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How to stop my dog from growling when she resource guards stolen items?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Vizsla | Female | 2 years and 10 months old | 43 lbs

Need training advice for a resource guarder with treats and when she randomly steals do: socks, towel.. we do not try to grab it from her, we trade with a higher value treat but on occasion she gets growly.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on April 24th, 2017

It sounds like you're definitely on the right track with Maggie! :) It's always recommended to trade for a higher value treat when your dog has a stolen item that you need to get back - never chase her or try to forcibly remove it from her mouth, as this often makes resource guarding issues worse. If she occasionally gets growly even though you're doing the right things, it would be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist who can help you determine why this is happening, and what you might be able to change about your current training plan to avoid this. In some cases, you may need to go through a systematic counter-conditioning/desensitization protocol to work on the problem, rather than just "crisis management" when she actually has something you need to get from her. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org. You might also want to check out the book "Mine!" by Jean Donaldson - it gives an excellent, very detailed overview of resource guarding in dogs, including specific instructions on how to work through this problem.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on January 19th, 2020

    Hi there. Yes, this problem can usually be greatly improved with a good training plan! I would strongly recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist who can help you in person, if possible, since it can be difficult to treat this type of behavior issue on your own if you don't have much experience. But generally, the basic approach is to teach the dog to willingly give up items to you in exchange for treats or other goodies. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org In the meantime, I also highly recommend the book "Mine!" by Jean Donaldson. It's an excellent resource for dealing with resource guarding issues in dogs.

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