How do I stop my dog from being territorial over owner?

It’s normal for dogs to guard the resources that matter to them. But if your dog shows warning signs like excessive barking, growling, or snapping, it’s time to step up your training game. Focus on basic obedience, recall, the “quiet” command, and reducing anxiety. Basic obedience lays the groundwork for troubleshooting problem behaviour, and basic commands can be incredibly useful in a tense situation. Territorial dogs are guarding resources, and for many, problem behaviour occurs when their resource-guarding has been reinforced. Train your dog that all resources come from you, by requiring them to work for everything they want, which is a positive, safe way to remind them that you control the resources, and can greatly reduce guarding behaviour. If your dog tends to bark when she senses a threat to her territory, teach her a command that means “be quiet.” Reduce your dog’s anxiety by closing the curtains, feeding in a private place, and gating your dog away from the front door when guests are expected.

Territorial aggression is typically the result of an unfamiliar human in the dog’s home or yard. Territorial aggression can be intense, as the dog fears for themselves and their owners—who they are often fiercely protective of under any circumstance. To lessen your dog’s territorial reaction, reward calm behavior when visitors come to your home and enroll them in obedience training. Obedience training will help them react to your command when telling them to stay calm. Dogs are naturally territorial and protective creatures, but their behavior when feeling threatened should never rise to the level of aggression. The signs and triggers can vary from dog to dog, but they all connect to one of seven different types of aggression.