TOYS AND RESOURCE GUARDING: WHY YOUR DOG GETS AGGRESSIVE WHEN YOU TRY TO TAKE TOYS AWAY
Part of the fun of having a dog is giving them toys to play with. However, this seemingly simple activity can become scary when suddenly your dog refuses to give up its toy and starts to display aggressive behaviors, like growling, snapping or even biting. We have had many clients who reach out because they tried to take a toy from their dog and the dog bit them unexpectedly. This is called Toy Guarding, a type of Resource Guarding. Toy Guarding can manifest in various ways and can often surprise owners. A family dog may have not guarded toys before and it is a new or recent behavior.
BUT HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS - no matter how long your dog has been guarding toys, IT CAN BE FIXED!
So what exactly is Toy Guarding? Toy Guarding, a type of Resource Guarding, is a behavior in dogs where they display possessive or defensive behaviors over items they perceive as valuable. These items could be toys, food, bones, or even certain areas within the home. Reactions can include growling, snapping, biting, or lunging.
Here we answer some of the most common questions from clients about Toy Guarding:
What are the causes of Toy Guarding?
Instinctual Behavior: Dogs have a natural instinct to protect valuable resources, which stems from their wild ancestors' survival instincts.
Lack of Socialization: Dogs that haven't been properly socialized may develop guarding behaviors out of fear or insecurity.
Past Experiences: Dogs may have learned to guard toys or other resources due to past experiences, such as competition with littermates for food or toys.
Genetics: Some breeds are more predisposed to guarding behaviors than others due to their breeding history.
What are some signs of Toy Guarding? Recognizing the signs of toy guarding is crucial for addressing the behavior before it escalates. Common signs include:
Growling or Snapping: Dogs may growl or snap when approached while playing with a toy.
Stiff Body Language: A dog may exhibit tense body language, such as stiffening or freezing, when someone approaches their toy.
Possessiveness: Dogs may become overly possessive of their toys, unwilling to share or relinquish them.
Aggression: In severe cases, toy guarding can escalate to aggressive behavior, including biting or lunging.
So how can I manage Toy Guarding behavior?
It is important to address the aggressive behavior and fix it - not try to work around it. It is not a practical solution to just avoid giving your dog toys. Professional training will teach both you and your dog how to stop resource guarding and provide for on-going management of it so that you can prevent future guarding.
Contact us at Bullys Behaven to learn more about how we can help your dog to stop resource gaurding so you can enjoy your dog once again!
