# Resource guarding



## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

or just tried of her BS? It doesn't really matter to me which it actually is but I have a problem. Last night Racer was laying beside me on dh's side of the couch (dh was in bed), my female GSD came along as she does to push him over so she could get on the couch & he went off. It wasn't a quick snarl here or there it was a full on, up on back legs, all teeth showing, trying to grab throats, saliva soaking fight. 

On a normal night Scrappy will cuddle with me on the couch for an hour or so while Racer lays on the floor or on my lap. If Racer or my other GSD Huck are laying on the couch they move when she walks over. Racer normally sleeps the night away on the couch after everyone has cuddle time. I'm really not sure what was different about last night. 
Not the little snarky stuff dogs do that I let slide & let them sort themselves out.

I broke them up with a throw blanket but Racer was trying to get back at her so I put him in his crate for the night. This morning they are fine once again. 

My question is this, how in the heck can I be proactive rather than reactive in this situation? With a 50# & 60# dog someone is going to get hurt & it's probably me.


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## georgiapeach (Oct 9, 2009)

Yes, I'd consider this resource guarding, with you as the resource. I would employ NILF (Nothing in life is free) with both dogs. Neither of them have couch privileges for awhile, make them sit for treats, their meals, to go outside, etc. You want them to look to you for guidance, rather than them feeling they have to take things into their own hands.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I agree with georgiapeach. You are the treasured object here. NLIF for sure.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

I'll tell you what I've had success with regarding this very type of issue with clients' dogs and my own at one point in time. It got my Doberman over this sort of thing toward my male Chihuahua. He just got started on this snarling and in about a week or two, he was fine. 

I don't prescribe to nilif to the extreme but rather, some things in life are free. I believe there is some undue stress put on dogs with this and while I believe it's good to have the dog defer to you for many things, I don't like that unnatural, stringent method when it's _NOTHING_ ilif. 

I would let your pushy dog know that this behavior makes the good thing, _you or the couch _(whatever you think is the more valuable) disappear. Additionally, when the other dogs are present, _that_ is when good things happen. In other words, if they're not in the room, there are no couch privileges, treats, attention. But when they are present, only then do those good things happen. 

Now, you will need a leash on this dog and you can do an additional exercise a few times a day, couple reps. You walk into the room where the other dogs are (if necessary, protected or held back by another family member) with your snarker on a leash and the lavish attention begins, everything that the dog values is heaped upon her. Then walk out of the room to a boring place away from those other dogs and nothing, and I mean nothing exciting happens. You're boring, the room is boring, nothing good. Be in this room for about 30 seconds and return to the amusement park room where the other dogs are paired with all the good stuff. 

When you aren't doing these sessions of repetitions, don't set the environment up so that this behavior is apt to be practiced. You must keep this from working for her. Either she needs to be separated or you have to be ready to act a second _before_ she acts. 

If you are on the couch with your dogs and she comes up looking threatening, she is immediately walked out of the room to an alone place. BUT only for 30 seconds, then she gets another try. Repeat as necessary. BE CONSISTENT. This must happen every single time she is showing the very first muscle twitch of getting snarky. Out she goes. Not punishingly, just matter of factly. (I know, not a word, right?) You don't want to associate the other dogs with punishment. 

So this is a proactive method that can assist with your problem. Take walks all together (maybe you already do) and walks with just her. Show her that her world isn't ending because the other dogs are sharing any part of it. You, couch, anything she really goes ape over happens when the other dogs are present. Otherwise it's pretty dull. (except for your special one on one times, which all dogs need)


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## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

Poodlebeguiled & Georgiapeach, thanks for the thoughtful replies. I think I'm going to have to make cuddle time by invitation only & the other two dogs must sit or lie down & wait. My female shepherd is pretty much the one in charge of the other dogs. She doesn't pick fights but if she decides she wants something they have she just meanders over & takes it. Most of the time I take whatever "it" is, give it back to the original owner & give her something else. She really was just wandering over for her nightly cuddle. She didn't growl or give any aggressive cues that I saw. Racer was the first to snarl & snap & of course she wasn't going to stand for it. 0-60 in less than 5 secs. She & Racer had an altercation while playing around 6 months ago. I didn't see who started it but I broke it up quickly.

My male shepherd is ridiculously soft so he has never challenged her. Racer on the other hand.....


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Plenty in Life is Free | Clickertraining.com

I really like this trainer. You can watch her video and see what you think. It's more a general philosophy and can be very helpful in all kinds of training. She's a vibrant and fun speaker. Enjoy.


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## Suddenly (Aug 8, 2013)

I never had more then 1 dog at a time, but there's great advise here that I read.


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## PoodlePaws (May 28, 2013)

Missy resource guards me like that sometimes. Not all the time, but at least once a month. She does the same exact thing to Ash and also to my sisters dog when she (missy) is in my lap and they try to get in my lap too. When she snapped at my sisters dog, she nicked his nose. He never tried to get in my lap again. For the last month she has been working on being nice.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

PoodlePaws said:


> Missy resource guards me like that sometimes. Not all the time, but at least once a month. She does the same exact thing to Ash and also to my sisters dog when she (missy) is in my lap and they try to get in my lap too. When she snapped at my sisters dog, she nicked his nose. He never tried to get in my lap again. For the last month she has been working on being nice.


If Missy is in your lap and she snaps at the other dogs who come near, what you can do is immediately set her on the floor and walk away. That behavior causes her to lose what she wants...you and your lap. LOL. Do it every single time. Snarkiness must not ever work to make the other dogs go away...not ever again. lol. Consistency is everything. After a short while of that, she'll learn that snarky behavior makes her good thing go away. When the other dogs are close, you can give her extra lavish attention and even treats so she learns that their presence causes really nice things to happen; your lap, extra special scritches behind the ears, little tid bits of steak. Make those associations clear and that can really help with this resource guarding nonsense. You'd think after 15,000 years they'd learn that their humans really provide pretty well for them. haha.


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