It’s very natural and normal for dogs to become worried about losing the things they value the most, like their favourite food or toys. This is known as ‘resource guarding’ and can look a lot like jealousy.

It can be a problem when a dog shows this type of behaviour towards a person, and it turns into a confrontation, which may result in aggression caused by fear and worry. That’s why it’s important to understand the emotion behind ‘guarding’ to successfully control the behaviour and help your pet. This training is best done with the support of a professional. 

Never tell your dog off verbally, as this could make the situation worse and result in a nasty bite.

Resource guarding mostly begins in puppyhood when owners find they’re always having to retrieve things from their curious pup’s mouth! Often though, when you don’t swap the item for something more interesting or fun, the pup will show their displeasure, often with a little growl or snap. Unless it’s something that could harm your pup, it’s often ok to let them keep the item until they lose interest in it before taking it away. 

This is how dogs can become possessive, such as with items they’ve mischievously stolen, and when you challenge them to let go, they will often become more aggressive. The drive for a dog to steal something in the first place is generally due to boredom and/or attention seeking. It can also be in their nature to do this, for example, gundogs were bred to carry things in their mouth.

With food guarding, always have a quiet space for your dog to eat at mealtimes without any disruption from other pets or members of the family or home.

Some dogs can be worried by known or unknown people approaching them while they are with their favourite person. Separating your dog in a crate or room somewhere secure from visiting strangers like tradesman for example, is the best way to guarantee they don’t make a mistake and prevent visitors from accidently provoking a negative response from your dog too.

Try not to approach your dog when they are with their number one toy or person, and just throw them a tasty treat to distract them instead. This will make them feel better about being approached.

If your dog’s problematic behaviour only occurs in specific situations, such as when you’re sitting on the sofa and another person tries to sit next to you, then try training your pet to either go to their basket/bed on cue or ask them to get down off the sofa. Make sure everyone in the household repeats this cue so no one approaches the dog without warning. 

If your dog has bitten, or tried to bite someone, especially outside of the house, you should train them to wear a muzzle. This won’t improve their behaviour, but it will prevent any nasty incidents occurring.

We also recommend that you get in contact with us for personalised support, as this is a problem that needs the help of a qualified professional.