It's a cozy Friday evening, and you're curled up with your partner watching the latest on Netflix. Your Golden Retriever, Max, is contentedly sprawled between you, occasionally nudging your hands for belly rubs. During a tense scene, your partner whispers, "I'm going to grab some popcorn" and heads to the kitchen. The microwave hums, and the warm, buttery aroma fills the air. But when they return, bowl in hand, something unexpected happens. Max's body stiffens, his lips curl back, and a low, unsettling growl rumbles from his throat. Your partner stands frozen, popcorn kernels scattering on the floor, as Max refuses to let them reclaim their spot on the couch.
Or imagine this: It's been a long day, and you're fighting to keep your eyes open as you finish one last work email. Your partner and Max headed to bed an hour ago, leaving you in the quiet living room. Finally ready for sleep, you tiptoe into the darkened bedroom. But as you lift the covers to slide in next to your partner, Max's shadowy figure rises at the foot of the bed. That same threatening growl breaks the nighttime silence, making your heart race. Your own dog is telling you, in no uncertain terms, that your presence feels like a threat to his valued connection with your partner.
Sometimes it's more subtle – you lean in to give your partner a goodbye kiss before work, only to have Max suddenly appear between you, pressing his body against your partner's legs. These moments, though different in setting, all point to the same underlying issue: resource guarding. In these cases, your dog views their relationship with one person as a precious resource – similar to a favorite toy or prized bone – and reacts defensively when they perceive that this treasured connection might be diminished or taken away. It's not about control, but rather about fear of losing something they deeply value.
This behavior can emerge in any household where multiple people live together – whether they're couples, families, or roommates. While it can be unsettling to experience, understanding what's happening is the first step toward addressing it effectively. This blog will explore situations where a dog resource guards one household member from others in the home, focusing on how to manage these scenarios and respond appropriately to growling. However, I won't be providing one-size-fits-all solutions. Every household is unique, and successful strategies for resource guarding depend on factors like your living environment, management setup, and your dog's specific behavior. If your dog's guarding behavior goes beyond growling or feels unsafe, it's essential to work with a qualified trainer who can tailor a plan to your situation.
What Is Resource Guarding?
Resource guarding refers to a set of behaviors where a dog exhibits aggressive behavior, such as growling, snapping, lunging, or biting, to prevent someone from approaching or taking their resource that they perceive as valuable. To the dog, the person approaching is a potential threat to their resource, and their behavior is an attempt to maintain possession of it. While these actions may appear controlling, the underlying emotion is often fear—the fear of losing access to what they treasure.
Genetics can also play a role in resource guarding, as certain breeds may have a predisposition toward guarding due to their historical roles or temperament. In these cases, the resource guarding may not stem from fear at all, but rather from inherited instincts and traits. At its core, resource guarding is a way for the dog to create distance between themselves and anyone they view as a threat to their prized possession, whether that's a person, space, or object. Recognizing this distance-creating function guides how we approach management and modification.
Could It Be Pain Instead of Resource Guarding?
Not all behaviors that resemble resource guarding are truly rooted in guarding tendencies. Pain, a history of pain, or even intermittent pain can result in similar actions, such as growling or snapping, as the dog seeks to create distance from an approaching person. In these cases, the behavior functions in the same way—a signal to move away—but the underlying cause is entirely different.
For example, a dog experiencing pain might growl when you approach their space, not because they’re guarding a resource, but because the action of being approached is causing them discomfort or distress. Similarly, a dog with a history of intermittent pain may associate certain approaches or interactions with the possibility of discomfort, leading to defensive behaviors. Addressing resource guarding and addressing pain require very different approaches, making it crucial to rule out pain or medical concerns before creating a behavior plan.
Understanding the Difference Between General Reactivity and Resource Guarding
It's important to recognize that not every instance of a dog growling or reacting toward a human in the household is resource guarding. Some dogs may harbor icky feelings—often rooted in fear or past experiences—toward a specific person. This can lead to reactions in day-to-day interactions with that person.
Similarly, many people mistake their dog's general reactivity for resource guarding. For example, if your dog barks or lunges at strangers while you're holding their leash during walks, this is very likely not resource guarding. The dog is expressing their discomfort and attempting to create distance from humans. It's likely a combination of factors, including fear or uncertainty, that need to be carefully identified and addressed with the guidance of a professional.
However, a dog who growls at someone in a specific scenario—such as when one person approaches another—may otherwise display a happy disposition toward that same individual outside of the triggering context. This indicates the behavior is situational rather than generalized. Sorting through the root causes is essential to create a tailored plan that supports both the dog and the humans involved.
Resource Guarding People: What It Looks Like
In a home where a dog is resource guarding one person from another, the behavior often presents as the dog consistently choosing one individual to guard from the other. However, in some cases, the dog may switch roles, guarding either person depending on the specific context. For example, a dog might growl at one partner returning to the couch but growl at the other when they approach the bed.
If your dog is resource guarding one human from another, it's common to observe other forms of guarding as well. This might include growling around their food, a favorite toy, or when you approach their chosen resting spot, like a bed or couch. While it's not a guarantee, many dogs that resource guard people will exhibit guarding behaviors in other scenarios. That said, some dogs exclusively guard people and no other resources—it depends on the individual dog and their unique triggers.
Clarifying the Focus of This Article
This blog focuses on resource guarding behaviors where the dog is directly next to the resource they are guarding, such as sitting on the couch with a person and growling at another person approaching or lying in bed and growling when someone else tries to join. These situations are typically proximity-based, with the dog sitting next to the resource they are guarding.
We are not addressing scenarios where the dog chooses to leave the resource they are guarding to confront someone. For example, a dog sitting on the couch with one person might leave the couch to block or growl at someone entering the room. Similarly, a dog may guard with the resource behind them, such as standing at a threshold and growling at someone approaching, even though the resource (e.g., a person or an object) is 10 feet behind them. Another example includes a dog leaving their position to run across the room and show aggression when someone moves too close to a resource that was initially far away from the dog.
These distance-based guarding behaviors are more complex and require individualized management and behavior modification plans crafted by a professional trainer specializing in aggression and resource guarding.
The Role of Management in Addressing Resource Guarding
Management is the cornerstone of addressing resource guarding. The goal of management is to prevent opportunities for the dog to practice the resource guarding behavior. This prevents the behavior from becoming stronger or more entrenched over time. By minimizing opportunities for the dog to engage in the unwanted behavior, we create a foundation upon which more complex behavior modification can be built.
When a dog is resource guarding people in the home, simple adjustments can often lead to noticeable improvements. These changes might involve altering how you approach specific scenarios or even rethinking how you interact with your dog in potentially triggering situations. The following paragraphs will explore practical ways to manage resource guarding and reduce tension in your household, setting the stage for long-term progress.
Understanding the ABCs of Behavior in Resource Guarding
When addressing resource guarding, it's crucial to understand the ABCs of behavior: Antecedent, Behavior, and Consequence. The antecedent is the setup or situation that occurs right before a behavior happens. The behavior is the action that follows - in this case, the dog's guarding response. The consequence is what happens immediately after the behavior - typically the outcome the dog achieves. By analyzing and adjusting these elements, we can prevent problematic behaviors and create opportunities for more desirable outcomes.
Now that we understand the ABCs framework, let's see how it applies to two common scenarios where a dog is resource guarding one person from another - one during bedtime and one during movie night:
In our bedtime example:
The antecedent is that the first person and the dog have already gone to bed, and the second person enters the room later. The behavior is the dog growling or reacting as the second person approaches the bed. The consequence is that the dog has prevented the second person from entering the bed.
We can improve this situation by changing the ABCs:
Instead of the second person walking directly into the bedroom, they call the dog out of the room and into the kitchen for a treat. In this adjusted scenario, the antecedent is that the first person and dog have already gone to bed, and the second person calls the dog out of the bedroom for a reward. The behavior is the dog leaving the bedroom and following the person to the kitchen. The consequence is that the dog receives a treat for leaving the bed, and then the dog and second person enter the bedroom together, preventing the triggering scenario entirely.
In our movie night example:
The antecedent is that two people are on the couch watching a movie together, and one person gets up to go to the kitchen to get a snack and returns. The behavior is the dog growling as the second person returns to the couch. The consequence is that the dog has prevented the person from returning to the couch.
We can improve this situation too:
The new antecedent is that both people get up together to get snacks from the kitchen. By having both people move together, we prevent the triggering scenario of one person approaching the other. Whether the dog follows to the kitchen or stays on the couch, everyone can return and resettle without conflict.
These examples demonstrate how simple changes to routines can prevent resource guarding behaviors from occurring. By thoughtfully managing situations before they become problematic, we create a more harmonious environment for both dogs and humans.
Remember, the goal isn't to punish or correct the behavior after it happens, but to prevent the triggering scenario from occurring in the first place.
Teaching Cues for Effective Management
One effective way to manage resource guarding is by teaching your dog specific cues that help prevent triggering situations from occurring by allowing you to adjust the antecedent in the ABC equation. These cues should be taught initially using positive reinforcement in an environment appropriate for learning until your dog can respond reliably to them and enjoys responding to them. Once your dog reliably responds to these cues, you can begin incorporating them into your routine as part of your management strategy.
Cues such as "up," "off," "leave the room," "follow me," "come," "go to place," and "back up" are behaviors that I like to teach for adjusting the antecedent in resource guarding situations. These cues all share an important feature: they give you different ways to direct your dog's movement through the environment. Having a variety of movement-based cues in your training repertoire allows you to adjust the antecedent in multiple ways, setting the stage for the behaviors you want to see.
Building the Foundation for Long-Term Change
Once you've established effective management strategies—adjusting antecedents by adjusting routines and using simple cue—you'll significantly reduce or eliminate opportunities for your dog to practice resource guarding. This doesn't mean your dog won't growl if you lapse in management and allow a trigger to occur, but consistent management creates the foundation for success.
Management is always the critical first step before moving to step two: counterconditioning and desensitization. While management prevents the behavior from being rehearsed and worsening, counterconditioning and desensitization work to change your dog's underlying emotional response to the trigger. These exercises must be specifically crafted for your unique situation, as there is no one-size-fits-all solution in behavior modification.
Partnering with a trainer who specializes in resource guarding and aggressive behaviors is essential to ensure the plan is tailored to your dog's needs. With these techniques, you're addressing the root cause of the behavior, allowing you to eventually phase out management as the primary strategy.
Conclusion
When a dog guards one person from another in the home, it can be stressful, but it's a behavior that can be effectively managed and modified. By prioritizing management strategies as your first step—such as altering routines and teaching specific cues—you create a foundation for change. This groundwork not only prevents guarding behavior but also sets the stage for successful counterconditioning and desensitization work.
Each situation is unique, so working with a qualified trainer is essential to develop a counterconditioning plan that meets your household's specific needs. Remember, resource guarding is not about defiance; it's a response rooted in emotion, often fear of losing access to something valuable. With the right approach, you can address this behavior thoughtfully and foster a safe and balanced environment for both your dog and your family.
Want to address your dog's resource guarding with personalized support? I offer bespoke coaching programs tailored to your household's specific needs. Working together, we'll create a customized management and modification plan that fits your lifestyle and helps your dog feel more comfortable. To learn more about my coaching programs and take the first step toward a more harmonious household, click here.
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