17/06/2026
just last night in class we talked about resource guarding and we played the ‘trading’ game with the dogs. In this game you swap a resource for valuable food a few times and then leave the dog to enjoy the chew. Playing this game occasionally lets the dog know that it will get something valuable in return for the item and when you do need to take the item away because for example it is dangerous for the dog it will give up the item willingly.
Resource Guarding – What Is It Really?
Resource guarding is a normal behaviour in which a dog attempts to maintain access to something they value by increasing distance from another individual. That resource might be food, a chew, a toy, a bed, a resting place, a preferred person, or anything else the dog considers valuable.
When people say, "My dog guards me," the dog is rarely guarding the human as a person. More often, they are guarding access to the things associated with that human—attention, touch, food, comfort, security, or other valued outcomes. In that context, the human has become the resource.
Is resource guarding abnormal?
No. Resource guarding is a normal, adaptive behaviour seen across many species, including humans. We all protect things we value. Your favourite chair, your coffee mug, the last piece of chocolate, or the car park you've been waiting 20 minutes for. The emotional response is the same: something valuable may be lost.
Dogs communicate this concern through a range of behaviours. They may freeze, stiffen, move the item away, block access, growl, show their teeth, snap, or bite. These behaviours exist on a spectrum, with many serving as warnings intended to prevent conflict rather than cause it.
Personally, I don't have an issue with my dogs communicating clearly with one another. Growling, baring teeth, or the occasional air snap can be perfectly appropriate forms of canine communication. If it regularly escalated into physical conflict, that would be different.
Where I am more likely to intervene is when guarding occurs around humans. While I can accept the occasional grumble over an exceptionally high-value item, I also want my dogs to feel comfortable relinquishing things when asked.
The key is not to become a taker.
If valuable items are constantly removed, dogs can learn that humans approaching predict loss. Instead, teach that human approach predicts something better.
Trade.
Exchange.
Add value.
"You can have this instead."
"Give me that, and here's something even better."
And please don't make a habit of taking your dog's food bowl away while they're eating. Repeatedly interrupting access to resources doesn't teach trust. It teaches uncertainty.
Resource guarding isn't a sign of a bad dog. It's a normal behaviour driven by the perceived value of a resource and the possibility of losing it. Understanding that is often the first step toward addressing it effectively.
💜🐾
