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My dog has started resource guarding. She's about a year old, and this started at the end of January (I got her in Dec). She has guarded: 1) treat-toys (treat ball and stuffed Kong); 2) random objects such as envelopes/paper, remote control, telephone, post-it pad; 3) locations (the couch); and 4) some toys, including her frisbee when we were outside. I have been in contact with a behaviorist and trainer. I am doing "counter-conditioning" (meaning exchanging objects she has with higher value objects to get her used to me taking/touching stuff she's guarding).
I also attached a leash to her so when she guards the couch, I can use it to guide her off the couch (she ignores the "off" command about 80% of the time, but other times, she will comply with "off"). Now at times, she will growl at me when I reach for the leash. Today I reached over to pet her to be met with a growl.
She has bit me a few times, once WITHOUT a warning growl. But she has never broken the skin, which the behaviorist says is a good sign.
But while I work on behavior modification, the scope of things she guards is expanding to include more random things, and I can't predict when she's going to react. It's like a Jekyll and Hyde thing: she's either a lovey-dovey sweet, eager-to-please dog who obeys commands and even anticipates what to do to please, OR a random growl/snappish brat when the mood strikes her. I never know which she'll be, but she's sweet 95% of the time. The danger is the lack of predictability of her guarding behavior.
The next step is the behaviorist coming over to spend more time with me on this. (Not sure what we'll do, I have the "exchange" process down pat and am starting to resent using treats to have the dog give up objects). I have had multiple communications about this and a face-to-face visit (albeit it was primarily about her resource guarding), and I read the book Mine! and am using its principles. I do NILIF and she totally gets it, but will not comply when she gets in her weird modes.
The progress curve is heading in the wrong direction and as much as I try not to believe it, I think this dog has some genetically or otherwise loose screws. No one knows her history before she came to me.
Have any of you overcome resource guarding with behavior modification? When do you know it's time to give up because the dog isn't fixable?
I have succeeded several times in eliminating resource guarding using behavior modification techniques including trading and NILIF. Part of the reason for the success was learning the triggers for the behavior. It was a lot of work and required consistency and vigilance. Yes, using the treats seems like bribery, and in a way, it is. But it does work. The dog needs to become comfortable giving up high-value items and food is often the best way to negotiate that trade.
I have had one failure, though. I recently had a foster dog that displayed many of the behaviors that you describe. The most difficult issue with this dog was the randomness of the attacks. Despite two years of training, behavioral consultations and behavior modification the dog continued to display aggression and guarding behavior at random times with strange items. Sometimes a certain thing would be unimportant to him and the next day he'd guard that same thing with his life. We couldn't figure out what would trigger an event or why he chose the things he did.
I had several complete veterinary work-ups conducted to rule out a medical reason for the behaviors, as I assume you have done. There were no identifiable contributing health problems. The dog would be fine for months at a time, but invariably the negative behavior would start up again and often escalate.
This dog had bitten me several times and snapped at my husband, but had not broken the skin. Then, one day the dog bit my husband hard. It was a flash bite, with no warning and no identifiable trigger and it was a deep and serious bite. In consultation with our vet and rescue group leadership, we determined that euthanasia was the only responsible option for that dog. It's unethical to pass on a the risk of a dog like this to a new owner, a shelter or rescue.
Having that dog killed was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I loved that dog and I still miss him. On his good days he was an awesome dog.
I guess my advice would be to trust your trainer, your behaviorist and your vet. If they feel the dog is salvageable, believe them and work hard to "fix him." But you also have to trust your gut. You live with the dog day in and day out and if you don't feel safe despite the assurances of the professionals you consult, you will have to make a hard decision.
I have sen this behavoior but I guess since i raised two dogs that neither really guraded any food. Neither ever care for toys either. Bascially they always have food avialble 24 hrs a day but neither had any weight probelms. I sat that because Bogey lived to 17 and Lucky is now 11.They never even got after cats and would let strays eat from their outside dish.Its really strange but many of the neighborhood cats come running when I take Lucky outside and walk right beside him bumping them with their heads. He never react except to sniff them.
NOte to texdav-
Your posts are hard to read from the garbled spellings- I assume that has something to do with texting your posts? I'm sure you have good things to say, but I wonder if I'm not the only one missing them.
Great that your critters lived so long! I love the oldsters, whether you have young ones who become old, or adopt older dogs or really old dogs. And then you can have more of 'em. The only high vet bills I've had have been from the occasional fight, not old-age problems, and of the two I got as puppies, one was in university hospital for days being diagnosed with rare liver failure. Otherwise, it's just normal dog expenses, and well worth it.
I have had one failure, though. I recently had a foster dog that displayed many of the behaviors that you describe. The most difficult issue with this dog was the randomness of the attacks. Despite two years of training, behavioral consultations and behavior modification the dog continued to display aggression and guarding behavior at random times with strange items. Sometimes a certain thing would be unimportant to him and the next day he'd guard that same thing with his life. We couldn't figure out what would trigger an event or why he chose the things he did.
This is exactly what's happening. The items are not consistent and, more and more, random things are being guarded but not always. I am afraid of her because I never have any idea what she's going to growl or snap or bite) at. And the one bite without a warning growl left a huge impression on me. And this increase is occurring while I am actively working with her to correct it. Seems she should be getting more comfortable rather than guarding more random objects. She might guard an item one hour and then 4 hours later drop it for me to get to throw to her. But then something she never guarded before becomes coveted. But today when she growled when I reached to pet her and disengage her leash, it shocked me. There are no triggers I can identify other than the obvious "I have a treat toy" signal, although that isn't consistent, either. And the funny thing is (not really funny) that she never guards her food bowl.
Sigh. I didn't even post about the other little random nips she gives me that result in black and blues all over me. I think they're attention-seeking play nips.
Leorah, can I ask, did the dogs you were successful with improve when you started behavior modification or did it get worse before it started to improve? I fear my dog matches the pattern of the one that didn't respond to modification.
(Texdav and brite, I don't understand your responses and what they have to do with the subject?)
does she have some border collie in her?? the bc mix boy i fostered last summer did play nips on my legs ..... and NOTHING i did would stop it.....
i know that this is not the same thing as the resource guarding you are describing, but just wondering if there might be 2 things going on with her.......
I don't know if she has any BC in her. She definitely nips the back of my ankles when I walk, but not to where it hurts. The ones that hurt are harder, stinging little nips to my arms and hips. They don't rip clothes, but are very very fast, precise, and almost instantly turn black and blue. The first time she did it, I didn't even think it was her, I thought something stung me somehow. She seems mostly sighthound to me...can't see any herder, but she's very very "mixed."
The guarding is by far the worst. She scares me with that biting, esp after doing it once without a warning growl, (which doesn't make the use of a growl acceptable)!
The items are not consistent and, more and more, random things are being guarded but not always. I am afraid of her because I never have any idea what she's going to growl or snap or bite) at. And the one bite without a warning growl left a huge impression on me.
OP - I can't help but wonder if there's some sort of connection between your mounting trepidation and the dog's increased/increasingly random behaviour. Please don't take that the wrong way - it's got nothing to do with blame, only trying to figure out whether or not there's a piece of the puzzle missing - ie, that the dog is sensing your fear and responding accordingly. I highlighted "a piece" because that's all it would be, just a part -
Have you mentioned to the behaviourist how, exactly, you are feeling when dealing with the dog (especially when the dog is in her "mood")? It's important to recognise the signals humans give - albeit most of the time unwittingly - and how dogs react to them and I was just wondering if you and the behaviourist have discussed this.
Five, thanks for your response. I have thought about that, and when I am afraid, I try very consciously to hide it by focusing on relaxing my body muscles, watching my body, breathing, stance and vocal tone. I realize, though, that dogs are very perceptive.
But I also keep getting surprised. I often forget about the guarding problem (call it subconscious denial maybe?) when things are going along normally. And then blam, she'll guard something that was never at issue before when I am not even remotely thinking about it. That's part of what is scaring me, that I can't anticipate when she's going to be "weird."
Interesting thought though. I will try to pay attention and mention it to the behaviorist. She's already growled at me twice today, one of the instances was a complete surprise (i.e., I wasn't thinking about or expecting it, thus not showing or hiding fear at the time).
Last edited by didee; 03-01-2010 at 08:35 AM..
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