Resource Guarding - against dogs, not people

Okay,

Takara's always been a resource guarder - never towards people. She used to get a bit stroppy if she got on the furniture when tired and I tried to move her but I sorted that out using normal location guarding exercises and making sure she had somewhere she thought was comfortable (they have their own sofa instead of a dog bed lol) for when she was tired.

She's never guarded food or toys against people, she'll give them up as soon as you reach toward her, but she has always (since adolescence, not as a puppy) been a bit funny around other dogs.
I did get her to be much better with the food and she learned that sitting quietly while I fed another dog would mean she would get some and it became a default behaviour - if another dog was around and I got food out, she sat and waited.

However, more recently she's started guarding again - she's got snappy with Eddy when he goes to pick up a chew she's had (she's never told Eddy off before, he's 'the man') - I deal with this by taking it off the pair of them, getting them to sit, giving him the thing he took from her and giving her something better. When she does let him take it she gets something better - and she was a bit stroppy over a ball she had in the park yesterday, guarding it against other dogs.

The trouble is - food is her main reinforcer followed closely by a game of tuggy or a ball throw.
Walks are pretty boring without a toy and she loses interest in me as I can't run or play with her so need a toy to keep her interest. Plus, I like to reinforce good behaviour while we're out (she's one of those dogs that requires constant maintenance of behaviours).

Does anyone have any information or recommended reading on resource guarding against other dogs? I just find it a bit awkward - if it were guarding against people, I'd be able to sort it (Eddy had the same issue as have had other dogs I've dealt with) but against dogs I'm not sure how to approach it.

Thanks in advance!

Watching this thread with interest as this is Kismet's problem too... Not with toys, but with food or bones.. anything she thinks of as edible she will not let Pharaoh or Selkie anywhere near and will kick of a really nasty fight if they try to take something she thinks is hers.

She's fine with their food bowls, but guards her own, and she s perfectly well mannered if you're giving them all treats. But if Selkie wanders over to a bone that was originally given to Kismet, Kis will launch an attack!

So difficult to figure out what to do, she doesn't aim it at me at all.. I need to teach Selkie and Pharaoh what to do about it.

Mmmm not sure really. I always pressumed that, unless you have two very dominant dogs, that the dogs sort it out for themselves and one takes what they want and the other backs down.

Also i pressumed people just had to feed seperately etc.

I will be wathcing this with interest too!

I have 3 out of 5 who left to their own devices would resource guard. I simply wont tolerate it and they have to learn to share and keep their greedy paws off of each others food. If necessary I have physically removed stuff from mouths and returned them to their rightful owners. If they start to make a move on the others bones or whatever I just tell them no or Oi and make sure I stay there to enforce it. I will not feed seperately, they just have to learn to follow the rules. High value treats still cause them to attempt to thieve each others. Today they had deer flavour dental chews and they all eat at different speeds, Syd likes to take his time and enjoy it, so he takes it off and places it on the coffee table and no one goes near it. That way they don't get the chance to grab the bits that break off. If any of them approach Frank who obviously takes the longest, although I usually give him a small piece if possible, I just tell them to leave it. If ever one of them mounts a succesful raid on the others I simply take it back. they soon learn.
Can't help with recommended reading though, I just treat mine the same as I did my kids

The problem isn't at home - I can sort it at home, it's when we're out and about.

Takara's resource guarding is so strong that it causes problems on walks and a nightmare at training classes. It's not something I can just 'feed separately'. As soon as we get out on a walk with treats/toys (I can't run around with her and she gets bored and wanders off if I don't keep the walk fun) the stress levels are bumped up. She's fine until a dog comes on the scene.

Some of it is simply that she's a little afraid of other dogs, having been (mildly) attacked, but a lot of it is down to resources I believe.

I don't give mine treats I throw them at them. Basically I've taught them all to catch, I say their name as I throw it so only that one goes for it. Sorry not much help.

lol thanks Trouble - not sure it'll help the situation though... It's simply the presence of the food that increases her stress levels (and I think she guards me a bit too ) so I know that my job is to get her more comfortable with it.

I did suss it out before by teaching her that when a dog came up she sat until I'd given that dog a treat and then she got one and she got loads better so I can start that again, but it's just generally being more comfortable in that environment.

No help here I'm affraid but watching with interest. My mal girl will go of my male GSD if there is any food ,toys or treats around. They have to be fed seperaty and treated in seperate rooms. Toys are also a no unless one is on a walk, then the other is left with toys but must be picked up before the walked og comes into the room. I hate not being able to leave them with toys but at the mo it is the only way. Otherwise they are great together, dogs eh

I would be guarding, too, if someone was going to take my chicken leg...

Is it possible to teach the dogs not to go for the other one's food?

Lene,

It's not my two that are the problem... occasionally she'll have a grumble at Eddy but there's nothing in it, it's more of a dash to get to it before him. They're always trained together, fed together (in close proximity) and even swap bowls I have to constantly supervise when they have medicine on their food or Eddy has senior because otherwise they get each others.
They share a bed, share toys etc. They're great together.

It's when Takara's with dogs she doesn't live with or doesn't know as well. Any dogs we've had stay here on a temporary basis she shares her toys with and offers them toys to play with her but it's when we're out or at training and it's usually dogs she doesn't know.

Obviously, this is totally understandable - I'm not saying that I don't understand why she guards things when out and about, I'm saying it really isn't a good thing to have going on - she's getting better over the last few days, strangely enough - but I don't like the idea that she's constantly stressed on a walk and because she guards not only food, but also toys, me and sometimes even Eddy - it's not something you can easily avoid - putting her on a lead will make her far worse and I can't stop other people's dogs coming upto me.

She's not vicious - she just sees them off, but I don't want it getting any worse and I don't want her to be stressed.