Dogs can become aggressive in different contexts for different reasons. One common reason that a dog may escalate their behaviour to aggression is that they have a resource they consider high value and they are using avoidant, threatening or aggressive behaviours to ‘retain control of the resource in the presence of a person or other animal’ (Jacobs et al, 2018). They may have the resource in their possession physically (in their mouth, between the paws), be on it (lying on the sofa, on a person’s lap) or in some other way in close proximity to the resource. Dogs can show aggressive resource guarding behaviour over food, toys, objects, people, places or anything else they consider to be of value.
The function of aggressive resource guarding
Aggressive resource guarding is not done to cause injury to people or other animals, but to maintain possession of the highly valued resource (Thorne, 1995). Aggressive behaviour directed at the dog’s owner is likely to have a genetic component, as discussed by Liinamo et al (2006) in their study of the heritability of aggressive behaviours shown by Golden Retrievers. A 2012 investigation by Mohan-Gibbons, Weiss & Slater found that dogs were significantly more likely to show aggressive resource guarding behaviour over food when in a rescue centre/ shelter, compared to once they had been adopted into a home. The authors concluded that this was likely due to scarcity experienced in the shelter, a greater level of perceived competition for food and greater levels of overall stress compared to a home environment.
Signs
Resource guarding aggression is likely to be observed by the dog’s guardian firstly, who then may seek a diagnosis from their vet or behaviourist. A 2017 study by Jacobs et al found that owners could accurately identify when dogs were not resource guarding and when there was aggressive resource guarding, such as snapping and biting. However, owners struggled to identify lower levels of aggressive guarding which may act as precursors to biting, such as freezing and growling.
Symptoms of aggressive resource guarding
The symptoms of aggressive resource guarding include growling, baring teeth, snapping or biting a person or other dog if they attempt to take the valued resource. These behaviours may be shown by the dog as soon as a person or other dog appears whilst the dog is in possession of the resource, or if they attempt to approach the dog and their resource. The person or other dog might not actually be attempting to remove the resource, but the dog in possession of the resource may escalate to aggressive behaviour if they perceive such a threat. Many dogs will attempt to avoid aggressive displays by moving to prevent others from getting too close to their resource (by running away with it), or they might rapidly ingest the item so it can’t be taken (Jacobs et al, 2018).
Treatment
Fortunately, the prognosis for aggressive resource guarding is very good and this type of behaviour responds well to treatment. A 2016 case report by Siracusa concluded that serotonergic drugs and management of the environment, including the avoidance of situations that may lead to resource guarding behaviour, reduced the aggression shown by two dogs with a history of fighting over resources significantly. Further, Merkham (2020) found that the positive outcomes derived from behaviour modification training on resource guarding were long lasting.
What next?
- For practical tips on preventing and dealing with resource guarding with your dog, read our post here.
- Looking for help with your dog? Contact us to arrange in person or online training.
- Read more blog posts here.
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References
Jacobs, J. A., Coe, J. B., Widowski, T. M., Pearl, D. L., & Niel, L. (2018). Defining and clarifying the terms canine possessive aggression and resource guarding: A study of expert opinion. Frontiers in veterinary science, 5, 115.
Thorne, C. Feeding behavior of domestic dogs and the role of experience. In The Domestic Dog: It’s Evolution, Behavior, and Interactions with People; Serpell, J., Ed.; Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK, 1995; pp. 104-114
Liinamo, A. E., van den Berg, L., Leegwater, P. A., Schilder, M. B., van Arendonk, J. A., & van Oost, B. A. (2007). Genetic variation in aggression-related traits in Golden Retriever dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 104(1-2), 95-106.
Mohan-Gibbons, H., Weiss, E., & Slater, M. (2012). Preliminary investigation of food guarding behavior in shelter dogs in the United States. Animals, 2(3), 331-346.
Jacobs, J. A., Coe, J. B., Pearl, D. L., Widowski, T. M., & Niel, L. (2018). Factors associated with canine resource guarding behaviour in the presence of people: A cross-sectional survey of dog owners. Preventive veterinary medicine, 161, 143-153.
Jacobs, J. A., Pearl, D. L., Coe, J. B., Widowski, T. M., & Niel, L. (2017). Ability of owners to identify resource guarding behaviour in the domestic dog. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 188, 77-83.
Siracusa, C. (2016). Status-related aggression, resource guarding, and fear-related aggression in 2 female mixed breed dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 12, 85-91.
Mehrkam, L. R., Perez, B. C., Self, V. N., Vollmer, T. R., & Dorey, N. R. (2020). Functional analysis and operant treatment of food guarding in a pet dog. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53(4), 2139-2150.
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