My Dog Guards My Backpack
It's the weirdest thing.
Whenever she's around another dog, especially females, my dog Daisy will guard my backpack. If the other dog tries to come near it, she will run over and display all manners of aggression, including but not limited to: hissing, spitting, baring of fangs, etc. Oh, and she whines incessantly. What the hell is this?
Here's what Google has to say:
"A dog guarding your backpack around other dogs is likely due to resource guarding behavior, meaning they perceive the backpack as a valuable possession and feel the need to protect it from potential threat."
It seems like a cute thing for a dog to do, a showcase of emotion towards me and my belongings. And at the moment, it seems harmless. She never attacks other dogs; it's more defensive. But I'm worried it could turn into less savory behavior if I don't fix it. The last thing I want is for her to take a bite out of another dog or human.
Taken from humanesociety.org:
"Because resource guarding can escalate to more aggressive behavior—including air snaps or even bites—it’s crucial to learn the signs so you can intervene. Watch for cues that your dog is anxious around food, toys, beds or even you or another human family member. Signs of resource guarding can include:
- Growling
- Ears pointed backward
- Lip-licking
- A sudden and obvious stiffness in the body
- Hyper-fixation on an object, dog or human
- Increased attentiveness to other dogs"
Yep... pretty much sums up the behavior I'm seeing.
I moved my stuff out of the common space and behind a closed door, and this seemed to help, but I could tell Daisy was still on edge around the other dog.
The first thing I need to do to rectify this behavior is socialize her with dogs more frequently. I know this is an issue, and although I do the best I can to let her run with other doggos, I could definitely do better. The second thing I need to do is to stop the behavior immediately when it happens. Finally, reinforcing good behavior around other dogs with treats. I try not to give Daisy too many treats because she eats a pretty specific raw diet, but a few high quality raw treats a day will probably go along way.
Going to put this all into practice and report back.