Resource guarding

Resource guarding is a behavior that many dog guardians find concerning. It can manifest as a dog growling, snapping, or even biting when someone approaches their food, toys, or personal space. While it may seem like the dog is just being possessive, the reality is far more complex. Resource guarding is often driven by deep emotional needs, past experiences, and even stress accumulation. To truly help a dog feel secure, we need to look beyond the behavior itself and address the underlying emotions.

What is resource guarding?

Resource guarding is a natural behavior rooted in survival instincts. In the wild, an animal that loses access to food or valuable resources may not survive. However, in a domestic setting, this behavior can become problematic when it leads to conflict with humans or other animals.

Common signs of resource guarding include:

• Growling or freezing when approached while eating.
• Stiffening or hovering over a toy, bone, or resting area.
• Snapping or lunging when someone comes too close to a valued item.
• Guarding people or spaces, preventing others from approaching.

The emotional drivers behind resource guarding

Rather than seeing resource guarding as simply a “bad” behavior, we need to understand what’s driving it emotionally.

1. Fear & anxiety

Some dogs guard resources because they fear losing them. This can stem from:

• Past experiences where food or items were taken away.
• Early life experiences where they had to compete for food.
• General anxiety, making them more sensitive to perceived threats.

2. Lack of control & autonomy

Dogs that have little say in their daily lives may cling to the few things they can control (such as food, toys, or space).

• If a dog feels they have no predictability in their environment, they may be more likely to guard resources.
• Giving dogs more choice-based interactions can reduce this need to control objects.

3. Stress & overstimulation

A dog who has experienced a stressful day may be more prone to resource guarding incidents later.

• Stress stacking (multiple mild stressors throughout the day) can make a dog less tolerant of sharing.
• A dog who gets too little sleep or decompression time may be more prone to reacting.

4. Pain or medical issues

• A dog experiencing pain (e.g., arthritis, GI discomfort, dental pain) may guard resources as a protective response.
• Sudden changes in guarding behavior should always prompt a veterinary checkup.

How to address resource guarding

1. Create emotional safety

Instead of confronting or punishing resource guarding, focus on building trust.
✅ Ensure predictable food access – Feeding schedules should be consistent.
✅ Avoid unnecessary removal of resources – Instead, use positive association techniques.
✅ Teach voluntary sharing through trust-building games (e.g., Chirag Patel’s Counting Game).

2. Support autonomy & choice

✅ Encourage the dog to disengage naturally rather than forcing them to give something up.
✅ Use Freework to reduce stress and encourage natural movement around resources.

3. Adjust the dog’s daily routine

✅ Increase rest and decompression time – More sleep and downtime reduce reactivity.
✅ Use sniffing, foraging, and low-intensity enrichment rather than high-adrenaline activities.

4. Rewire the dog’s emotional response to approaches

✅ Teach that human presence near resources = good things happen (e.g., food appears).
✅ Start from a safe distance and gradually work towards closer interactions.

Final thoughts

Resource guarding isn’t about dominance—it’s about emotional security, trust, and stress management. When we shift our focus from “stopping” the behavior to helping the dog feel safe, we create long-term change.

If you have a dog struggling with resource guarding, know that punishment is not the answer—understanding and structured support are. With the right approach, we can help our dogs feel more relaxed, secure, and confident in their environment.

Tina B. Kristensen

Dog Trainer / Behavior Consultant

Get professional help!

If you have a dog that guards valued items, space, food etc. then get in touch with a professional with experience in how to handle resource guarding. Better soon than later!

Book me for a 15 min free discovery call and let’s see what we can do to help your dog. Email: tina@tinashappyhounds.dk