How To Stop Your Dog From Guarding Food & Toys
Like us, dogs occasionally worry that something important to them might be taken away. Dogs require us to demonstrate to them that they do not need to keep their guard up, whereas people can rationalize these sentiments and discern whether this is actually the case or not. When someone grabs for their possessions, your if they are guarding food & toys.
Stop Your Dog From Guarding Food & Toys
Show, Not Tell
Dogs guard food and toys for a reason, even though humans may not fully get it. When the dog is behaving out, yelling at them or taking away their prized possessions won’t assist them much to get rid of this type of behavior, and in some situations, it might even make it worse. You must take a few more steps to demonstrate to your dog that there is no justification for engaging in this behavior if you wish to train them to let it go:
Be Near Them
Stand a few feet close to the dog while they are eating or playing with their toy so that they can become accustomed to your presence when they are off on their own. Then, start a verbal conversation with them, for example, by asking them jokingly, “What do you have there?” without initially approaching them. Once more, doing this encourages them to feel safe playing or eating while you’re nearby and teaches them that your presence doesn’t endanger their food or toys.
Get Closer, and Repeat
The following step calls for some patience because you are essentially repeating the same action every day while also moving closer to the dish or toys. Avoid touching the bowl or the toys just yet! Simply attempt to emphasize that just because you’re around, the dog doesn’t have to guard its food or toys.
Give Some Treats
Drop some of your dog’s favorite treats adjacent to the bowl or the toys once you are reasonably close to the action. Avoid stooping down too close to the items because it might take your dog some time to realize that you won’t remove his belongings. They may eventually begin to associate your presence with his foods and toys with positive things (treats).
Your dog may initially show symptoms of disapproval, such as growling, by showing them. They will eventually vanish as you follow the instructions, and when you can stand close to him while he plays and eats with no resistance, you will know that you were successful in training your dog a new skill.
Is Your Dog Guarding Food & Toys? Contact Our Pet Resort For Help!
The puppy may occasionally require a little more help to understand that you are not trying to steal his food or toys. Our premier pet resort in Buffalo, New York, will assist you if you require expert dog training services by teaching your dog that they have no need to be concerned about something. For additional information, call Paws & Unwind at (716) 449-0056 or contact us here.
