Resource Guarding in Dogs

Resource Guarding in Dogs

I’ve had a lot of dog behaviour training cases recently that involve resource guarding so thought it worthwhile to do a BLOG to give you a better understanding of why your good dog is guarding.

(In the attached video there's very slight guarding behaviour, look at Calaidh's immediate stillness as i approach, slight raising of the head. To be fair to her she'd let me have it but she was speaking to me with her body language, just LOVE that!)

Dogs may resource guard for a variety of reasons, including instinct, learned behaviour, or insecurity.

In the wild, dogs have to compete for resources such as food, water, and shelter so resource guarding is an instinctive behaviour that helped ensure a dog's survival by ensuring they had access to these resources. Even though dogs are now domesticated, this instinct may still be present in some.

It can also be learned behaviour. If a dog is repeatedly rewarded for guarding a particular resource, such as their food bowl or a toy, they may develop the behaviour as a way to maintain control of that resource. For example, if a dog growls when someone approaches their food bowl, and the person backs away, the dog learns that growling is an effective way to keep people away from their food.

Some insecure or anxious dogs may also resource guard as a way to feel more in control of their environment. Resource guarding can give them a sense of security and may be an attempt to reduce their anxiety.

There are also scientific studies ('Breed differences in canine aggression" (2008) by Duffy, Hsu, and Serpell') that suggest that genetics may play a role in resource guarding behaviour in dogs where it’s found that certain breeds may be more predisposed to resource guarding due to their breeding history.

So in short, a combination of evolutionary history, social learning, genetics, and individual temperament may all contribute to a dog's tendency to resource guard.

As many of you have encountered, resource guarding can be a serious behaviour issue and can lead to aggression if not addressed appropriately.

If your dog displays resource guarding behaviour, it's important to work with a professional dog behaviourist or dog trainer to develop a plan to address the issue.