Object Guarding

By Gillian Ridgeway

Have you ever wondered why Sparky will growl at you when you approach him with a Kleenex in his mouth but when you try to take his favorite toy away, it is usually done with little difficulty?

The term Object Guarding is often used to describe dogs who glare, growl or snap when you come near them when they have something they feel is precious.  If you think about it a little closer, you will soon see that they mainly guard only objects they have stolen.  This can be an old sneaker, a sock or even a piece of an old bagel they found on the street.

The reason dogs tend to guard stolen objects is that they have come to understand that anything that is not theirs is swiftly removed from them.  Lets look at it from your dog’s perspective.  They pick up an old sock and all of a sudden there is a flurry of activity.  The family seems to be unusually annoyed and takes to chasing you around the living room.  Once you are cornered and caught, the sock is taken and you never see it again.  Oh sure, after a few minutes they may provide you with a nylon bone as a substitution but lets face it…this family does not understand that you wanted that sock.  The reason he does not guard his own toys is that they never seem to be taken away on a permanent basis.

To help alleviate object guarding in dogs, you need to look at the big picture.  Yes, we all know that he must learn not to take your things, especially that new pair of Prada shoes (although, what are Prada shoes doing left within your pups reach).  The bigger picture is that he must learn to give up any objects that you do not want him to have.  With this in mind, the next time he steals anything and proceeds to flail it around the house, be prepared.  Do not chase him and make it a huge issue.  He doesn’t know the difference between banned items and items that are at his disposal.  Go to him slowly and talk nicely to him. By doing this you are creating less stress, for both of you.  By going after him in a negative manner you are setting yourself up for a battle.  Ask him to drop the item and quietly open his mouth.  After he drops the item, reward him with a treat and give him the stolen item back.  Yes…you heard right.  Give the stolen item back, even temporarily.  Even though you trade him for a treat, he did not want the treat.  He wanted his stolen goods.  By getting him to drop the item and giving it back periodically you will find that he is more compliant the next time you want him to drop anything out of his mouth.

If the item is not dangerous, it might even be a good idea to let him have it for a while.  Again, we all know that you want him to learn that it is not a good idea to take your things, but the big picture lies in the fact that he needs to learn to give things up.  Over time you will see your dog relax as you take things from his mouth.  Remember, he doesn’t know if it will be you, or him, that gets to keep it.  Isn’t this worth sacrificing an old sock for?

Gillian Ridgeway, AHT, has worked with dogs for over 33 years. She is director of Who’s Walking Who in Toronto and Ajax. A consultant for TorontoBarks.com, Gillian also writes for Dogs, Dogs, Dogs!, Dogs in Canada. She has appeared on Dogs in Canada TV, Global television, Q107 radio and in Toronto Life, and is co-author of the book, “Citizen Canine.” She travels with the Iams SuperDogs Performance team and teaches learning theory at University of Toronto. Gillian can be contacted at 416-465-3626; www.whoswalkingwho.net

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