Here’s one of Ahimsa’s favorite articles on resource guarding written by Patricia McConnell PhD, CAAB.
Resource Guarding: Treatment and Prevention
Here’s one of Ahimsa’s favorite articles on resource guarding written by Patricia McConnell PhD, CAAB.
Resource Guarding: Treatment and Prevention
It can be hard to be the person with the barky dog in training class. With most problem behaviors, a good tactic is to manage the situation so that the behavior doesn’t pop up and then train the dog something else to do instead. So rather than barking at others, he could be staring adoringly at you, for example… We can’t expect that behavior while he’s surrounded by several new dogs, so one thing you can do is put up a visual barrier and then over time, make life more realistic by removing the barrier, bit by bit.
Here is a list of some of the things that we’ve found to help with barking. You don’t have to do all of them, but the more, the better.
*This may not be possible due to pandemic restrictions, if applicable.
Will this be your dog’s first summer in your home? Have your puppy spend some time in your back yard today to get used to the sights and sounds of spring. The reason to do this is to teach your puppy not to bark at people, dogs, and other distractions in your neighborhood.
When socializing your puppy, take it at the puppy’s speed. If he wants to walk away from a person, go with him! He may just need a moment to regroup and build his confidence. It’s critical that puppies have good experiences as their own pace, not forced interactions.
Watch for body language while he’s being petted, like glancing away, turning his head, sniffing the ground, walking away, shaking off, or quickly licking his lips. If you see any of those, just happily say, “let’s go!” and walk a few steps away with the puppy. You can even hand out a treat at that point (for putting up with the stranger and for coming with you), and then possibly see if he wants to go back for more.
Do this with everything: other dogs, strangers, kids, garbage cans, etc. Let him check out scary stuff from what he thinks is a safe distance. The more he can trust you on the leash, the more brave he will be. And since most aggression is really just fear, now is your chance to do some aggression prevention.
Here’s a great YouTube video on how to get your dog used to wearing a muzzle. Dogs hate muzzles when they first go on, so it’s essential to train them to wear them comfortably if you need one. Muzzles do not keep a dog from wanting to bite, they just keep them from being able to. I only use muzzles to introduce a dog to a person or another dog when I’m sure it should go well, but I still want the situation to be safe, in case I’m wrong. I also use them when dogs who may bite have to be handled, as at the vet. We can’t count on our own timing, because dogs are ridiculously fast!!
I was asked this question by Marty Unger on Questionland today:
“My golden-doodle is incredibly sweet and wouldn’t hurt a fly but when she sees someone outside, whether she knows them or not, she barks like she wants to rip their head off. If she could speak english, what would she be saying?”