Will my dog grow out of resource guarding?
Mason Nienow
2025-06-29 18:15:52
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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. 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. Insecure dogs are more likely to guard, because they are reacting to a fear of losing something of value to them. Counter conditioning treatment protocols work towards removing this internalized threat, while reinforcing an incompatible behavior.
Hattie Moen
2025-06-25 14:03:27
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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. 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. Although this might feel like a grim outlook, both behaviors are treatable with proper intervention. 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.
Ethan O'Reilly
2025-06-13 17:23:10
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The main reason for guarding is fear of losing valuable items. Taking things away from your dog as punishment or telling them off for guarding is likely to increase their anxiety about losing things. They may become even more worried and feel the need to protect those valuable things even more. The best way to prevent dogs from resource guarding is to teach them from the start that there is no need to worry about losing anything they find valuable. This is a very important lesson and means they can always relax and enjoy the things they love without having to worry. Leave them well alone when they are enjoying food or playing with toys by themselves. Contact our Behaviour Support Line for free expert advice or ask your vet to refer you to a qualified behaviourist for individual support.