I have been wondering if resource guarding can be completely cured with a thorough behavioral modification plan.
My dog has always guarded her toys, personal space, me, and the couch/bed she’s on. Initially, she guarded these from people, but now, a few years later, she only guards them from other dogs. Her reaction radius and intensity have decreased over time using positive reinforcement techniques I found online. Her reactions involve whining, growling, or snapping and occur almost daily with another dog in the house. One of the dogs takes it personally, though I’m not worried about escalation or physical harm. Is it possible to completely eliminate these reactions?
She is a 4.5-year-old rescue mutt from a bad situation and has made significant progress in every aspect, becoming a wonderful dog. She already takes anxiety medication, which has been helpful. I am wondering if I should intensify my efforts to completely fix the resource guarding so everyone feels comfortable, or if I need to accept that it might be a natural behavior for her to some extent.
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There is not a cure for aggression. Aggression is usually something you can only manage, not fix. You can’t completely change a dog’s low aggression threshold. Trainers and behaviorists can help by using behavior modification, training, desensitization, and other techniques to make the situation better. They mostly teach people how to understand their dog’s body language and emotions and adjust the environment to keep the dog calm. If your dog is still showing aggressive behavior every day, it sounds like these steps might not be happening.
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Resource guarding is a natural behavior, but you can usually change it. It might be tougher with other dogs involved, but a skilled certified trainer can help with both situations. I strongly suggest reading “Mine!” by Jean Donaldson. Also, choose a trainer who uses science and reward-based methods.
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I have successfully addressed food-based resource guarding. It’s not too hard—just feed the dog in a separate kennel. They get used to eating without feeling threatened. They growl because they’re worried about someone taking their food, but once they realize that no one is going to take it, they calm down. Other types of resource guarding are more challenging and usually just need to be managed rather than fully cured.
For guarding you, the approach is to calmly get up and walk away. Reward calm behavior by giving attention and then take it away if they start guarding.
When it comes to toys and beds, teach your other dogs not to bother the reactive dog. Don’t leave toys out all the time; only put them out when you can watch over them. If other dogs go for the reactive dog’s toys, distract them with a different toy and praise them for leaving the reactive dog’s toys alone. For dog beds, call the dogs over with treats or guide them to a different bed, rewarding them for using that bed instead.