resource guarding Q

[dogsarebetter]

Narnia, my foster dog guards toys. She will get all of the toys out of the toy box and lay them in one spot and guard them. she means business too!

she also guards her crate, and of course any chew bones. Her crate was in my bedroom and she is so territorial over her crate she was going after my dogs when they would even go it the bedroom. So i had to move her crate into a spare bedroom only Narnia has access to.

Of course when Narnia is out running around the house all toys and bones, etc are put away.

She is 100% fine with people, its just the dogs she has a guarding issue with.
If there is nothing to guard she is awesome with my dogs.

Is there anything I can do to help her with this before she goes to her new home? Or is this something that just has to be managed?

 

[lizzybeth727]

There are things you can do for resource guarding with other dogs (rewarding the "guarder" when other dogs come into her space, etc.), but IME it's very difficult to do these protocols because you can't really control the other dogs very easily. Generally I suggest that people just work on management.

My friend adopted a dog that would resource guard from other dogs. My friend just managed her really well whenever she was around the other dogs, for the first few months until the dogs really got to know each other. Then she let them have low-value items, and basically didn't intervene when the guardy dog would guard. The dogs worked out their own system - basically, leave that dog alone when she has stuff - and it worked for them. It's been about nine months now and she can now leave everything except bowls of food out.... even though the dog still guards, the other dogs just don't really give her the opportunity to guard so it seems to work out.

BUT, of course, this is a pretty risky situation; my friend happens to be really dog-savy (a professional trainer, in fact), so I wouldn't suggest this for everyone.

 

[Criosphynx]

how long have you had her? not long right? I find that new dogs tend to guard, well, because they are new, and the behavior, as long as its not allowed to escalate, fades over time as the dog gains confidence.

BUT...you can never tell if this is a "new dog" thing, or just how she really is. I would do like Lizzy suggests and manage it for now...and if you have her long enough that shes confortable, try adding resources again and see what happens.

 

[dogsarebetter]

Thanks you two. I will not be having her very much longer, I am sure of it! so i do not have much time to work with her. The animal shelter said that they would be very surprised if she didnt get adopted this year.

there is no way that I can work on her with my dogs. After Narnia snapped at them over a toy they will not come near her if she has a toy. What is making it so hard for me is that I cannot play toys with Ruckus and Lynn without putting her up! or they will not play, and if Narnia sees them walk toward the toys she gets defensive.

I put her in the crate with a kong today while I played toys with Ruckus and Lynn and I felt horrible. Narnia was barking and throwing a fit wanting to play
I just ignored her, because I dont know what else to do. after Ruckus and Lynn was done playing with toys I went into Narnia's room and played toys with her.


Edit: I have had Narnia since Sunday morning.
and I forgot to mention.... Narnia was given up because the lady had another dog who would beat Narnia up. she had to go the the vet multiple times for stitches and is even missing her ear tip!

 

[Criosphynx]

yeah, thats rough, its almost easier if they don't find a home right away, cause you can get more "fixed". Its nice tho that she'll be adopted quickly.

Thanks for fostering BTW.. I must have missed a thread or som'thing. This is a very selfless thing you are doing.

 

[dogsarebetter]

it was seriously against my better judgment and Chazzers helped talk me out of it when i was considering. But i talked to the lady who runs the animal shelter and she assured me that if fostering didnt work out, i can return the dog and then i know not to do it again.

Ruckus has issues with reactivity I was scared would rub off on the foster dog. but they are separated for the most part. and i do not let them outside together (where Ruckus is so reactive)
so far I am liking fostering and I will keep doing it! Unless Ruckus doesnt seem to handle the stress well. so far so good

 

[lizzybeth727]

and I forgot to mention.... Narnia was given up because the lady had another dog who would beat Narnia up. she had to go the the vet multiple times for stitches and is even missing her ear tip!

That definately could be related to the guarding. I'd suggest EXTREME caution if you ever think about reintroducing the toys with all the dogs.

 

[dogsarebetter]

thank you very much!
i dont plan on it

 

[Maura]

As the foster mom you can specify that Narnia should be an only child. It is not a reflection on your abilities, but you can't manage Narnia once she is in someone else's home.

 

[dogsarebetter]

yes, i informed the shelter that Narnia should probably be a single dog.

which is really to bad because she loves other dogs and plays GREAT with them. as long as no toy is out, and no bone has even BEEN out.

 

[Brattina88]

I think that its something that really just has to be managed... if it were to humans, it'd be easier to work with, but even then I think a big part of it is management. I think she could be adopted to a home with other dogs, if they fully understand her "issues". I know a lady who intentionally adopted a dog with toy issues(resource guarding) because her current dog was too. Only "dog" house I've ever been to that doesn't have any dog toys or beds lol

I'm glad you like fostering. Some dogs just really do not do well in a shelter envoirnment, and do much better in a home!

I hope she gets adopted soon!

 

[corky]

I hope its ok if I hijack this thread. My foster dog Corky is a resource guarder. I keep toys in a toy box -- they are MINE -- and food is fed in the dogs' kennels and removed after about half an hour. Here is the problem. Corky's latest trick is to immediately dump all of his dry food out into his kennel when we put it in with him. He only eats a tiny bit of it. After half an hour he and the dish can come out, but then there are lots of "snacks" left behind for anytime he wants to go into the kennel and relax. I wonder if I should be cleaning the dumped food to avoid any dog aggression -- maybe another dog will walk by his snacks -- and to teach him that I own the food?

 

[dogsarebetter]

you would probably have better luck getting answer if you just started your own thread

 

[corky]

OK. Thanks.