Aggressive possessiveness - big problem?

Over treat/bones etc?

Also, do you agree with the statement that "any member of the family should be able to take any item from the dog at any time with no negative reaction?"

Thanks for your thoughts,

Chris

I wouldn't see it as a massive problem. You should start with teaching the dog that they're actually you're possessions you're just allowing him to use them.

Though i'd recommend teaching him the out command first. This can be done while playing tug with the dog.
Whilst playing stop making the game fun and calmy give the cue 'out'. Once the dog releases the toy say 'ok' and make the game fun again.
After some repititions and over a few play sessions the dog will do this reliably.

Doing this might solve the problem because the dog see's it as 'They told me to release and as soon as i have i get to go back to what i was doing.'
This is what worked with my friends dog that was showing the same issues.

Also i don't believe any family member should be allowed to take anything of the dog.
This can create a few issues. Such as resource guarding if everytime they go to eat someone's taking there food from them.

I look at it like this. If everytime i try to eat someones sticking there hand in front of me and trying to take my food. Eventually i'd be aggressive towards them aswel.

Where as i wouldn't hit a child a dog doesn't differentiate between an adult and a young child.

I know I can, you never know when it may save your dogs life, and I know there wouldnt be a problem with anyone taking from them either

My Cairn terrier found a large fish on the pier once and got it stuck half-way down his throat My big Sister was with me and she was really panicking as she hates people or animals choking. I stuck my hand down his throat to remove it and I am really glad he was not a possessive sort of dog as I would then be typing this with one hand!

I'm glad that works for you.
I prefer using the out cue personally though.
That way i know i can get my dog to release whatever is in his mouth. Exactly the same as you can.
In my eyes though it just removes the chances of the dog developing resource guarding issues.

I think that yes, but only if the dog has been trained to accept this and to realise it does not mean that it loses out or loses its valued item

Because as Jean Donaldson says, resource guarding is hard wired and is normal dog behaviour, not bad dog behaviour.

Taking food and testing the dog can make things kick off, or make initial problems 100 times worse.

Wys
x

Ours will give anything up, but we have foster children and no matter how much you educate/try too they still forget
Its easier teaching the dogs here
Thankfully our dogs are ok with it.

Tilly was a food guarder when she was a puppy & it took about 6 months to unlearn it. I have taught her to give up things using the toy method & leave it, but with bones I do "swap" or divert her attention to play. I wouldn't just go & take it off her.

Resource guarding is normal, it may not be appropriate, but it is normal behaviour; after all in the wild, he who has the resources, lives longest!

What we as owners must do is look at the long view.

Some breeds and some individuals are more prone to resource guarding than others.

Many people have never trained their dogs NOT to resource guard because they have never experienced the problem.

This may be because this is their first dog or it may be that none of their dogs have been exposed to something that is extremely valuable and thus have never exhibited this side of themselves.

This is where, I believe, the old wives tale of "if you feed him raw meat you will make your dog vicious" comes from.

I am not going to be particularly bothered if you steal my brussel sprouts, but if you go near my box of Hotel Chocolat you may feel my wrath!

So it is with dogs, kibble “ hhhm we like it but we would not kill for it...........”

Some dogs resource guard locations, objects, other dogs and humans (this is where people say "he is protecting me") well he IS but not quite in the way they think!

My view is that ALL dogs should be actively trained to feel comfortable whilst you around their food in particular.

I have no issues with dog to dog resource guarding, that can be managed with dogs eating in different rooms etc, and I believe that it is much healthier for dogs to be relaxed at feeding times. I do not have unrealistic expectations.

Some owners do, but we have to accept that dogs do not do sharing.

For some people again, they may have had multiple dogs where it is not a problem, my view is that they have been lucky.

I choose not to rely on luck but train for situations I expect to arise.

It is absolutely vital if you have children in the house that a dog does not guard food. Children cannot understand the outlook of dogs and of course there may well be visiting children who are unused to dogs.

So YES I firmly believe that ANY member of the family should be able to remove anything from a dog; it could save the dog’s life.

The way to do this is NOT to start removing food if and when it growls (if you do this you just confirm to the dog that it has REASON to guard and will do so even MORE at the next opportunity).

The way to do it is by classically conditioning your dog to view your presence as the precursor of something BETTER arriving!

It is, thankfully, extremely simple to PREVENT resource guarding, it is also extremely simple to CURE it. However, prevention is BETTER than cure and can save a lot of pain and anguish from all concerned.

Both of my dogs are extremely possessive over food, but I can take anything of f them at any time, because I have trained them. I also maintain this from time to time throughout their lives. However, woe betide any dog that attempts to take their food!

The best book on resource guarding is “Mine! A guide to resource guarding in dogs by Jean Donalson.”

Remember, even if YOU can take stuff off your dog, you may not always be around…………

Very good post SB!

I adopted a dog who had severe resource guarding. He would attack anything that went near his food, or whomever's lap he was sitting on.

It was extremely easy to cure. I hand fed him, and made him work for every peice of food he got. he was kept off laps and I never held him up for people to pet Within 4 weeks I could stick my hands in his bowl while he was eating, within 6 weeks, other people could. But we never take it away, once given. I also trade him for high value items.

He's doing extremely well, and I can take things off of him, in an emergency now.