A dog behaviourist is educating parents about the warning signs of 'resource guarding' in dogs - a behaviour that could put their baby's life at risk.
Resource guarding is when a dog becomes defensive of a particular item they value.
They can exhibit aggressive actions, such as growling, flashing their teeth or biting.
People often mistake these warning signs for protectiveness, and assume their dog is positively safeguarding the baby - when really it's the opposite.
In a series of TikTok videos, accredited canine trainer Jacqui Zakar explains why resource guarding is dangerous and how you can stop it before someone gets hurt.
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In one video on her TikTok account @dogsense, Jacqui shared a clip of a dog growling and guarding a baby, with the caption: "When the dog thinks he's the dad now."
Jacqui said: "We think the dog is being protective. This dog is aggressively warning his own owner to stay away from their own child.
"What reason does a dog have to guard a baby from its own parent? This is a behavioural issue. It's not protection. It's nothing to do with the baby's safety."
In another video, Jacqui highlights the signs that a pet is resource guarding, such as stress, panting, tongue flicking and posturing.
She explains that it can be brought on by a numbers of reasons, including lack of training, lack of boundaries and dogs that lack confidence.
"Some dogs will have more of an innate drive to guard things - food, toys, space, water, their owners and babies," Jacqui explained.
"A dog that resource guards its owner is often mistaken as protection, but confident, secure dogs don't need to guard their owners."
TikTok users praised Jacqui for addressing the issue.
One person agreed: "My dog did this when he was older. He attacked my older son and a friend's dog. It's definitely a behaviour issue, don't ignore as cute!"
Another said: "As a dog trainer I always preach about this type of behaviour! Thank you for this."
What is resource guarding?
Rhiannon, a canine behaviourist at Battersea, describes resource guarding as: "When a dog becomes defensive in order to keep you away from a particular item or 'resource' that they treasure
"The resource can be food, treats, toys, a place, like a bed or favourite chair, or occasionally even a person.
"Resource guarding is a natural behaviour for your dog, and an important survival strategy as a scavenger in the wild, but at home there are some things we can do to reassure our dogs and let them know they don't need to become defensive."
How can I prevent resource guarding?
Prevention is always better than cure, so it's a good idea to train your dog before resource guarding even begins.
Rhiannon explains: "To start, you will need some treats. The trick is to teach your dog that a person approaching is a positive thing.
"As your dog is finishing a meal, approach close to where they are eating, drop some treats near to their food bowl and calmly move away.
"Allow your dog to eat the treats and then return to finishing what is in their bowl. Repeat this a couple of times over a few days, always moving away and allowing your dog to eat the treats.
"Over time you may see that as you approach your dog, they look up as they anticipate a treat arriving. This is a positive sign that they see you approaching as a good thing.
"Approaching and rewarding will show your dog that someone coming close to them is a positive thing."
How do I stop resource guarding?
If your dog is already showing some signs of resource guarding behaviour, it's important to stop this from becoming any worse. Rhiannon advised the following:
- Make sure all family members and everyone who visits knows never to approach or interrupt your dog if they are eating or have a chew.
- As best as possible, hide or remove any items that your dog may steal and guard so that you do not have to confront your dog. If you do have to remove something from them, make sure it's an exchange rather than just taking something away.
- It is important that you never punish or tell your dog off for resource guarding as this will add more stress to the situation and may cause their behaviour to worsen.
- When you are trying to exchange items with your dog, put down some food or treats a good distance away so that your dog has to move. This will give you the time and distance to safely pick up the item. If you can wait to remove the item until the dog is in a different room entirely, that's even better.
- Another helpful tip is to teach your dog the 'leave it' cue. This will allow you to ask your dog to leave whatever they are guarding in a safe and positive way.
- Remember every dog is different with their resource guarding, and if your dog has bitten or is causing you concern then we would recommend contacting a certified behaviourist to help.
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