Do dogs ever grow out of resource guarding?
Shemar Crona
2025-06-17 23:07:47
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Do dogs ever just outgrow resource guarding.
We we currently do for it though is rather than approaching her for the thing she has stolen, when she grabs something we will put out a high value treat nearby but far enough away that it allows us to take away the stolen item without her seeing and that works fairly well.
I’m thinking that as she gets more comfortable with her and practice doing this she will associate it more with positive things and grow out of it so to speak.
Does anyone have any experience with this happening?
Edison Volkman
2025-06-17 22:02:13
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DOGS DO NOT GROW OUT OF GUARDING BEHAVIORS; THEY GROW INTO THEM. Because dogs change through developmental phases from puppy to adolescent to adult, it’s a good idea to practice preventive measures until adulthood. Insecure dogs are more likely to guard, because they are reacting to a fear of losing something of value to them. Adult dogs who guard require a plan of counter conditioning and management. Depending on severity, changes take time: four to six months. Many guarding behaviors can be fixed, and others must be managed. Owner follow through is essential: dogs don’t change their behaviors until owners change routines and habits.
Elyse Schamberger
2025-06-17 17:41:32
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These aggressive behaviors as well as other fear-related behaviors do not improve with age. Instead, they worsen with maturity and in severe cases, could lead to a bite towards a family member. Environmental impact, such as how you or your family reacts to your puppy’s behavior, could be even more critical than maturity. Mild resource guarding can either be reinforced, ignored, or punished. If you are reinforcing low-level resource guarding, you will keep the behavior at its current intensity. Suppose the low-level resource-guarding behaviors are put on extinction or punished, this will cause the behavior to escalate. Punishing low-level resource guarding eliminates those behaviors, but the motivation to keep the item and get the handler to go away remains and often grows. As a young puppy matures and the environment runs its course, resource guarding and touch sensitivity become more apparent and often dangerous for everyone involved. If you have an adult dog that shows signs of resource guarding, there’s still hope for you too as resource guarding in adult dogs can be treated as well.