If you notice that your puppy is beginning to protect its  toys, bed, balls, food, and other prized worldly possessions, they are starting to do what animal behaviorists call “resource guarding.” This behavior is a valuable instinct for feral dogs, because it allows them to survive on limited means in the wild, but it’s not such a great trait for domesticated animals. As with many behavior problems, the best solution for resource guarding is prevention and doing early training to keep the behavior from happening in the first place.

 

If not stopped early, the protecting of possessions can escalate and you may find yourself with a puppy on your hands who is willing to snap or bite rather than give up a treat or their stuffed animal.

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Signs of resource guarding;

A puppy may demonstrate resource guarding by stiffening their body over an item, a hard stare, “whale eye” (when dogs show the whites of their eyes), lifting their lips, low growling, and baring their teeth. Any dog can be prone to resource guarding. It’s not specific to one breed, it all depends on the individual dog. Resource guarding is a problem that is often accidentally shaped over time.

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Puppies who behave like this don’t distinguish between people or animals who are going to take something away from them and anyone who’s just passing by. It only matters what they think might be a threat to their items. Puppies are responding to the trigger, not the actual action. This is one reason why resource guarding is problematic and potentially dangerous behavior in a pet if the behavior is not dealt with appropriately. 

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Watch for any signs that your puppy is being over protective of their possessions. Plan activities throughout the day that give you a chance to handle your pup’s toys, dishes and bed in a noncompetitive manner. If the puppy ever objects by growling, do not give in. This starts you down the dangerous slippery slope of having a puppy who will growl, then snap, then bite to protect their possessions. This behavior will not go away on its own and it is important that you take the appropriate steps to stop it as soon as possible. 

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Some exercises you can do with your puppy to avoid having a resource guarder are:

• Develop your mindset. Start by understanding that basically, you are the human and everything in the house, yard and car belongs to you. It is all on loan to your precious puppy.

• Life is about give and take. During puppy playtime, occasionally ask your puppy to, “Give.” Take the toy away for a few seconds. Then give it back and praise the puppy. When you are teaching this skill, you can exchange one chew toy for another, or exchange a toy for a treat. In the beginning, as soon as the puppy releases the item and “gives” as you say the word, give the puppy a treat.

• Don’t let food become an issue. With a puppy, you can start early by hand feeding your puppy its meal. We personally feed at least one meal by hand. I have heard the excuse, " I don't have time", but it only takes 10 minutes and when you signed up to own a dog, you signed up to make time for them. You can also add food or treats to their food dish while they are eating so that your puppy learns good things come from you and there is no competition when it comes to food. 

• Make it a priority to focus on basic obedience. Having good manners will help you develop good boundaries and a respectful relationship with you puppy, thus helping to address your pup’s problems with possessiveness if it should arise  

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Here is a great article that can help you navigate resource guarding in puppies if your puppy shows any signs; CLICK HERE

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