Simply stated, resource-guarding occurs when a dog is fearful that someone/something will take a valued resource (in this case 'food'), so in an attempt to protect its resource the dog will become demonstrative in an effort to warn-off the intruder. Often thought of as an act of 'dominance' by the dog, it is actually a demonstration that most commonly comes from fear/anxiety.
All dogs (regardless of breed) can bite, and they can bite for a wide variety of reasons, but the majority of dog bite incidents have nothing to do with a predatory or aggressive inclination. Instead, they are more 'defensive' in nature due to fear, anxiety and/or stress.
I have to emphasize my philosophies on dog training, behaviour prevention and behaviour modification are opposed to the alpha/dominance methods that have traditionally been employed in the training world (as displayed in this video). One of my largest issues with dominance-based behavioural modification methods is that it puts the dog in a position to fail, and then punishes the dog for doing just that: Failing. This video is an unfortunate but excellent illustration of that very thing.
- To watch the video click here (you might have to watch the video more than once because things happen rather quickly and the dog's communication can be subtle).
> You will notice the trainer immediately setting a confrontational tone with his body language, hard stare and encroaching on the dog's food. The dog reacts to the encroachment on his resource defensively, is then struck by the trainer, and a 'stand-off' ensues.
> You will notice the trainer continues with confrontational body language and the hard stare, and as the video continues you will notice the dog scaling back its posture, repeatedly communicating avoidance and appeasement signals to the trainer by avoiding direct eye contact, turning its head away, and licking its lips.
> After a few moments of relative calm (note that the dog continues to avoid looking at the trainer) the trainer reaches his hand in towards the dogs head (perceived threat), to which the dog reacts defensively with a snap/snarl warning. When the dog warns with the snap/snarl, the trainer recoils upwards (and slightly away) from the crouch into a stand.
> And now here is where the trainer makes his biggest mistake (you might have to watch this a few times to catch it because it's quite subtle and happens very quickly): At about the same time the trainer vocalizes the "Sssshhhhttt" sound you will see that he begins to lower himself back down towards the dog (perceived threat) to which the dog responds with the bite.
This entire incident didn't need to happen - and shouldn't have happened - and the fact that the trainer gets bitten is completely the trainers fault.
Taking a confrontational approach with an animal that is in a fearful/anxious state will likely increase the animal's level of fear/anxiety to the point where it perceives it is under threat, which then may spur the dog to defend itself. There should be no surprise whatsoever that a bite may take place in this type of confrontational approach, and this is why so many professionals in the field of animal behaviour, training and welfare warn against dominance-based training/handling methods.
As demonstrated in this particular incident, the end result of this dominance-based approach is that the trainer justifies the dog's anxiety about people approaching it's food... the trainer is actually reinforcing the dog's guarding behaviour. Logic (not to mention behavioural science) suggests the best way to work with an animal (or anyone) who is in a fearful or anxious state is to create trust.
Desensitization and counter-conditioning are the appropriate behaviour modification programs for this type of behavour - not confrontation. Reduce the fear, reduce the anxiety, and positively reinforce appropriate behaviour around the resource that was being guarded.
It is very important to note that you should never put yourself in harms way or in a position to be bitten by your dog, so if you are having behavioural issues such as resource-guarding it is recommended that you contact a local professional who is experienced in dealing with those specific issues. For your dog's sake, ensure the 'professional' doesn't utilize the techniques that are shown in this video.
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