Published: July 24, 2017  

Last updated: January 20, 2025  

Author: Debi McKee

Resource guarding can feel overwhelming to deal with, whether your dog is growling over food, snapping at another dog near their favorite toy, or even guarding you. It’s a behavior rooted in instinct, but with the right approach, you can address it and help your dog feel more secure.

In this post, I’ll share how we tackled Ginger’s resource guarding behavior and provide practical steps, expert advice, and training resources to help you do the same.

resource guarding dogs

What Is Resource Guarding?

Dogs guard resources out of insecurity, fear of losing them, or even past experiences. It’s a natural instinct, but in a home setting, it can cause stress for both the dog and the people around them.

Resource guarding happens when a dog feels the need to protect a valuable item or person. This might be food, toys, beds, or even you. For Ginger, it started with her food bowl. She would stiffen and growl whenever our other dog, JJ, got too close during mealtime.

signs of resource guarding. Dog hovering over a bone. Text call outs with all the signs.

Signs of Resource Guarding

Recognizing the signs of resource guarding early can prevent the behavior from escalating. Here’s what to watch for:

  • Subtle Signs: Stiffening, freezing, or hovering over an item.
  • Vocalizations: Growling, snarling, or barking when approached.
  • Aggressive Actions: Snapping, lunging, or biting.

When Ginger started showing these behaviors, we realized we needed to intervene quickly. The earlier you address resource guarding, the easier it is to manage.

Reading Your Dog’s Body Language

Understanding your dog’s body language is crucial when addressing resource guarding. Subtle signs like stiffening, a tense posture, or avoiding eye contact can often indicate discomfort before more obvious behaviors like growling or snapping occur. By learning to recognize these early signals, you can intervene calmly and prevent the situation from escalating.

📖 Want to learn more? Check out my guide to Reading Your Dog’s Body Language to better understand what your dog is trying to tell you.

Vet looking at dog

First Step: Rule Out Medical Issues

Before jumping into training, it’s crucial to rule out any medical causes for the behavior. Pain, illness, or even digestive issues can make dogs more defensive.

Examples of Medical Triggers

  • Arthritis or joint pain can make a dog guard their resting areas.
  • Digestive discomfort may increase sensitivity around food.
  • Vision or hearing loss can make dogs more defensive about their space.

When Ginger’s resource guarding first emerged, our vet ruled out any medical concerns. Knowing she was healthy gave us the confidence to focus solely on behavior modification.

A dog laying on a dog bed.

Strategies to Address Resource Guarding

Resource guarding requires a thoughtful approach. Here are strategies that worked for us:

1. Food Aggression

Ginger’s food guarding was our first challenge. At mealtime, we:

  • Fed her separately: This reduced her anxiety about other dogs approaching her food.
  • Used hand-feeding: By offering food directly, we built trust and showed her that our presence near her bowl was positive.
  • Practiced trading up: We introduced high-value treats when she showed calm behavior near her food bowl.

2. Guarding Toys and Objects

If your dog guards toys like Ginger sometimes did, try:

  • Teaching “Drop It” and “Leave It” commands using positive reinforcement.
  • Practicing trading up with treats for the toy, making surrendering the item rewarding.

3. Guarding Spaces or People

Some dogs might guard their favorite resting spots or even their owner. To address this:

  • Teach your dog the “Place” command, redirecting them to a specific mat or bed.
  • Encourage calm interactions with other family members near the guarded area.
  • If your dog guards while on your bed or furniture, the dog should not be allowed on these spaces.
Computer screen showing the SpiritDog online training course for resource guarding.

Insights from SpiritDog’s Resource Guarding Course

The SpiritDog Training Stop Resource Guarding Course provided us with a clear framework for tackling Ginger’s behavior. Here’s what the course covers:

  • Foundations: Learn how resource guarding develops and how to stop reinforcing it unintentionally.
  • Training ‘Drop It’ and Trading: Step-by-step guidance on teaching these essential commands.
  • Managing Multiple Dogs: Strategies for handling resources like food, toys, and resting areas when you have more than one dog.

We applied the “Trade Up” technique from this course with Ginger, which was a game-changer for her food guarding.

Computer screen showing the Dunbar online training course for resource guarding.

Alternative Option: Dunbar Academy’s Training Program

Another fantastic resource is Dunbar Academy’s Top Dog Academy. Their comprehensive training modules cover resource guarding along with other behaviors. Dr. Ian Dunbar emphasizes trust and respect in training, which aligns perfectly with positive reinforcement methods.

If you don’t want to join the Academy, purchase the Behavior Problems Compendium course here.

As Dr. Dunbar says: “Training a dog is not about dominance or control, but about building a relationship based on trust and respect.”

Dog guarding behavior with bone in mouth.

Special Situations: Aggression or Severe Guarding

While online courses like SpiritDog and Dunbar Academy are excellent for many cases, in-person training is necessary for dogs with severe aggression or a bite history. Safety is the top priority in these situations.

If your dog’s resource guarding escalates to snapping, lunging, or biting, professional help is essential. Severe cases often require hands-on guidance from a certified behaviorist or trainer with experience with aggressive behaviors.

Final Thoughts

Resource guarding can feel overwhelming, but with patience, consistency, and the right tools, it’s a manageable behavior. Whether you choose an online course like SpiritDog Training or Dunbar Academy, or seek help from a local professional, the key is understanding your dog’s needs and addressing the root of their behavior.

Ginger is now almost 10 years old, and we have been successfully managing her resource guarding for several years now. It has not been an easy road for her or our family, but we have learned a lot from her!

About the Author

Debi McKee

Debi McKee is the expert behind Rescue Dogs 101 where she guides you in your journey of adopting and raising a rescue dog every step of the way. She is a mom of 3 human kids and 4 dogs and volunteers for a local dog rescue and Humane Society. Click here for more about Debi and her passion for helping you and your dog.

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  1. Hello,
    I have read the 3-3-3 article. I have an almost 5 year old male Pomeranian. We got a girl Cavalier King Charles Spaniel 8 week old puppy a little over 2 weeks ago. At first the adult dog growled at her constantly and lunged at her twice. He since has calmed down some. We can have him out and her on a leash to keep her at a distance from him for portions of the day. I have a strong feeling he will resource guard myself and my husband when she comes up to say hi when he’s saying hi. He’s shown a few signs that this could be an issue. Do you have any ideas for when they can maybe be off leash together and for people resource guarding?

    1. Here’s the thing… an 8 week old puppy can be annoying to even the most patient adult dog. Also, a puppy should not be allowed to roam around free, pestering the adult dog.

      Read The first things to teach a puppy

      And THE best training resource is Spirit Dog, it’s an online training platform that can help with training your puppy and the adult dog. Here is a review I wrote about the program: https://www.rescuedogs101.com/spiritdog-training-review/

  2. I am thinking of getting another dog ,but my dog is resource guarding but only with another dog Not with humans at all. How do I convince him that it’s not a competition and we are not going to let the new dog take his food or his toys He even acts this way with our cat. He may not want the item but if the cat comes close he will run over and eat it or if your feeding them both he will leave his and go take the cats food and then go back and eat his He seems very protective of his humans also. If the cat is in my lap he will snap at them till they jump down and then he will jump up in their place What can I do

    1. You will need to be extremely vigilant, take things slow when introducing the new dog (read the best way to introduce a second dog). We’ve had our resource aggressive dog for almost 8 years now and we still struggle with her lashing out. We have to keep her separated anytime there is food, treats or bones around. It’s all about prevention and supervision. I’d also suggest seeking out a professional dog behaviorist to help.

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