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Resource guarding.

700 views 15 replies 14 participants last post by  pogo  
#1 ·
Do any of your dogs have this or did you work on it as puppies with them??
I was just thinking about this the other day, how the dogs resource guard from each other but are ok with me (and people in general).
Adam and Hannah both needed a little bit of attitude readjustment when they were younger so they knew they could trust me to take things but Heidi seemed to trust me from day one.
I also realiesed this yesterday when I was taking back some oxtail bones the dogs were chewing on. I took Alfies away and he didnt even blink!!:) Ive never had to trade or get him drop things because he just gives me stuff anyways!

So what are your lot like?:D
 
#2 ·
Raven has always happily shared! :D she might give a little growl if I try and remove that really yummy dirty sock :eek: but a nice bit of liver cake always brings her around I know she would never ever bite no matter how far she was pushed! She will try to hide from other dogs if she has a bone or something but when it comes down to it she will freely give it up to another dog and has never attempted to take something off another dog! I usually shut her in the garden to enjoy her treats in peace :D

Rossi however came with very bad resource guarding! Lots of hard work later is on the whole, really good. I am still very careful with it in regards to children and other people but I think it's purely because I have seen what he is capable of rather then worrying about him guarding anything! I still practice lots of drops and trades just to make sure the problem doesn't resurface and I will always make sure he is left in peace when he has a high value raw meat or bones. I will guard from other dogs though but randomly. Outside on walks etc. he is fine and only really seems to guard from dogs in the house, specifically the room he sleeps in.

Scooby is the best with people, yeah! The devil dog staffie?! He readily gives up anything and everything to us :D never had a problem with him! I don't know how is with other dogs though as he is unpredictable with them so I've never introduced any kind of resource while he is with Rossi and raven :D
 
#3 ·
Both mine will let me take anything away from them.. always have without any training.

They will sometimes let each other take things too. Rufus is a bit more "MINE MINE MINE" but if they both have a chew they'll look at each other like "Ok, i'll drop mine, if you drop yours, and we'll swap...." and then they both drop it and they swap over.

It depends what mood they're in. Spencer will share most of the time, but Rufus needs to be in the right mood. If he's in play mode he'll take a toy to Spencer and he'll wave it around in his face so they get to play tug. Other times he can be having a more serious moment with his toy and doesn't want Spencer to join in.. He's never been nasty about it, just gives Spencer a bit of a warning and he backs off. He's a funny boy.
 
#4 ·
Mine will grump at each other if they have bones or hooves but i can always take anything away if needed. I dont mind a grump at each other as i have so many and i find that some end up with all the goodies otherwise. I always put down more than needed so that they can give up their treat and pretend they wanted the other one anyway to safe face.
 
#5 ·
Shadow could be extremely aggressive over food so I've played it safe with the others and taught them to trade from the start. And to be fair, I'd have been pretty stupid to just stick my hands in there with either Rupert or Spencer not knowing whether they were resource guarders ;)
 
#6 ·
No, they dont resource guard from me. There has been times where I have had to remove items from them - raw food items that are too big for one meal - and I think if I just walked over, bent down and took it from them then they would snap at me. However, the way I tackle it is to tell them i'm coming to get it by saying something like "Thats enough now, give it to me" before I go over there and I find they dont challenge me, they generally move away voluntarily.

There is just one dog I have to be careful of and watch his body language before I attempt to take high value food items away from him, sometimes I have to butter him up or just take the easy route and swap the item. But generally I dont have an issue.

They will resource guard from each other which is fair enough because they all know the rules that they are to stay away from each other when eating and as such they dont attempt to steal. Sometimes one might get too close and the other gives a growl which the other dog respects and moves away. I'm happy for them to do that with each other.
 
#7 ·
Dottie will let me take things from her wrappers, toys etc.
A cooked chicken bone from the bin needs need to be traded. She goes a bit too stiff when I say her name in my stern voice, freezes up so I read the signs and do a trade!

Charlie will RG ANY of value from any dog. Even Dottie! It could just be a growl or lip curl, never had any fights just "Remember its mine!" and its always over things that are extra special i.e the beef in a bowl on the counter that they are both eye balling or an ice lolly.

With people hes FINE, would you believe? :D He never has *TOUCHWOOD* he allows me to take away things from his mouth as he normally gets a "good boy" and rub for doing it. He RGs everything from other dogs, including me. I just manage the situation and keep my distance from other dogs, get rid of treats/toys and verbally praise Charlie all the time.

He still lunges for other dogs after the ol' growl and lip curl if he thinks theyre getting whats "his".
 
G
#8 ·
Kenzie's always been fine with me taking stuff from her/putting hands in her bowl etc. If it's something particularly tasty she might try to run away with it :eek: but she'll never show any sort of aggression. I do try to always make sure I 'swap' things rather than just take them from her, and she knows that often I'll take something to check it and then give it straight back to her.
 
#9 ·
Kes doesn't resource guard around dogs at all - although she has no understanding of dogs who do which is a bit problematic when she goes after their toy and they take exception :eek:

With very high value things I do have to open her mouth or swap but she doesn't mind and doesn't 'guard' - she just wants to keep the bone in her mouth! It's moreso on walks though when she sees food on the floor which round these crappy parts is every 20 metres or so :rolleyes: At home she will drop anything and if needed I could easily take a meal from her but don't see the point so don't try to :)
 
#10 ·
I can take anything off 4 of them. Pennie will fight me a little but generally gives it up - I haven't taught her drop though; only leave and give so they are her options. The others know drop.

Benjie however - I have to ask him to move away, the best way is to take a lead out and then he comes away happy.
 
#11 ·
Heidi sometimes gets so involved in her blood curdling, extra scary growls at the other dogs that she makes herself cough!LOL:lol:
I think Adam finds her equally amusing though as if I dont shoo him away he will stand just near enough to her to get a response then bark at her whilst wagging his tail madly! (big brothers can be horrible at times!!:rolleyes:).
 
#12 ·
No.

They got taught as puppies to be rewarded if we took something off them so no, Pippa doesn't mind having things taken off of her, as she often gets the item back (if appropriate) and a treat too. We did the same with the food bowl too = no food bowl guarding either.


With other dogs - no idea
 
#13 ·
Rosie and Ringo don't and never have with other dogs or people. But I did do lots of trading when they were younger, now I can take stuff out of their mouths whenever I want if I need to, but I do still trade sometimes so they don't know if I'm going to just take it away or not.

Toby, my foster puppy, is about 12 weeks and guards food and treats from people and dogs, so we are working on it, he's only been here a week and arrived already doing this - so I don't know if this was caused by his first home, I think he was taken from his mum too early too - but maybe some dogs do this at first anyway and it has to be worked on?
 
#14 · (Edited)
From the oldest on down.

Seven year old girl - has never resource guarded from any peoples. Will resource guard with a slight growl her most favorite treats (bully sticks being one) from the other dogs if they try to take them. Other than that she will share. Will give a slight stare and upturned lip to other dogs if they attempt to invade her space on my lap if she has it but moves over to share as well.

Seven year old Cavalier male - is exactly the same as the female above.

Four year old Tibbie male - lived in a kennel for a good amount of time and will not resource guard - as in try to bite anyone or any dog - but my goodness don't try to get anything away from him as he just holds it and won't give it up. If you try to pick up his food bowl he gobbles as much down as he can in a single bite. It took forever to get him to slow down his eating. He will resource guard my lap mildly as the two above.

Four year old mixed spaniel female - never resource guarded with me. My son pushed her on stealing her stuff (he was pushing her trust quite deliberately) as a pup and she began with him until he was corrected on what he was doing and reversed it. She will resource guard food from other dogs if I let her get away with it. She is easily directed not to and will also share if told to. She is the worst for resource guarding her bed spot and my lap but will share (reluctantly). She is the boss of the pack here.

9 month old mixed spaniel - the older boy will resource guard the best treats (bully sticks) from the other dogs. Never from us. Never tried to and never had to be taught. He has no hint of resource guarding laps. He is the second boss of the pack here. He is quite good for the four year old as he so calmly stands up to her bossiness and just gets on with what he wants to do despite her direction.

9 month old mixed spaniel - shares everything and wouldn't think to resource guard and is a bit taken aback that the others do. He's a charming goof . . . submissive but not overly. He pushes in the middle sometimes when others are getting pets. I believe that is his 'manner' of resource guarding me.

CC
 
#15 ·
My two are fine with me and have always been. I never really taught this to Oscar but made sure I did do trade games with Sam. Sam doesn't resource guard from other dogs but Oscar will with toys and high value treats. He's normally not too bothered about Sam taking his things though.

I don't make a habit of taking things off them but it's always handy in the case of an emergency.
 
#16 ·
harvey has always trusted well anyone, it's probably something to do with him liking to share he likes to show or give you what he has, so taking things off him is nothing.

Chance on the other hand was a big resource guarder, over his food at meal times and his bowl more, but would over treats and chews. We've done lots of training and trading of food for high value treats and whatever, so now i can sit and stroke him and he will try and lean or sit on me while he eats and i can take anything from him now, which is all i really wanted