Author Topic: Resource Guarding?  (Read 8508 times)

Offline London_Pyr_Lover

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Resource Guarding?
« on: September 05, 2008, 09:02:04 am »
I'm having a difficult time with Naja currently, and I know that it is all my fault, due to lack of early socialization.  But I'm coming to you, my BPO gurus for guidance and advice.  :-[ :)

Naja is really bad for resource guarding, so bad in fact that when I took her to Kitchener to visit my girlfriend Morgan and her new puppy Dennet, she nearly ate poor little Dennet for trying to share Naja's water bowl.  Then again, after I reprimanded her when Dennet tried to get some lovins from me.

She will guard food, water, toys (even toys that don't belong to her!), and me!  She does this with every single dog we meet, other then Moo.

So my question to you is, how do I reverse this?  I need to know that I can bring her places with me, and that she'll be welcome back, not banned from visits for being a mean bully.  I want to be able to trust her with new puppies, I do eventually want another BP when Mike and I move in together, and I don't want her trying to eat the puppy for being a puppy!  :o
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Offline People Whisperer

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Re: Resource Guarding?
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2008, 09:17:25 am »
Alex, did she do the same at the day care?
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Offline London_Pyr_Lover

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Re: Resource Guarding?
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2008, 09:52:05 am »
Alex, did she do the same at the day care?

No apparently she played very well with the dogs at day care!  Although she did not get fed there, as she eats at 6 am and pm every day, and she's home at those times.  As for water. I'm not sure if there's a communal water dish at group paly time or not.  I do know that she has her own water dish in her particular room though.  Do you think that it specifically has to do with me??  ???
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Offline People Whisperer

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Re: Resource Guarding?
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2008, 09:56:09 am »
I don't know  :-\ I assume they had toys there though. She didn't guard those either?
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Offline London_Pyr_Lover

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Re: Resource Guarding?
« Reply #4 on: September 05, 2008, 10:00:13 am »
No the staff said she was really well behaved the entire time.  Maybe because it's still a new place she hasn't relaxed enough there to show any guarding issues.  She has after all only been there twice so far.   :-\ ???

Modified to add:  They even commented on how well she played with both the high energy dogs, and the older/puppy/low energy dogs.
« Last Edit: September 05, 2008, 10:01:08 am by London_Pyr_Lover »
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Offline kathryn

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Re: Resource Guarding?
« Reply #5 on: September 05, 2008, 10:21:48 am »
Kaila has resource guarding issues and has in the past guarded me from stuff.  She will guard toys and food but not water.  The easiest thing I have found to do is to take whatever she is guarding away.  Say, she is guarding me then I get up and leave and she has to stay or she goes someplace for a timeout if I can't trust her while I'm away.  For example, if there is another dog or puppy around and she starts guarding me then she goes up and I get to stay out and play with the other dog or puppy.  If she guards a toy then it goes away until she settles down.  It worked really fast to get her to understand she doesn't control stuff.  Hope that helps.
Kaila - Belgian Malinois
Shiner - Malinois x Ridgeback
Toulouse, Cayenne, Raven - DSH



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Offline London_Pyr_Lover

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Re: Resource Guarding?
« Reply #6 on: September 05, 2008, 10:27:59 am »
For example, if there is another dog or puppy around and she starts guarding me then she goes up and I get to stay out and play with the other dog or puppy. 

How would you work it if you were visiting someone, or say out at a park or something??  Because she'll do it at the dog park if another dog comes up to me for pets, or tries to get into her water.  Or if she gets a bead on another dogs toy.
« Last Edit: September 05, 2008, 10:29:10 am by London_Pyr_Lover »
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Offline London_Pyr_Lover

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Re: Resource Guarding?
« Reply #7 on: September 05, 2008, 10:30:00 am »
has anyone hired an animal behaviorist before?  How much on average do you think they cost??
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Offline kathryn

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Re: Resource Guarding?
« Reply #8 on: September 05, 2008, 10:36:07 am »
I would work on the resource guarding stuff at a friend's house before going to a park.  That way you can get her used to the idea and concept of guarding = losing the object.  

I would go to my friend's house and explain to them what is happening before bringing Nala in and ask them if they can help you work on this issue.  Then when she starts to guard for example the water bowl then she has to go to a sit/stay or down/stay over by your chair and no more fun for a few minutes.  Then you can release her.  If it's you she is guarding then into another room for a brief time-out then back out to have some more fun.  It might take a lot of repitions especially if she is stubborn.  Kaila sure is and she will still try and resource guard toys from Shiner.  

At a park you can do the same thing with a sit/stay or down/stay if she is guarding toys.  If she is guarding you and you are comfortable that she won't harm herself and it's not too hot you can take her to the car and put her in it for a time out.  She can watch you go back and play with the other dog and then just go get her and back out for some more play time.  

Sorry this is so long and I hope I explained it alright.  
Kaila - Belgian Malinois
Shiner - Malinois x Ridgeback
Toulouse, Cayenne, Raven - DSH



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Offline London_Pyr_Lover

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Re: Resource Guarding?
« Reply #9 on: September 05, 2008, 10:41:25 am »
No that's awesome.  I will def. try that (it gives me another excuse to go to kitchener to see Morgan too!).  I'll wait till the weather cools off a bit before I put her in the car though.  But those are some fantastic suggestions.  I can't bring myself to not bring her to the dog park though.  I just try to avoid confrontations there, we're constantly walking the perimeter, and if I need to give her water we separate from the other dogs.  I another dog comes sniffing around while I'm giving her water, I usually take the water away until the other dog goes away.  Also I only started doing this AFTER she got vicious with a few dogs for going to her water.
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Offline kathryn

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Re: Resource Guarding?
« Reply #10 on: September 05, 2008, 10:54:06 am »
Have you tried using a water bottle (people one) for her to drink out of?  My two drink from a water bottle if we are out hiking or at a park someplace just because it's the easiest thing to carry.  I do have one of those collapsible travel bowls but they always seem to dump it over so I started using the bottle.
Kaila - Belgian Malinois
Shiner - Malinois x Ridgeback
Toulouse, Cayenne, Raven - DSH



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Offline London_Pyr_Lover

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Re: Resource Guarding?
« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2008, 11:04:24 am »
That's what I use.  She'll still get growly if another dog comes too close.   

It's really cute to see her drinking out of a water bottle though.  :)
« Last Edit: September 05, 2008, 11:04:41 am by London_Pyr_Lover »
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Offline ZooCrew

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Re: Resource Guarding?
« Reply #12 on: September 05, 2008, 01:56:43 pm »
I have had this same issue with Gunther, although maybe not as extreme.
He will however get snarky with other dogs over toys and water at the dog park if he doesn't know them.  He will also on occasion get grumpy if he is near me and another dog comes up, although he is getting much better about this.

What I do is tell him to "leave it".  If he is drinking water and another dog comes up and i see him lower his head and eyeball the other dog........... .....i will tell him to "leave it".  He knows that means to walk away.  Same thing for a toy........... which is usually a stick.

As for guarding me, his word is "out".  I use it at home when I want one of the dogs to leave the room.  Although there isn't a "room" at the dog park, when I tell him "out" and point away from me, he knows he is meant to move away from me, although reluctantly.  And he usually reappears a few seconds later........m omma's boy that he is.   ::)  so that command often gets repeated as needed.

If neither of these is working and he gets snarky multiple times, he is put in a time out, at least 10-15 ft from where i am standing.  To him this is torture so the point gets across quickly....... .....especiall y if I face him the opposite direction (although he usually turns himself around so he can at least see me).

Good luck!  It can be difficult with dogs with a protective nature, but progress can be made.  :)