Training Tips to Get an Older Dog to Stop Resource Guarding

We worked with Custer an eight-year-old Vizsla in Omaha to help him stop resource guarding food and other items in the home.

After meeting Custer I learned that he didn’t have too many rules in place and when dogs don’t have a lot of rules in place they often see themselves as equals to their guardians. When dogs see themselves as equals to their guardians then listening becomes optional. After chatting about adding some rules to Custer’s life to help change his mindset into a follower position he was much more relaxed and stopped resource guarding as you can see in the video above.

If Custer does start resource guarding you can follow the instructions that I gave in the video above. Remember that one of the most important aspects is to give Custer something that he will value that you can give back to him. Once he learns that if you take something and then give him a yummy treat and then he gets the bone back he will build up trust and stop resource guarding.

By the end of the session Custer was looking to his guardians for leadership and direction. Remember to keep up with this good behavior you will want to keep using our Petting with a Purpose technique to reward him for good behavior and use the Escalating Consequences to disagree with him. We wrapped up this dog behavior session with Custer’s Roadmap to Success video, which you can watch below.