avoided at all costs.
Manage the Environment: To prevent guarding incidents, keep high-value items your dog tends to guard out of reach between training sessions. Use baby gates or crates to create safe zones for your dog to enjoy resources without being disturbed.
Conclusion
Solving resource guarding requires patience, understanding, and a commitment to positive reinforcement. By keeping your dog under threshold and avoiding confrontation, you create a safe and trusting environment where your dog can learn to feel secure, eliminating the need to guard. Remember, the goal is to build a positive association with your presence around their resources. The rule is ‘if I have it, it’s mine’. We need to respect this rule if we are to build trust with our dogs. With consistent practice and positive reinforcement, you can help your dog overcome resource guarding and enjoy a happier, more relaxed life.