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It’s natural for dogs to have a favorite food, treat, or toy—even a favorite person. But if your dog shows signs of possessive aggression, also known as resource guarding, it’s time to step in.
In the short term, the most effective way to stop resource guarding is to eliminate the trigger—take away the thing your dog is guarding. Where that’s not possible or practical, a long-term strategy of desensitization, counter-conditioning, and positive reinforcement training can be a more effective solution.
We spoke to certified dog trainers to learn the signs of resource guarding in dogs, the different types, and what you can do to reduce and prevent the behavior.
Causes of Resource Guarding
According to Susan Nilson, a canine behavior and training consultant and founder of The Cat and Dog House, “Resource guarding occurs when a dog becomes protective or possessive over things they value.”
It’s very common for dogs to exhibit resource guarding behavior around:
- food
- their food bowl, or even the space near their food bowl
- favorite toys
- treats and chews
- human family members
Resource guarding may appear aggressive, but the motivation generally isn’t predatory or even fearful. It’s often a manifestation of anxiety. “It’s a natural behavior,” says Nilson, “rooted in [a dog’s] desire to keep resources safe from threats, either real or perceived.”
Rachel Lane, a certified professional dog trainer at Leash and Learn, suggests dogs from large litters are more likely to guard resources. So are pups who have toys removed during play and those with more impulsive, fearless personalities.
Signs of Resource Guarding in Dogs
The key to learning how to stop resource guarding (or to prevent it from developing in the first place) is being able to identify it. That means having a good understanding of dog body language. Here’s what to look for.
- Rapid ingestion. The dog might eat their food very quickly to prevent anyone else from eating it or taking it away.
- Tense posture. The dog might take up a tense position over the resource, their body going stiff with their ears flattened back.
- Avoidance. Some dogs may take the item and move away with it or hide it somewhere.
- Intense staring. The dog might keep their eyes locked on the perceived threat to their resource, either making eye contact or not.
- Lip licking. Lip licking if someone approaches their resource is a sign of anxiety or stress.
- Baring teeth. Some dogs may curl their lips back to bare their teeth at the approaching threat.
- Growling or barking. A dog might escalate to growling or barking if the threat continues to approach despite previous warnings.
- Snapping. Dogs with severe cases of resource guarding may take action to protect their resource by lunging or snapping at the perceived threat. In serious cases, this can escalate to biting.
Srinuan Hirunwat via iStock
Food Resource Guarding
To stop resource guarding of food or anything else, you’ll first want to learn to manage the issue. That means knowing what should you do (or avoid doing) when the behavior presents.
Next, you’ll want to start strategic training. That means taking steps to reduce the intensity and eventually eliminate the behavior.
Things to do
- Establish a feeding location for your dog where no one will accidentally get too close.
- Keep children and other pets away from the area during mealtime.
- Feed your dog on a predictable schedule so access to food becomes more consistent.
Things to avoid
- Don’t approach your dog when they are eating (or enjoying a long-lasting chew).
- Don’t punish your dog for growling—stop your approach, then take a step back.
- Don’t assume feeding your dog by hand will resolve resource guarding behavior.
Training tips
The best way to stop food resource guarding is through counter-conditioning or desensitization training. The idea is to slowly change your dog’s negative response into a neutral or positive one. Here’s how to do it.
- During mealtime, start tossing high-value treats near your dog’s bowl (from a safe distance).
- If your dog responds negatively, keep doing it at every meal until they simply accept the treat and resume eating.
- Next, take a small step towards your dog during mealtime while tossing treats.
- Repeat the process, going only so far as your dog will let you before their resource guarding kicks in. Then take a step back.
- Gradually start closing the distance while tossing treats, waiting for your dog’s reaction to settle before moving closer at the next meal.
- When you’re able to approach the feeding area with no negative response, gradually work up to touching or even moving the bowl.
Resource Guarding Toys
Some dogs develop resource guarding only for a favored toy, while others might exhibit the behavior with all of their belongings. A dog might also guard “stolen” objects—like a shoe or a child’s toy—but not their own toys.
Things to do
- Provide plenty of toys for your dog to choose from (especially if you have multiple dogs).
- Rotate your dog’s toy collection to reduce the odds that they form a possessive attachment to any one in particular.
- If you have multiple dogs, encourage healthy play between them using positive reinforcement techniques.
- Consider removing the toy permanently (when it’s safe to do so) if the behavior is limited to one toy in particular.
Things to avoid
- Don’t trick your dog by distracting them with a treat and trying to quickly grab the toy away.
- Don’t allow children to play with the favored toy or to approach your dog when they’re guarding it.
- Don’t bring the favored toy to the dog park or anywhere your dog’s resource guarding behavior might put others at risk.
Training tips
The best way to stop resource guarding of toys with other dogs or people in your household is to train your dog to give it up willingly. Here’s what to do.
- Teach your dog a “drop it” cue with low-value items, then work on getting them to drop the item they’re resource guarding on command.
- Once your dog has dropped the toy, offer them a toy or treat they consider to be of equal or higher value in exchange.
- Offer praise and/or a small treat as a reward when your dog accepts the trade.
- Teach your dog a “leave it” cue, training them to leave an item alone after they’ve dropped it.
- Keep practicing the trade, using a variety of different alternatives. Use the “leave it” cue when your dog’s attention drifts back to the favored object.
- Work your way up to being able to touch and eventually remove the favored object after you’ve traded for it.
dimarik via iStock
Resource Guarding People
Instead of food for objects, some dogs become possessive of people. It’s pretty common, in fact, for a dog to develop a preference for one particular person in the household. You should intervene, however, if they start to exhibit resource guarding behaviors around that person.
Things to do
- Pay attention to the specific situations in which your dog exhibits the behavior.
- If your dog only gets possessive when they’re on the couch with you, for example, stop letting them on the couch. You could also sit in a different spot to maintain some distance when others are around.
- If your dog only gets defensive when you’re holding them, stop picking them up when other people are present (or entirely).
Things to avoid
- Don’t punish your dog for feeling protective of you—it might damage the bond you have with them and seed mistrust.
- Don’t ignore your dog’s body language. If they become defensive, it’s important for everyone’s safety to deescalate the situation.
- Don’t reinforce your dog’s behavior by shushing or soothing them. Instead, ignore it or remove yourself from the situation.
Training tips
In addition to avoiding situations that trigger your dog’s resource guarding behavior, some counter-conditioning may help. Here’s how to stop a dog from resource guarding a favorite human being.
- Fill your pocket with some high-value treats, then recreate a condition where your dog would normally become protective.
- Have a friend or family member enter the room without looking at or engaging with your dog in any way. Wait for your dog to settle or stop growling, then offer them a treat or two.
- When your dog consistently shows no negative reaction to a person entering the room, have that person maintain distance while exchanging a few words back and forth.
- Reinforce calm behavior using the sequence outlined in Step 2.
- Next, have the other person take a step or two toward you after entering the room.
- Over multiple training sessions, have them work their way closer to you and your dog. Keep offering those high-value treats as a reward for calm behavior.
- Eventually, work your way up to that other person sitting next to you and your dog—even touching you or your dog if it’s safe to do so.
- If your dog also exhibits resource guarding with other dogs in the house, work through the entire training sequence again. This time, have the other person bring another dog with them on a short leash.
Resource Guarding Places
Though it’s less common than other forms of resource guarding, some dogs develop territorial tendencies toward certain places. They might get upset, for example, if someone sits in their favorite spot on the couch. Or they might become protective of their personal space—especially when they’re sleeping.
Things to do
- Prevent access to the place if it makes sense to do so. You can close the door to the guest room, for example, or use pet gates where closing a door isn’t possible.
- Be mindful of your dog’s triggers and take steps to prevent children and other pets from getting too close to your dog’s favored spot.
- Make sure your dog has a designated personal space of their own. Try using a playpen to create a safe space for your dog, stocked with food, water, bedding, and toys.
Things to avoid
- Don’t startle your dog if you can help it. Avoid making quick movements toward the area. If you have to wake your dog from sleep, do so gently.
- Don’t reinforce resource guarding behavior by yelling at or punishing your dog for it. You might only teach your dog that they’re right to be protective.
Training tips
Training a dog to stop resource guarding a place can be tricky, but the same desensitization techniques used for food resource guarding can help. Here’s what it might look like.
- Identify the place (or places) your dog is guarding and observe whether any additional factors are at play. For example, waking from a nap to find someone in their space might be particularly triggering for some dogs.
- Figure out how close you can get to the place before your dog responds negatively, and start from there.
- When your dog is guarding their favorite place, toss them a few high-value treats from that safe distance.
- Over time, work your way closer to your dog, waiting for a neutral or positive response before progressing to the next stage.
- Once you’re able to safely approach your dog in their favorite place, start incorporating it into enjoyable activities like grooming or play sessions.
At this point, it may also be helpful to use treats or verbal cues to lure your dog out of the favored place to engage in a desired activity. You may need to work slowly, luring them to a spot within sight of that favored spot.
The long-term goal is to teach your dog it’s safe to leave that spot unprotected. And that good things might even happen if they do.
Fly_dragonfly via iStock
How To Prevent Resource Guarding from Developing
If you’re starting from scratch with a puppy or untrained adult dog, your behavior can help keep resource guarding from developing. Here’s what you can do.
Always make good trades
“One of the easiest ways to prevent resource guarding from developing,” says Lane, “is to simply not take things away from your dog.”
Of course, it might be necessary to remove things at times for your dog’s safety. In those situations, however, it’s better to offer a trade. Exchange the item for a safe, high-value item instead of taking it away.
Cultivate your dog’s trust
Whether you’re socializing a new puppy or adopting a rescue dog, prioritize forming a close bond with your pup. If your dog trusts you, they’ll be less likely to consider you a threat to their resources.
Be intentional about fostering positive relationships between your dog and other members of the household (human and animal) as well.
Create a safe and secure environment at home
Dogs who are stressed or anxious may be more prone to resource guarding. Make your home a place your dog feels comfortable and confident. You can do this by meeting their basic needs and offering healthy outlets for their natural instincts.
Avoid using treats to trick your dog
When your puppy steals a shoe from the closet or your dog is shredding their favorite chew toy to pieces, it may seem like a good idea to distract them with a treat so you can remove the item. If you do this too often, however, you could build mistrust. Your dog might start to think offering a treat means you’re about to take something away.
Teach training cues like “leave it” or “drop it”
These cues tell your dog to ignore a desirable item (or drop it if they’ve already taken hold). Once you’ve gotten your dog’s attention, you can make a trade for the item or remove it entirely.
When To Call in a Professional
Early intervention is key to preventing or stopping resource guarding. “Dogs who display resource guarding behaviors, and practice them,” says Lane, “will over time become better at resource guarding and faster to display resource guarding behaviors.”
If your dog has already developed severe resource guarding behavior—or if at-home training hasn’t been effective—it might be time to call in a professional. A certified professional dog trainer can help you build a training plan tailored to your specific dog. For aggressive or deeply ingrained behaviors, a canine behavior specialist might be more appropriate.
Here are some signs your dog might benefit from professional help:
- They don’t have a firm foundation of basic obedience.
- Their resource guarding behavior developed quickly or suddenly worsened.
- They aren’t responding to gentle correction or counter-conditioning.
- Their behavior puts people or other pets in the home at risk.
- They have a history of abuse and need extra help to regain trust in humans.
To find a professional dog trainer in your area, refer to the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) directory. The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) website is a great place to find canine behavior specialists.
The most important thing to keep in mind as you work to correct or prevent your dog’s resource guarding behavior is that you’re not alone in the struggle. Not only are there professionals available to offer guidance, but you can find support and tips from pet parents like you online or in your community.
