# possessiveness training resources



## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

Perry has developed (and it seems to be getting stronger) a space possessiveness issue (also if his food bowl is out). Whenever one of the other dogs comes into our room he's getting very snappy and snarling - getting into their face (he's usually fine when they're in the room or interacting in every other way). This morning he did it to Duncan when Duncan was already in the room and walked over towards Perry's bed (in this case I can't be sure it was space possessiveness - it could have been because Perry's toys were on his bed/ in that area). 

I'm looking for some resources on how to deal with this (before bringing in a behaviorist specifically since it is a fairly common issue across the dog world). So far he's been lucky - but Duncan has been known to snap / attack (a few weeks ago Finley was playing ball and ran into him and Duncan snapped at him and drew blood on his ear). - and in general we can't have this happening.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Melissa Brill said:


> Perry has developed (and it seems to be getting stronger) a space possessiveness issue (also if his food bowl is out). Whenever one of the other dogs comes into our room he's getting very snappy and snarling - getting into their face (he's usually fine when they're in the room or interacting in every other way). This morning he did it to Duncan when Duncan was already in the room and walked over towards Perry's bed (in this case I can't be sure it was space possessiveness - it could have been because Perry's toys were on his bed/ in that area).
> 
> I'm looking for some resources on how to deal with this (before bringing in a behaviorist specifically since it is a fairly common issue across the dog world). So far he's been lucky - but Duncan has been known to snap / attack (a few weeks ago Finley was playing ball and ran into him and Duncan snapped at him and drew blood on his ear). - and in general we can't have this happening.


Resource guarding can get really bad, and generally DOES require help from a behaviorist. If it is JUST about food, you can among it by feeding the dogs separately. We do that ANYWAY, because it is good practice to prevent resource guarding from developing in multi dog houses. All our dogs eat in crates. The girls, who are the likely squabblers, eat with their doors closed, Kodi and Ducky don't even need their doors closed. If they had ANY tendency to "visit", they would get shut in too!

Pixel has a couple of "precious" toys that she is unable to share. Most of these are in her crate, locked away during the day, and she can only have them at night when she is locked in with them. The "precious purple monkey", who she will full-on attack another dog for GLANCING at, is kept COMPLETELY out of reach, and she can only play with him when Dave and she are in the closed bedroom, no other dogs around. Frankly, if it were up to me, I would get rid of Purple Monkey, because I have no use for this behavior. But it is special time between the two of them, so as long as he makes sure Purple Monkey is securely put away, I let them have their fun!


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