Resource Guarding: Dog vs Dog Aggression #66

If you notice your puppy resource guarding against you, there's a video to help: https://youtu.be/XDdf1w_9Ha0 See the follow up video on This!'s resource guarding - https://youtu.be/XUJksPoQNps And a quick video showing This! sharing - https://youtu.be/XsoLba0xl6Y

1. Journal (time, resource, location, target dog, action and outcome) each dog vs dog aggression behavior 2. Identify and remove triggers (keep dog under threshold) 3. Create a safe environment (Use positive reinforcement in the form of a bed/crate or activity before they react to triggers and reward dogs coming near each other peacefully) - Don't discipline dog for resource guarding - Don't use high value food/toys for positive reinforcement because the dog will guard that too - Refer to "Mine!" by Jean Donaldson for a more in-depth guide on resource guarding - Refer to a certified Veterinary Behaviorist if the dog is aggressive in any way

We have always been a two Labrador household until our most recent addition of a 3rd (high-drive, field-bred) Labrador puppy just over a year ago. There was definitely a learning curve regarding resources. One thing that really helped me was for the puppy to learn where she was in the hierarchy for treats, toy play, etc. I found that using each dog’s name prior to handing out any resource really clarified things for her and kept expectations where they should be. Once she became really proficient at IYC, I also added a game where I would drop a low value piece of kibble on the floor, cue one of my other dogs to get it with their name, and at the same time, give the puppy a super high value treat as a reward. Liz Dole, DVM

This is so good to hear. My pup showed resource guarding early on and I believed I had caused it - or was to blame. The subtle signs can be so easy to miss. This was reassuring and helpful!

Teaching "trade" helped a lot for me. Teaching to "share" by holding the object while they chew and not letting go, periodically "out" and giving it back or giving something better. Keeping a leash on so they cannot go hide and take it away to a private area, which in some cases are where they get offensive. Sticking to lower value chews as you mentioned as well. Tons of patience and repetition, that's for sure! Really depends on the severity of the dog though! Definitely best to combat with obedience and play management to set them up for success!

Thank you for sharing this! This is real life and your honesty is helping loads of us

Susan you are amazing! I can listen to you for days and days! Thank you for this incredible talk. Just brilliant. Tremendous gratitude🙏🐾❤️🐾

I’m the prodigal daughter returned to Susan’s training methods because of an incident of resource-based aggression a month ago by my 4yo (the other 10yo dog was bleeding). Darcy (aggressor) is currently on doggy prozac, I’ve increased our exercise, I’m learning from both Susan and Darcy how to better manage the environment, and we’re playing ItsYerChoice and target games multiple times a day. I’m looking forward with confidence to better relationships among the three of us 🥰

This is extremely helpful. I have a one year old blind border collie/cross and we also have a 14week old border collie. My blind dog isn't much of an eater, however when she does eat, she lifts her lips at the puppy if the pup comes too close. We control the environment and work on hot zone with the pup, which has helped immensely. I can't thank your team enough for all of the training you freely offer and give of yourselves.

This was so good! I always learn something new! My first Corgi, Daisy, would growl at me EVERYTIME I fed her and made her wait. She never snapped at us. What I have learned since her passing, following Susan, joining Recallers, is that that were several events that may have contributed to her becoming very aggressive towards other dogs. She is gone now and I am doing my best to create a positive environment for my current Corgi, Bazil. Thank you Susan for all the golden GEMS that you share!!! I love my dog even more.

Thank you so much, fantastic information. It is invaluable to hear how you deal with the practicalities of dealing with these issues, sharing your wealth of knowledge. You are an inspiration. X

I've been listening to all Susan's podcasts in preparation for getting a puppy; and decided to apply these techniques to my two cats, who sometimes have snarling tiffs with each other. I have been rewarding them with treats when they are hanging out together; and stopped reinforcing their fights by talking to them and giving them both pats afterwards (I thought I was calming them down). Its amazing! Already the frequency of fights has gone down heaps, the tiffs they do have aren't nearly as intense or long lasting, and they even share sleeping on my bed near each other without angst! Really amazing stuff and a great insight into how I've been unwittingly reinforcing undesirable behaviour. Thanks so much Susan, I'm learning so much for having a dog in the future but also how to help support my cats too. You legend!

Goodness, I would give so much to have had this video when Win first came to us at 4 months old. I did so much, so wrong back then with his barrier frustration/resource guarding at the doors and windows. Thanks to your expert, Sharon, I am watching this now and forming a plan. Windsor deserves my patience and the manipulation of our environment to help him through this. Thank you, Susan, for being so honest about your dogs’ experiences with resource guarding and your plans for addressing it.

Great podcast. So far I do not have any problem with my 3 dogs but I guess it is because I have always managed who and where they play with toys. All the toys are away and out only when they play with me :) Thank you Recallers and Susan for all I have learned and put in action since I started your program.

This video is SO appreciated. Just knowing that your dogs resource guard and about this second fear period was an immediate relief that my puppy isn't bad. My hallucination was that your dogs are perfectly raised and live together with universal joy. My big doofy 6 mo puppy is doing great on Recallers so this was an upsetting change, I've already stopped the rehearsals and reinforcing HZ and his favorite tricks and it is improving. I decided to do low energy tricks because they make me smile and that helps me have a calmer affect while I work through this.

Yes, Id love some more information on this topic. Ive rewatched this podcast many times and hear new information each time.. thank you🧡

Thank you so much, your approach feels like there is hope. We need alot more info and guidelines in this area.

Brilliant advice! Yes please do a follow-up! My Phoebe seems to resource guard me against other dogs, but I will start a journal to be sure, I love that idea! I'm in HSTD so my dogs are learning about recalls and Hot Zone. Thank you once again for making our lives and our dogs lives better!!!

Owned 9 dogs working on number 10 (4month lab/Persian mix) and have never had an issue with food aggression until now. I really appreciate your insight and understanding. Blessed to have a loving dog, he may have issues but thanks to you we can work through them an I can guarantee him a safe life without stupid issues like hurting someone unnecessarily. Much love, ty again!

I have a 3 year old German Shepherd who has become the “lifetime” problem. We got him during a difficult time for our family (5th Shepherd- none at same time) and we did not see the early signs. ZZ would get aggressive at people coming in the house. Unfortunately for him, our boxer would run at people full speed and bark as they came in, but he just wanted love and kisses. This was also the behavior of our previous shepherd. But ZZ was scared and reacted with aggression. We didn’t get help till the first bite, as we didn’t understand that his fear would lead to aggression, we had never seen this. Our first two trainers had us correct him. Which we had been doing. But nothing seemed to help. I joined Recallers, but only got as far as Crate Games as I didn’t make the connection of the training building confidence. Our current trainer has been helping me connect the dots and by the 4th lesson we figured out we were both ReCallers. THANK YOU for making the statement about keeping him below threshold being boring! It is very boring and my family want to do more fun stuff so most training lands on me. So currently, I can walk him on bike trail with the only issue being dogs. Currently I pull him off the trail, make him put back to trail, and play “Look at That”. Most times I don’t have enough distance to keep anxiety down where he will take a treat, but we have 6 successful “no bark” passings in a row. At home, we leash him if someone comes in. Mostly my son’s fiance is just about our only visitor thanks to ZZ. He is getting better with her, has sniffed her a few times with her making no eye contact. 80% of the time it is a no bark event when she comes over. There are days he looks like he doesn’t understand why he can’t visit her more, but then next time we get a lip curl. Please send me some kind of encouragement. It is a lifetime issue and we are making progress. I looked last year for a veterinarian behavioralist but couldn’t find one in our area. It is heartbreaking to have a dog with so much fear, I really wish I understood this when he was a puppy.