Use Sharing Exercises to Prevent Resource Guarding

Does your dog guard his food, toy or you? This is normal dog behavior, but it can be corrected. Use these sharing exercises for preventing and managing resource guarding.

Note:

• For multi-dog households, feed other dogs in their crates while practicing sharing exercises with your guarder. This keeps everyone safe and ensures success.
• If you, a family member or other dogs have been bitten or resource guarding worsens, seek professional help.
• Between meals, keep empty food bowl in a cabinet or behind a closed door. At times, some dogs will guard an empty food bowl.

Approach-Toss-Retreat Move

Before beginning the process, it’s vital to learn the move. This resembles a bowling move:

• Step forward.
• Crouch down as you toss the treats.
• Step back.

Week One

• While your dog is eating a meal (or chewing a high value treat), take one or two steps toward your dog while tossing hot dogs or cheese toward his bowl.
• The yummy treat does not need to land in his bowl, just near the dog.
• Back up one or two steps away from your dog, turn away and ignore him.
• Repeat 2-4 times per meal at each meal time.

If your dog growls or freezes, you’ve moved too close to his food bowl. Next time, try taking only one step forward while tossing food. Or try tossing treats from across the room. Treats should land near your dog. If he scatters about, that’s okay too.

RELATED: How to Choose High Value Treats

Week Two

By now, you’ve practiced your bowling moves during your dog’s meals. Now, your dog will lift his head up and away from his food bowl as you approach. Some dogs will even take a few steps away, as they’ve learned your approach means treats. Good job!

• As your dog is eating a meal or chewing on a bone, approach closer. Try to approach within 2-4 feet of your dog. Toss treats and retreat. Since you’re moving closer, try tossing treats in the food bowl or at a chew toy.
• Practice twice per meal or during chewing session.

If your dog begins growling as you approach, increase distance. You’ve moved too far too fast.

Week Three

Usually, this is the homestretch. Your dog has learned to step back from his bowl or move his head away from the chew toy. It’s time to add a cue.

• As you approach, say “food” while tossing treats about two feet from his bowl. Try to toss treats toward the right of the dog bowl or chew toy. “Food” means “move away from your bowl.” For toys, say “give.”
• Once your dog walks over to eat the treats, pick up his bowl (or toy).
• After your dog eats the treats, ask him to “sit.” Once he’s sitting and there’s still food in the bowl, put the bowl down again. If all food has been eaten, pick up the bowl and place on a shelf.

Maintenance

Your dog understands that the “food” cue means you’re approaching and picking up his food bowl. To maintain this polite behavior, practice makes perfect!

• Meals:
  • Once or twice a week, walk over and toss something super yummy in your dog’s food bowl like a spoon full of canned food or hot dogs.
  • Say the “food” cue while picking up his food bowl.

If, at anytime, your dog reverts back to guarding his bowl, start back at Week One. Setbacks happen, so don’t fret and get back to dog training. 🙂