Object guarding, where a dog uses avoidance, threats, or aggression to retain valued items like toys, food, or objects, is a common behavioral challenge. This article explores the ethological roots of guarding, the dangers of coercive retrieval, and evidence-based alternatives that foster trust and voluntary release.
Understanding Resource Guarding from an Ethological Perspective
Object guarding in dogs (Canis familiaris) reflects evolutionary adaptations for survival, akin to patterns in wild canids where protecting food or territory ensures resource access. Ethologically, it serves functions like conflict avoidance and affiliation, often manifesting as growling, stiffening, or fleeing to maintain possession. In domestic contexts, this can involve everyday items like slippers or remotes, escalating if the dog perceives a threat.
Repeated negative pairings (e.g., forceful removal) can heighten guarding through excitatory associations, while positive contingencies build inhibitory balance. Initial fear or excitement from guarding triggers compensatory relief through humane interventions, stabilizing emotions over time. Underlying factors, such as pain or trauma, may exacerbate guarding.
Risks Associated with Forcible Interventions
Attempting to force a dog to release an item—through prying, scolding, or physical dominance—often backfires, provoking VERY DANGEROUS defensive responses. Ethologically, this disrupts natural greeting and affiliation dynamics, per wolf studies by David Mech, where behaviors reinforce bonds rather than coercion. Practical experience from over 28 years, as in the BASSO resume, shows such methods can lead to bites, object destruction, or ingestion, risking veterinary emergencies.
Even in professional settings, challenges persist: police K-9 handlers face difficulties getting trained dogs to release bites, sometimes resulting in lawsuits for excessive force. If experts struggle with highly selected and trained dogs, untrained pets pose greater risks. Forcing release ignores causation, potentially triggering opponent fear processes and long-term reactivity.
Effective Strategies in the BASSO Method
The BASSO Method recommends the following: don’t do this yourself. You are probably in over your head. You need professional assistance.
Disclaimer
This article is not legal or medical advice. It provides general information based on ethological and behavioral principles. For personalized guidance, consult qualified professionals.
For complex cases involving health concerns owners are encouraged to consult a veterinarian.
References
- Jacobs, J. A. (2016). Understanding canine resource guarding behaviour [Doctoral dissertation, University of Guelph]. The Atrium. https://atrium.lib.uoguelph.ca/bitstream/handle/10214/9642/Jacobs_Jacquelyn_201605_PhD.pdf (Ethological analysis of guarding.)
- Jacobs, J. A., Coe, J. B., Pearl, D. L., Widowski, T. M., & Niel, L. (2018). Defining and clarifying the terms canine possessive aggression and resource guarding: A study of expert opinion. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 5, Article 115. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2018.00115
- McConnell, P. (2013). Resource guarding: Treatment and prevention. The Other End of the Leash. https://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/resource-guarding-treatment-and-prevention (Practical positive approaches; foundational but cited in recent reviews.)
- Overall, K. L. (2013). Manual of clinical behavioral medicine for dogs and cats. Elsevier. (Sections on guarding management.)
- Shikashio, M. (2020). Resource guarding, aggression, and reactivity [Podcast episode]. In Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast. https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/blog/e172-michael-shikashio-resource-guarding-aggression-and-reactivity
- Ziv, G. (2017). The effects of using aversive training methods in dogs—A review. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 19, 50–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2017.02.004 (Risks of force.)
- Basso, S. (n.d.). Video series topics: Manners and fetch. SamTheDogTrainer.com. (Direct BASSO applications for “drop it.”)
- Winkler, A. (n.d.). Training philosophies. Rivanna K9 Services. https://rivannak9services.com/training-philosophies(Humane ethological methods.)
- Lorenz, K. (1952). King Solomon’s ring. Crowell. (Innate mechanisms.)
- Tinbergen, N. (1963). On aims and methods of ethology. Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie, 20(4), 410–433.
- Mech, L. D. (2008). Whatever happened to the term alpha wolf? International Wolf, 18(4), 4–8.
- American Civil Liberties Union. (2024). Weaponizing dogs: The brutal and outdated practice of police attack dogs. ACLU California Action. https://aclucalaction.org/2024/01/new-report-weaponizing-dogs-the-brutal-and-outdated-practice-of-police-attack-dogs/
- Horn Wright, LLP. (n.d.). Excessive force and the use of police dogs. https://www.hornwright.com/civil-rights-law/excessive-force/excessive-force-and-the-use-of-police-dogs/
- This article incorporates AI-assisted drafting based on the BASSO METHOD framework and has been reviewed for accuracy, alignment with ethological principles, and adherence to these parameters.
