How to stop your dog from resource guarding? Resource guarding is when dog’s defend their valuable assets, like food, territory or water, by showing aggressive behaviour. But there are other levels of resource guarding within dogs, ranging from mildly aggressive to severely aggressive. The following are some dog training tricks which can be used to effectively stop this aggressive behaviour.
First dog training trick that I am going to mention here is the use of treats and praise. If you have a dog that guards aggressively then the best thing to do is to reward him with treats or even better treats that make him happy. This will show him that he is getting a treat for good behaviour and this in turn trains him to want to repeat that behaviour. You can also use a dog collar to teach your dog that he has done something wrong and he should guard his own food and water only.
There are many different treats you can use in training your dog. The standard treat is a dog biscuit or dog treat. You can also buy small toys which contain treats for your dog to play with, like balls or squeaky toy worms. As long as you are consistent with the treats and rewards, you will be able to train your dog how to behave. If he does something wrong, then just drop the treats and replace them with a new treat.
Another dog training trick is to teach him a relaxation protocol. You can use this as a reward or in conjunction with a specific dog training trick. Your relaxation protocol should include him removing all of his attention and focusing his mind on you. If he successfully completes this, then you will know that he has successfully completed the relaxation protocol.
In order to teach your dog a relaxation protocol, hold a treat above his head while allowing him to sniff it. If he tries to bite the treat, then just drop it to the ground and say “no.” Continue this procedure until he has completely allowed himself to relax and the treat is dropped to the ground. You can also use this as a fun way to teach your dog that he cannot guard your meal and water at the same time. Drop one of your dog’s treats and if he tries to guard it, then immediately remove the treat and replace it with another one.
Resource guarding can also be overcome by teaching your dog to ignore negative behaviors. For example, if your dog barks constantly when you enter or leave your home, this is not acceptable behavior. You can retrain him to think that barking is not appropriate. Instead of barking, you can use a sound deterrent like a loud plastic squeaky toy that only makes a satisfying squeal when it is pressed. This will give him enough incentive to refrain from barking excessively.
Another way to retrain him is to change the direction in which he goes when you are walking. When you take an object out of your yard, throw it in one direction until he takes it. Alternately, if he is taking an object from the opposite side of your yard, then toss it in the other direction. Be sure to reward him each time with a treat reward or a high-value praise term. Eventually, your dog will realize that he has nothing to gain by guarding the object and will begin to exhibit more self control.
If you do not have the resources to hire a professional dog trainer, then the next best thing is to use a dog training resource guide such as The Pocket Guide to Effective Training by Andrew Lewis. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about dog training and contains detailed descriptions of the different dog behaviors and proper training techniques for each. The Pocket Guide can be used as a reference or homework aid during your dog training sessions. All of the information in The Pocket Guide is presented in a very easy to understand format so that even a first time dog trainer can easily understand it and apply it. The Pocket Guide helps you to recognize and solve common problems as well as build up your dog’s confidence in your training.
