Lemon: Resource Guarding Case Study

Most of the training programs I design as a Baltimore Dog Trainer are based around two goals: placing the owner in a leadership position and establishing the dog’s focus. Of course, every dog is different so the same technique may not work for all of them. This is why I like to meet the dog and owner in person before we get started, so I can gauge the pup’s personality and view his/her behavior for myself.

 In Lemon’s case, a program involving basic obedience training, proper leash handling techniques, a structured schedule, and eliminating distractions was effective.

Lemon’s owners called me because she’d stopped paying attention to them. This may seem like a minor behavioral problem, but as a result walks became more difficult, and she began resource guarding. Because she was in her own little world rather than staying focused on her owners, she’d pull on the leash, go after squirrels, and guard her food and toys. Her owners needed a way to get her behavior in check before Lemon either got away from them during a walk or bit someone for trying to handle her toys.

To achieve this, we had to transfer Lemon’s focus from her surroundings to her owners. Basic obedience training is an important tool when trying to reach this goal because it gets the owners used to properly handling the leash and commanding the dog, and it helps the dog get used to obeying the owners. A structured feeding, walking, and eliminating schedule dictated by the owners works to show the dog that the owners are in charge. If, instead of free feeding and free roaming, a dog is forced to wait for the owner’s permission, he/she is less likely to “bite the hand that feeds it.” And, of course, this good behavior had to be achieved away from Lemon’s usual distractions before we could reintroduce them.

Once Lemon had been given all the tools she needed for success, she was able to make good behavioral decisions with only a little help from her owners. Now walks and daily home life are less hectic for both dog and owners.

This plan worked for Lemon. To learn what type of training plan might be effective for your dog, give me a call at 410.844.6611.