please define guarding

[ejano]

reading through the "Holy Terror" thread prompted this question....what is "guarding" -- I know if a dog growls when you approach their food bowl, that's a bad thing but what about guarding people...Ladybug guards Ken and now at least Robin is starting to pick up on this behavior. Last night as I was petting him, Brodie approached and there was the growling. I picked Robin up by the scruff of the neck (not easy to do as he's almost 40pounds now!) and let him know that I'm the only one who gets to growl in a "growly" tone.

 

Is this guarding and are my reactions enough to stop the behavior and why would Robin suddenly start doing this? I've noticed some baring of fangs between them as well and stepped right in....is it time to get them neutered or won't it make any difference?

 

 

Somebody somewhere predicted they'll have to have one good fight to decide who's top dog, but I'd really like to avoid this if at all possible...

 

puppies are great....it's those teenage years!

 

Liz

[Tranquilis]

Last night as I was petting him, Brodie approached and there was the growling. I picked Robin up by the scruff of the neck (not easy to do as he's almost 40pounds now!) and let him know that I'm the only one who gets to growl in a "growly" tone.

Clasic guarding behavior, and the right answer, IMO. Though you may wish, in the future, to 'scruff' by grabbing the loose skin on the neck just behind the ears, one hand on each side of the neck - Easier on both of you, and it allows you to get right in your dog's face whilst retaining positive control.

 

Basically, guarding is trying to control access to any resource (food, water, people, sleeping spots, toys, etc.) of value.

 

 

I've noticed some baring of fangs between them as well and stepped right in....is it time to get them neutered or won't it make any difference?

IME, neutering (whilst frequently a good thing in its own right) doesn't have much effect on dominance issues - I've a pair of altered bitches in my house, and I had a full blown dominance-setting issue on my hands the first couple weeks - Until I got my head outta my backside, and asserted my own authority. At the Farm, I've seen altered males who would be happy go at it hammer-and-tongs with other altered males, if only they were allowed. Again IMO, the best solution to keeping the dominace issue down to a dull roar is to make sure that all the dogs in the house know that you are the dominant one, and won't tollerate much foolishness. Step on resource guarding issues hard. Train to a high level of obedience and accomplishment. Make sure everyone has enough exercise. Watch for incipient trouble, and head it off before it turns into a major issue.

 

Examples: Suka and Dakota will fight over food. So, I feed them at the same time, in their crates. They'll race to the bottom of their bowls, but even if they didn't, the bowls come up in ten minutes (sooner, usually - Like I said, they race), even if there's food still in them (rare event, these days!) - MY food dishes! This means there's no food left out for them to fight over. I make sure each has their own toys, but *I* control access to the toys - MY toys. There's one main waterbowl, and if I see one trying to guard it, I drive them off the water by walking them down. MY water! I share, they don't get to control it! If I see one 'gatekeeping,' I walk through them and push them back - MY chokepoint! The result is that they get what they want and need, but *I* am the boss. This seems to have kept the dominance issues way down. I don't have to exert my 'authoritah' very often at all, and see little in the way of guarding behavior.

 

None of thise is terribly scientific, but it's what works for me. I'm sure that other people have more sophisticated methods.

 

 

Best fortune!

[ejano]

Thanks for your response....at least its good to know in my dog's eyes, I'm something valuable . We'll keep firm control on it....and your suggestion of how to correct is much easier than my method!

 

Examples: Suka and Dakota will fight over food. So, I feed them at the same time, in their crates. They'll race to the bottom of their bowls, but even if they didn't, the bowls come up in ten minutes (sooner, usually - Like I said, they race), even if there's food still in them (rare event, these days!) - MY food dishes! This means there's no food left out for them to fight over. I make sure each has their own toys, but *I* control access to the toys - MY toys. There's one main waterbowl, and if I see one trying to guard it, I drive them off the water by walking them down. MY water! I share, they don't get to control it! If I see one 'gatekeeping,' I walk through them and push them back - MY chokepoint! The result is that they get what they want and need, but *I* am the boss. This seems to have kept the dominance issues way down. I don't have to exert my 'authoritah' very often at all, and see little in the way of guarding behavior.

 

This is a good explanation...I am leaving food in the crates and should really stop it now that they're not puppies any more and only need to be fed two x a day. They also share a waterbowl, as yours do with no issues at the moment.

 

Thanks again.

[Carlasl]

Jean Donaldson has a very very good book out called "MINE" about resource guarding and her book "FIGHT" has a good section on Dog to Dog resource guarding.

[Shetlander]

reading through the "Holy Terror" thread prompted this question....what is "guarding" -- I know if a dog growls when you approach their food bowl, that's a bad thing but what about guarding people...Ladybug guards Ken and now at least Robin is starting to pick up on this behavior. Last night as I was petting him, Brodie approached and there was the growling. I picked Robin up by the scruff of the neck (not easy to do as he's almost 40pounds now!) and let him know that I'm the only one who gets to growl in a "growly" tone.

 

Is this guarding and are my reactions enough to stop the behavior and why would Robin suddenly start doing this? I've noticed some baring of fangs between them as well and stepped right in....is it time to get them neutered or won't it make any difference?

Somebody somewhere predicted they'll have to have one good fight to decide who's top dog, but I'd really like to avoid this if at all possible...

 

puppies are great....it's those teenage years!

 

Liz

 

Resource guarding is when the dog guards or protects something/someone he finds valuable. This can be food, toys, people, furniture or other places such as crates. RG can escalate into very nasty, dangerous behaviors so I have zero tolerance for it. I never want my dogs to think they get to tell each other what to do or where to be. That is up to me. Like Tranquilis, I use management (my two males eat with a gate or door separating them) and do my best to always respond to RG in such a way that the dog loses precisely what they had hoped to control. So they lose the toy, lap, attention, bed, etc. they were guarding. I can't remember the last time anyone snarked as I handed out treats and they are often all pressed up against each other. From puppyhood, the slightest curl of a lip results in No Treat for You!

 

In addition to corrections for RG, I also reward the dog for not RG. Dropped or missed treats are a biggie. If a treat rolls between tween two dogs, the one who holds back or loses that treat will praise and two treats. My corrections include losing the guarded resource, verbal, told to lie down and verbal, and kicked out of the group to crate or another room, depending on the severity of the offense. If you are going to scruff, I second not lifting the dog by the scruff but grabbing two handed as Tranquilis describes. I do not consider it RG when one dog tries to take something the other has and the other dog objects. So, they get to eat and play with toys in peace. The pesterer is corrected as he would be for RG.

 

Good for you to want to nip any RG in the bud. Much easier now than later, take my word for it! Just don't forget that in addition to corrections, management and rewarding good behaviors go a long way too.