# Help please - resource guarding



## Caevans1977 (Sep 1, 2014)

Hi
Desperately seeking help please,
We have an almost ten month old cockapoo who has some serious guarding issues that we are struggling to crack. We had hoped having him neutered would help but unfortunately not. 
Most of the time has is a lovely dog, but he has real issues such as eating everything in sight, stones, wood, cat poo etc  we try treats when walking which works but it means he needs constant treats during every walk. The main problem we are having just now is as he is constantly stealing things to eat, we obviously have to take things from him, especially if they are potentially dangerous. He has recently become aggressive when we come to take items off him. He growls, snarls and he will run off with the item. If we then go to get it off him again, the same happens. If we then pick him up then he snaps and growls at us. We have tried being nice by offering a treat, however the stolen item is obviously more valuable to him and he won't drop it. Giving a firm command doesn't make a difference. The only way to get the item off him is to grab it and give him a row when he growls/snaps.
We don't want to accept this behaviour but are really struggling to change his behaviour. Help please?!!!!!!!


Thanks and sorry for the rambling


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

Read everything 2ndhandgal did to cure Molly of this habit. Maybe type in resource guarding in the search engine for the specific thread?

If he were mine I'd have him wear a soft sided muzzle on walks until the problem is cracked. Good luck.


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Here is a previous thread about resource guarding 

http://ilovemycockapoo.com/showthread.php?t=56106

It sounds like you have both lost a lot of faith in each other and need to change how you are handling things. 

First thing I would do is assess if you really need to get back most of the objects he has? Probably not with the vast majority of them. When I first got Molly the first thing I did with her resource guarding was to assess the risks and leave her with the majority of her stolen stash, socks and tissues, sticks, stones, feathers were of no real interest to me and she could grump away with them as much as she wanted without me tackling her. She needed to learn to trust me so although it sounds counter productive I would give her a treat while she had her stolen item and leave her with the item - I needed her stress levels to reduce vastly. Grabbing him and the item and telling him off for objecting is all going to increase your boys anxiety and actually make him far more likely to guard in future not less.

When dogs are stressed like this they are afraid of losing the item and do not trust you enough to swap for any amount of treats. You need to build trust so if you need to get an item back use distraction and cunning to get him away from it. Open the fridge and start to cut some cheese, drop bits "accidentally" and allow him to come and grab them - the first time he will probably grab it and dash back to his stolen treasure but you should be able to repeat and see the stress drop from him, then with Molly you can usually engage in some training and have some fun for rewards - and especially in a house with more than one person one can lead him away from the area while the other retrieves the stolen stuff.

I have had Molly for 4 years now and she has gone from a dog who would guard anything and meant business with her teeth to a girl who shares my bed at night and moves over when asked. She has recently been ill which meant she got grumbly and guardy with other dogs but I am struggling to remember the last time she actually got properly guardy with me - she still steals things  but she lets me take things back with no problem at all now.


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## Caevans1977 (Sep 1, 2014)

Thanks so much for the advice and so pleased to hear your Molly is now able to share. Gives me great hope! It's so difficult when your dog is lovely the majority of the time that it feels like a real violation when he snarls and snaps at us. Will have a good look through your thread. Thanks again, Carrie


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