“Why is my dog guarding resources?” If you’re reading this, you’ve probably typed it into your favorite search engine, and if you’ve been searching for a while, you’ve probably read a variety of different articles with varying or conflicting opinions such as “dogs guard resources because they are being dominant” or “dogs guard resources because they have a negative conditioned emotional response to being approached when they are guarding toys, beds, food, high value chews or perhaps even you” or “dogs guard resources because they have learned that guarding makes you go away”. But is there something more going on? In this article, I’ll look at resource guarding through the unique and nuanced prism of systems thinking and in the hopes of providing you with some new answers for this overwhelming and exacerbating form of aggression in dogs.
So why is my dog guarding resources then?
Most resource guarding is rooted in an intricate web of issues, many of which have absolutely nothing to do with resources.
In my experience as a dog behaviour consultant and a systems thinking “junkie,” resource guarding has roots that extend far beyond the symptoms, which include a variety of behaviours such as freezing, whale eye, hunkering down, snarling, biting, and so on, and can be difficult, if not impossible, to resolve permanently until the underlying roots are identified and addressed.
While it’s true that many of the common symptom-based interventions can be effective in the short term, in the long run, they frequently give rise to a problem called Intervention Dependence, which is an annoying systems thinking trap in which the system (in our case, the dog and guardian) becomes dependent on intervention.
What this means is that the longer you continue with the intervention, more challenging it will be to end resource guarding permanently in the future. Yikes!
The solution? To truly change this behaviour, we must identify all of the causes, identify leverage points in the network to begin unravelling the behaviours, and then design and implement interventions while receiving real-time feedback from the dog (observing micro-patterns changing across multiple scales and contexts.
8 unique perspectives on resource guarding
Will all of this in mind, here are 8 unique perspectives on resource guarding.
Please keep in mind that this is a sampling of perspectives rather than an exhaustive list, and that in most cases, there is an extensive network of causality (which is why understanding complexity and systems is so crucial).
Part I of this post will look at two of these perspectives, and Parts II-IV will unpack the remaining six perspectives (be sure to check back!).
*Be aware that any form of behaviour modification should always be preceded by a vet visit to rule out any underlying pain or medical conditions.
Additionally, resource guarding can be a very dangerous behaviour, therefore safety is critical. If you require assistance in resolving this behaviour, please contact us to discuss options or engage the services of another experienced and qualified professional.
Deprivation
The first question to ask is whether your dog is in a state of deprivation or has a history of resource deprivation. The key here is perspective; for example, your dog could be adequately fed but still be in a state of deprivation.
- Is food front of mind for your dog, i.e. the first thing they think about when they wake up in the morning?
- Is your dog obsessed on rewards, meaning that he is blind to anything or anyone else while you give him treats?
- Does your dog eat quickly? Do they appear to be hungry when they finish eating?
- Does your dog routinely beg for food or steal food from the counter or your dining table?
- Does your dog take treats from you with such resolve that they hurt your fingers?
- Does your dog demand bark for treats or food?
caregiving and guidance
Next, we’ll look at caregiving and guidance. Is your dog defending resources rather than receiving care, guidance, protection, or assurance from you? This one is a little more tangential than deprivation, but the bottom line is that if your dog is taking on more responsibility than he or she is capable of, such as caring for themselves, protecting the property, you, and other human or four-legged family members, they may be receiving the message that it is their responsibility to defend resources within your household. They may also turn to resources rather than you for help due to the stress and worry they experience as a result of needing support and guidance but not receiving it.
The secret to determining whether your needs caregiving and guidance is to keep an eye out for evidence of this outside of the context of guarding (or, in certain situations, just before the guarding). Some things to watch for include:
Does your dog jump up on you on walks at random, particularly before or after passing another dog, person, or location?
Does your dog lick your legs and hands excessively with long and slow tongue laps?
Does your dog howl at you when you talk to strangers or other family members?Is your dog jealous or protective of you, as evidenced by barking, growling, or getting in between you and strangers or even other family members?
Is your dog fearful, as evidenced by the tail tucked, ears back, and leash pulling straight ahead?
- Does your patrol the house i.e., the yard, front walkway etc?
Does your dog frequently hide behind you in the sight of other pets, strangers, or family members?
- Do your dog’s emotions tend to escalate from 0-100 in a split second?
If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, your dog may require caregiving and guidance! The best place to start is to be on the lookout for these behaviours and ask yourself, “Is my dog looking for protection, safety, security, affection, or assurance?” and then start meeting those needs in real-time as they arise.
For example, if they require safety, move them away from danger; if they require assurance, provide them with some form of social gesture, such as a calming gaze, verbal “you’re okay,” or physical contact to assure them that they are okay. If they require protection, step in and shield them from the threat. The more you read and respond to their wants when they need you, the more they will trust you to meet their needs and the calmer and more secure they will become, thereby reducing any aspects of the guarding that are caused by these unmet needs.
conclusion
In conclusion, resource guarding is frequently rooted in an intricate web of causality that are far deeper and wider than what meets the eye such as deprivation and the need for caregiving and guidance.
The key is to identify all of the roots and to implement interventions that simultaneously address whole and the parts.
In part II of this article I will unpack two additional perpectives: conflict or competition and attempting to self-soothe.
In the mean time if you require support I would strongly encourage you to check out our Feisty Fido program in Calgary, Alberta which has been created to help dogs with a variety of behavioural challenges relating to reactivity and aggression, including resource guarding.
resources
Meadows, Donella H. (2009). Thinking in systems : a primer. London ; Sterling, VA :Earthscan,
Selye, Hans (1946). The general adaptation syndrome and the diseases of adaptation. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology 6:117-230
Selye, Hans (1952). The Story of the Adaptation Syndrome. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Acta Inc.
