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Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs
Dogs that become demonic around the food dish, snarly on the sofa or grouchy when chewing on a bone are all too common. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you recognize, evaluate and treat resource guarding in pet dogs.
102 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
June 2, 2011
This is a book for a dog trainer or serious and dedicated dog owner who is facing guarding resource problems (getting all growly, bitey over food, people, furniture, etc.) This book isn’t for the casual pet owner because it’s far too technical and dry for a brand new pet owner but I’d recommend a copy for anyone who has done some obedience work and fosters, rescues, etc. because you really never know what you may face until you get the dog inside your home.
The author lists step-by-step techniques and guidance to help a dog become a safe(r) member of the family and society and addresses only guarding problems and body handling issues. One of the desensitization programs has 40+ steps and dogs can backslide (there are tips for this) if you go too fast, so this is no quick fix people. But it’s a great alternative to euthanasia or negative /harsh training methods.
Personally, though I find the steps and the information in the book extremely helpful I didn’t care for the overly technical jargon the author uses. It made the book deadly dull to read from cover to cover (which I did) but I will keep it and I’m sure I will find it incredibly helpful when faced with a dog exhibiting these issues but then I can just skip over to the chapter helpful to me at the time.
I really like this author's perspective. She says that people expect dogs to live their lives without ever losing their temper and says that's like expecting a person to go through life never getting angry and raising their voice. Well, I would've been put down at 13 if that were the case ;)
I also appreciated the chapter on preventing these situations in the first place by socializing, touching and grooming a puppy. These chapters should be mandatory reading for everyone bringing home a new puppy. There is only a small window during puppyhood to do this and it’s soooo important and something so many dogs don’t get to experience thus the issues with nail clipping, vet handling and growly behavior. I can’t tell you how many dogs I groomed in my short stint as a groomer who bit, peed, screamed and were absolutely petrified to be touched in any way.
The author lists step-by-step techniques and guidance to help a dog become a safe(r) member of the family and society and addresses only guarding problems and body handling issues. One of the desensitization programs has 40+ steps and dogs can backslide (there are tips for this) if you go too fast, so this is no quick fix people. But it’s a great alternative to euthanasia or negative /harsh training methods.
Personally, though I find the steps and the information in the book extremely helpful I didn’t care for the overly technical jargon the author uses. It made the book deadly dull to read from cover to cover (which I did) but I will keep it and I’m sure I will find it incredibly helpful when faced with a dog exhibiting these issues but then I can just skip over to the chapter helpful to me at the time.
I really like this author's perspective. She says that people expect dogs to live their lives without ever losing their temper and says that's like expecting a person to go through life never getting angry and raising their voice. Well, I would've been put down at 13 if that were the case ;)
I also appreciated the chapter on preventing these situations in the first place by socializing, touching and grooming a puppy. These chapters should be mandatory reading for everyone bringing home a new puppy. There is only a small window during puppyhood to do this and it’s soooo important and something so many dogs don’t get to experience thus the issues with nail clipping, vet handling and growly behavior. I can’t tell you how many dogs I groomed in my short stint as a groomer who bit, peed, screamed and were absolutely petrified to be touched in any way.
August 26, 2018
This is an excellent consise book describing what resource guarding (RG) is and the myths and fallacies around it. This is a great resource for a person looking to have a deep understanding of RG and an appreciation for the many steps involved in helping the dog and the human find a safe way to live with it. It takes commitment, patience, and time to learn to deal with but may very likely save your dogs life.
I think anyone who works with foster or rescue dogs must read this book because it’s very likely to show up in those groups. I’ve always had dogs I raised from puppyhood according the principles of puppy training espoused by the guru (IMO) Ian Dunbar. I never saw RG until we recently adopted a retired racing Greyhound.
We are all learning and this book has been a big help.
I think anyone who works with foster or rescue dogs must read this book because it’s very likely to show up in those groups. I’ve always had dogs I raised from puppyhood according the principles of puppy training espoused by the guru (IMO) Ian Dunbar. I never saw RG until we recently adopted a retired racing Greyhound.
We are all learning and this book has been a big help.
March 29, 2022
Short book written for dog trainers about how to deal with resource guarding in their client's dogs. It is 50% background and 50% training instructions and plans about desensitizing the dog against resource guarding from humans (food, locations and toys or items), guarding their human from other dogs, how to acclimate the dog to a muzzle and how to desensitize your dog to body handling. There is only one plan per problem so if that doesn't work for your dog, then you need another book. The plans are very detailed about distances and time, so it gives you a step-by-step plan to work on the problem.
Since my problem is mainly dog-to-dog, litter mates and mainly contraband items, this book is less helpful for our problem. I am going to read more books and I'll recommend anything helpful that I find.
I read several puppy training books and were VERY impressed with most of them. I was not as impressed with this book, it was quite costly for the size and usefulness. I would not recommend this book, unless you are trying to address one of these specific problems and are willing to do multiple 30 minute training sessions weekly or monthly forever and more frequently to start.
UPDATE: Since I have 2 dogs, I read Keeping the Peace: A Guide to Solving Dog-Dog Aggression in the Home. I LOVE this book!! I have already recommended it to several people with multiple dogs and wanting to address a problem. This book addressed much more than resource guarding and it was very, very helpful.
Since my problem is mainly dog-to-dog, litter mates and mainly contraband items, this book is less helpful for our problem. I am going to read more books and I'll recommend anything helpful that I find.
I read several puppy training books and were VERY impressed with most of them. I was not as impressed with this book, it was quite costly for the size and usefulness. I would not recommend this book, unless you are trying to address one of these specific problems and are willing to do multiple 30 minute training sessions weekly or monthly forever and more frequently to start.
UPDATE: Since I have 2 dogs, I read Keeping the Peace: A Guide to Solving Dog-Dog Aggression in the Home. I LOVE this book!! I have already recommended it to several people with multiple dogs and wanting to address a problem. This book addressed much more than resource guarding and it was very, very helpful.
October 7, 2008
I was hoping for a usable guide to working with my dog on his resource guarding issues. It is heartening to know there is a nonconfrontational way to deal with this very common issue. But even though I've done a lot of reading on positive reinforcement training methods and have used them with success in other areas, I had a hard time with the overly technical tone of this book. Donaldson used way too much jargon, but then again this book is targeted to training professionals. I would have liked to see sample worksheets for tracking progress, and the overwhelmingly long numbered lists of microsteps could have been broken down into phases.
I did like her take on the high expectations on today's dogs - we expect them to go through life without ever losing their temper or defending their space.
I did like her take on the high expectations on today's dogs - we expect them to go through life without ever losing their temper or defending their space.
July 1, 2015
This book is fantastic for readers who have a strong prior knowledge of learning theory, counter conditioning and desensitization. There are several very well fleshed out protocols for resource guarding behavior modification. There is also a great example of how to work on body handling issues, which Donaldson suggests commonly co-occurs with resource guarding behavior.
There are very few other detailed resources out there. The only unfortunate aspect of this book is that, while it's often recommended on forums and by trainers for owners to read, I highly doubt that the average pet owner could read and understand the concepts in this book without reading several primer books first.
For professionals and training enthusiasts, this is the best book out there for addressing resource guarding behaviors.
There are very few other detailed resources out there. The only unfortunate aspect of this book is that, while it's often recommended on forums and by trainers for owners to read, I highly doubt that the average pet owner could read and understand the concepts in this book without reading several primer books first.
For professionals and training enthusiasts, this is the best book out there for addressing resource guarding behaviors.
July 25, 2020
Good book.
May 30, 2025
Cue Nemo seagulls
Good material to help resource guarding and body handling sensitivity dogs. Also references some very good books about training techniques.
Good material to help resource guarding and body handling sensitivity dogs. Also references some very good books about training techniques.
March 8, 2025
This is a little dense at times and I wish some of the points were clearer. It's definitely written with the dog trainer as the audience (not a dog owner).
That being said, I've been searching for videos on resource guarding and handling issues and asking advice from everyone I think might know for awhile now--and this book is the best thing I've found. She provides lots of step by step approaches to guarding food bowls, bones/toys, other people and places--this is the strength of the book.
She does have a section on handling issues in general. I think that section is less developed, but still helpful. I wish she offered more example hierarchies, specifically like for nail clipping and especially for dogs who growl when startled awake (something she briefly mentions but doesn't address).
But still, this is quick and essential reading if you're struggling with any of these issues!
That being said, I've been searching for videos on resource guarding and handling issues and asking advice from everyone I think might know for awhile now--and this book is the best thing I've found. She provides lots of step by step approaches to guarding food bowls, bones/toys, other people and places--this is the strength of the book.
She does have a section on handling issues in general. I think that section is less developed, but still helpful. I wish she offered more example hierarchies, specifically like for nail clipping and especially for dogs who growl when startled awake (something she briefly mentions but doesn't address).
But still, this is quick and essential reading if you're struggling with any of these issues!
August 21, 2015
So, my behaviorist recommended this book for me. However, I didn't get through the entire book. Like others have said, its very dry. It reads like a textbook. The problem for me is that my dog does not guard things or food from me. Just other dogs. I needed something that would teach me how to stop him from attacking our other pets if they get too close to his food. Perhaps, this text book does go into that further in the book but I couldn't get there.
It felt like I was going over the same thing, over and over again. I was like, when do I get to the part about how to stop him from getting my other pups? Finally, I gave up. I'm lucky he doesn't keep things from me and the fact that I've rescued several dogs, I've been super lucky so far in this department.
It felt like I was going over the same thing, over and over again. I was like, when do I get to the part about how to stop him from getting my other pups? Finally, I gave up. I'm lucky he doesn't keep things from me and the fact that I've rescued several dogs, I've been super lucky so far in this department.
February 15, 2023
2.5 stars, rounding up. I have no problem at all with the advice in the book. I have lots of problems with how it's written. I found it badly organized and badly edited. Information is presented out of order, and the prose is atrocious in parts. I am used to technical writing, but this has the hallmarks of a first draft that received no critical feedback.
Example 1: abbreviations are overused and completely unnecessary. D&C: desensitization and counterconditioning. CER: Conditioned Emotional Response. When you abbreviate, you make life easier for yourself, the writer. You make life much harder for the reader, who has to mentally unabbreviate these phrases each time they're encountered. If there is a space limit, you could have saved it by removing all those "etc" at the end of each numbered list in the explanation of hierarchies.
The organization is not ideal. Some of the techniques for dealing with guarding are a lot easier to explain, and indeed the author explains them much more clearly than desensitization. Incompatible behaviors are easy to grasp and a lot less time consuming to train, so it seems like an obvious first thing to try. Exercise and stimulation also seem like obvious things to get out of the way. But these are at the end of the book, almost as an afterthought.
Probably the worst part of the book is the explanation of hierarchy structure. You're not really given a basic overview of each procedure. Mostly what you get is a litany of mechanical and repetitive and unnecessarily wordy steps. For example, she could have said, "You'll be approaching the dog's resource from several directions, varying the distance from a few feet to 20 feet, and rewarding the dog with a treat each time she shows a conditional emotional response without starting the guarding display." Instead, here's a snippet of what she says:
"Step 15: Hand same object to dog, withdraw to 6 feet for 5 seconds, then approach etc.
Step 16: Hand same object to dog, withdraw to 6 feet for 10 seconds, then approach etc.
Step 17: Hand same object to dog, withdraw to 6 feet for 20 seconds, then approach etc.
Step 18: Hand same object to dog, withdraw to 6 feet for 30 seconds, then approach etc.
Step 19: Hand same object to dog, withdraw to 10 feet for 5 seconds, then approach etc."
This is like reading a knitting pattern where every single row is written out.
"Row 20: knit, purl, knit, purl, knit, purl, knit, purl, etc.
Row 21: knit, purl, knit, purl to end, etc."
I found I had to navigate back to the part where the overview was given, and the example hierarchies helped me not at all.
To those reviewers who note that this is a book for trainers and not for owners: I say tosh. Every dog behavioral problem has to be resolved at the level of the owner. Owners have to understand the procedures enough to refresh the dog on them periodically. You can hire a trainer to explain you how to do it, but ultimately it's you who needs to be trained. And trainers are humans, too. Bad writing is not helping anyone in this case.
Example 1: abbreviations are overused and completely unnecessary. D&C: desensitization and counterconditioning. CER: Conditioned Emotional Response. When you abbreviate, you make life easier for yourself, the writer. You make life much harder for the reader, who has to mentally unabbreviate these phrases each time they're encountered. If there is a space limit, you could have saved it by removing all those "etc" at the end of each numbered list in the explanation of hierarchies.
The organization is not ideal. Some of the techniques for dealing with guarding are a lot easier to explain, and indeed the author explains them much more clearly than desensitization. Incompatible behaviors are easy to grasp and a lot less time consuming to train, so it seems like an obvious first thing to try. Exercise and stimulation also seem like obvious things to get out of the way. But these are at the end of the book, almost as an afterthought.
Probably the worst part of the book is the explanation of hierarchy structure. You're not really given a basic overview of each procedure. Mostly what you get is a litany of mechanical and repetitive and unnecessarily wordy steps. For example, she could have said, "You'll be approaching the dog's resource from several directions, varying the distance from a few feet to 20 feet, and rewarding the dog with a treat each time she shows a conditional emotional response without starting the guarding display." Instead, here's a snippet of what she says:
"Step 15: Hand same object to dog, withdraw to 6 feet for 5 seconds, then approach etc.
Step 16: Hand same object to dog, withdraw to 6 feet for 10 seconds, then approach etc.
Step 17: Hand same object to dog, withdraw to 6 feet for 20 seconds, then approach etc.
Step 18: Hand same object to dog, withdraw to 6 feet for 30 seconds, then approach etc.
Step 19: Hand same object to dog, withdraw to 10 feet for 5 seconds, then approach etc."
This is like reading a knitting pattern where every single row is written out.
"Row 20: knit, purl, knit, purl, knit, purl, knit, purl, etc.
Row 21: knit, purl, knit, purl to end, etc."
I found I had to navigate back to the part where the overview was given, and the example hierarchies helped me not at all.
To those reviewers who note that this is a book for trainers and not for owners: I say tosh. Every dog behavioral problem has to be resolved at the level of the owner. Owners have to understand the procedures enough to refresh the dog on them periodically. You can hire a trainer to explain you how to do it, but ultimately it's you who needs to be trained. And trainers are humans, too. Bad writing is not helping anyone in this case.
September 16, 2020
I read this book as part of the curriculum for a dog training apprenticeship program.
This book is an excellent guide for new trainers and determined owners who want to learn how to deal with dogs who present resource/location guarding, food aggression, and body handing issues. The book thoroughly explains why the guarding could be happening (dogs are very simple, it's never a complex reason) and how to approach fixing it from the smallest steps up to near perfection.
This book is good for people who have been educated on some other parts of dog behavior and training, in a few instances it suggest you read one or two other big name dog training books which definitely help in understanding how to approach your training. For an owner who is dealing with a dog who has these issues, this book is definitely a helpful guide, but I think some more reading should be done first to have a full grasp on how to approach the situation (and when in doubt, look for an experienced trainer!), but this can definitely help people who are patient and willing to work with their dog to improve their issues.
This book is an excellent guide for new trainers and determined owners who want to learn how to deal with dogs who present resource/location guarding, food aggression, and body handing issues. The book thoroughly explains why the guarding could be happening (dogs are very simple, it's never a complex reason) and how to approach fixing it from the smallest steps up to near perfection.
This book is good for people who have been educated on some other parts of dog behavior and training, in a few instances it suggest you read one or two other big name dog training books which definitely help in understanding how to approach your training. For an owner who is dealing with a dog who has these issues, this book is definitely a helpful guide, but I think some more reading should be done first to have a full grasp on how to approach the situation (and when in doubt, look for an experienced trainer!), but this can definitely help people who are patient and willing to work with their dog to improve their issues.
September 23, 2023
I'm a dog trainer, so as technical as this book is, it's right up my alley. This is how I teach it to clients, in miniscule steps, and very slowly. I try not to use the same terminology Donaldson does in this book to simplify it for dog guardians, but if you understand it, this is a fantastic and helpful read.
CER = Conditioned emotional response. Donaldson is referring to their emotions when guarding an object, their reaction, fear and need to defend. Then shifting their emotions to less guarded, more excited, and anticipatory of what you have instead.
D+C = Desensitization and counter conditioning. Desensitizing an animal to something they are not accustomed to. Either helping them feel more neutral or positive.
Counter conditioning is helping them change from a fearful, frustrated or aggressive emotion to more neutral, excited or even happy.
There are tons of resources online for spreadsheets if you do follow her step by step process that she lays out perfectly. But if you're still struggling, as she said. It's worth reaching out to a certified professional. Happy training!
CER = Conditioned emotional response. Donaldson is referring to their emotions when guarding an object, their reaction, fear and need to defend. Then shifting their emotions to less guarded, more excited, and anticipatory of what you have instead.
D+C = Desensitization and counter conditioning. Desensitizing an animal to something they are not accustomed to. Either helping them feel more neutral or positive.
Counter conditioning is helping them change from a fearful, frustrated or aggressive emotion to more neutral, excited or even happy.
There are tons of resources online for spreadsheets if you do follow her step by step process that she lays out perfectly. But if you're still struggling, as she said. It's worth reaching out to a certified professional. Happy training!
May 28, 2019
Every year I reread all of my behavior books, and find new things I love and don't like. While The Culture Clash started out as one of my most favorite books and I keep stumbling over details that rub me the wrong way (the suggestion of spray collars, etc), this books gets better. It really is written for trainers and a lot of dog owners may find it much too dry or too complicated to read, but I love the way it describes canine skill acquisition and the concept of counter-conditioning and desensitizing to change the conditioned emotional response of heavy guarders. No aversives necessary. JD gives very detailed, amazing hierarchies owners and trainers can work up and down in order to truly change the lives of dogs exhibiting RG, and their families. If your dog growls when you walk by while he's eating a bone, doesn't like you coming near his food bowl or the bed he's sleeping in, this is for you. However, I think even owners of dogs who are ok with being handled and don't present with RG issues could benefit greatly from this. Essential reading IMO.
May 29, 2019
I have absolutely no doubt that this book can be extremely helpful to those who have dogs with resource guarding problems. For the most part, it meshes with the rest of what I know about counter-conditioning animals to reduce unwanted behaviors. In my opinion it's very readable (and it's a short little book), but it appears some readers find it too technical--it is certainly geared toward a professional or experienced amateur audience, but I do think that as long as it isn't the first book on this type of dog training you've ever read most readers will be fine.
I would say that I hope I am never in a situation where I have to use the methods outlined in this book, but in many ways I am using them (or at least a very similar process) to try to work on getting one of my cats to accept nail trimming without panicking.
Otherwise, the book could use some editing, as I noticed rather a lot of typos. The clipart illustrations are charming in their own strange way.
I would say that I hope I am never in a situation where I have to use the methods outlined in this book, but in many ways I am using them (or at least a very similar process) to try to work on getting one of my cats to accept nail trimming without panicking.
Otherwise, the book could use some editing, as I noticed rather a lot of typos. The clipart illustrations are charming in their own strange way.
April 25, 2021
My dog is one of the sweetest, most well-behaved dogs you will ever meet - except when it comes to me and being around other dogs. If I walk him, we have to avoid other dogs as he will bark and lunge incessantly. Same if a dog comes near our home. If I'm not home or someone else is walking him, he does not mind at all. I'm fact, he whines if he cant sniff the other dogs.
My dog is resource guarding me. I was recommended this book to help, and while I found it interesting, it wasn't particularly helpful. It gives a lot of background on why dogs resource guard and why it's normal, and while it talks about resource guarding owners, there aren't specific example of how to handle this problem as there is for location/food/object guarding. Still insightful, but didn't provide me the tools I was hoping for to get my dog more comfortable with me being around new dogs.
My dog is resource guarding me. I was recommended this book to help, and while I found it interesting, it wasn't particularly helpful. It gives a lot of background on why dogs resource guard and why it's normal, and while it talks about resource guarding owners, there aren't specific example of how to handle this problem as there is for location/food/object guarding. Still insightful, but didn't provide me the tools I was hoping for to get my dog more comfortable with me being around new dogs.
January 15, 2022
This is an excellent resource for dog trainers, rehabilitators, rescues, and dedicated, knowledgeable dog owners - especially those dealing with more severe examples of resource guarding. It is a rather overwhelming, and overly dry and technical, read for the casual dog owner with a bit of a resource guarding problem that needs to be addressed before it gets worse - yet I often see it recommended for just that audience. (Not the author's fault, but it is often the case nonetheless. The cover art doesn't help.) Don't get me wrong, the advice in this book is excellent! - and will save/has saved the life of many a dog that would otherwise be/have been euthanized for behavior issues - but it's just not presented in a way that the casual, pre-bite owner/reader can easily access the information they need to help solve their problem.
July 1, 2025
I cannot reasonably move this book up or down from 3 stars because I read (skimmed) the whole thing in under 2 hours. I was looking for help with my buddies puppy bulling my dog and resource guarding me with nosing and nibbling. This book really focused on dogs resource guarding couches, food, etc. from humans (With risk of biting). I think that if that's what you're looking for, its probably good. I think the 50-step hierarchies seem a bit fluffy until you realize, where variable training works with separation anxiety, accidentally going over threshold with resource guarding is legitimately dangerous. Not great for my use case, read too quick to have a serious opinion on, but seems like a solid book on this behavior concern.
January 22, 2025
This is a great book that gives a nice overview of resource guarding for dog owners and trainers. It includes what resource guarding is, how to manage it, and a handy set of exercises to help your dog with their resource guarding in a humane, effective way!
It's understandable to professionals as well as owners and I love that it's a shorter book. With all the outdated information regarding resource guarding and how to eliminate it that you can find on the internet, this book won't intimidate new owners. It will, however, save them and their dogs from a lot of misery as they work together to resolve resource guarding issues.
It's understandable to professionals as well as owners and I love that it's a shorter book. With all the outdated information regarding resource guarding and how to eliminate it that you can find on the internet, this book won't intimidate new owners. It will, however, save them and their dogs from a lot of misery as they work together to resolve resource guarding issues.
March 16, 2020
a great resource with scientifically backed and evidence-based solutions for resource guarding. Unfortunately, I bought the book in an attempt to learn more about what I should do about my dog guarding food from OTHER DOGS, which they mentioned but did not go into detail about. Dog v dogs makes things a lot more difficult and you have two uncontrolled variables to deal with. Unfortunate. But still a great book with some really good info for anyone dealing with a doggo with resource guarding issues.
April 20, 2021
I was really looking forward to reading this book but I'm actually very disappointed in it. It was extremely difficult to follow along with it and understand exactly what the author was talking about most of the time. And I'm a dog trainer so I should understand this talk! There were some sections that were really hard to read and felt like she just threw in big words to impress people. This book will remain in my library and ever increasing collection of dog training books, but I honestly did not get anything out if it. I hope her other books are not as disappointing.
June 18, 2025
Good information, but switched back and forth between professionals and owner skills ....
Switching between professional and owner related commentary was not very organized. While there was a lot of great information, the title doesn't suggest that there will be so much information directed at professional handing compared to owner handing, and it's not broken out in a way to make it easy to move from the skills for owner versus professional. Lots of good resources and recommendations within the book.
Switching between professional and owner related commentary was not very organized. While there was a lot of great information, the title doesn't suggest that there will be so much information directed at professional handing compared to owner handing, and it's not broken out in a way to make it easy to move from the skills for owner versus professional. Lots of good resources and recommendations within the book.
May 12, 2020
This book is directed at professional dog trainers, but as an interested owner I found it helpful. It’s quite short and I wish it had more detail regarding how often and for how long the exercises should be done - everyday? Multiple times a day? For 10 minutes?
I have a dog who guards things from other dogs, which is not specifically addressed and seems a little hard to deal with as you have to use dog 2 to condition dog 1 which may be unfair to dog 2.
I have a dog who guards things from other dogs, which is not specifically addressed and seems a little hard to deal with as you have to use dog 2 to condition dog 1 which may be unfair to dog 2.
May 21, 2023
My dog is not a resource guard, but I read this book anyway because everything Jean Donaldson writes about dogs is worthwhile, informative and is broadly applicable to dogs and humans. I love that she starts by saying that we set higher standards for our dogs than for any other creature, including ourselves. For example, many people want dogs to be docile when we want but to be protective when needed. A good book for anyone interested in more information on dog behavior.
January 1, 2025
This little book is full of thorough explanations of the psychology of the reactive dog. My only complaints are that the book addresses several different types of reactivity (object/possession, place, person) and I wish for my own situation that it would have dealt with objects exclusively, and that it only briefly discusses reactivity related to two dogs interacting together. Still, lots of useful information here and some surprising insights too!
May 20, 2017
This is one of Jean Donaldson's better books--it was very helpful and had lots of good suggestions for dealing with resource guarding of various types. Sadly, it is just a guide and pamphlet, and doesn't go into troubleshooting much, nor details of more unorthodox forms of guarding. She mentions them briefly, at least, so that gives hopes to those that have an unusual case.
December 3, 2018
This booklet has solid information and a practical training plan. However, I think for most dog owners the scope of the projects would be way too intense. I guess if that’s what it takes, then that’s what it takes - but I feel that realistically most pet owners would give up on the training project before fully complete. Definitely worth a read though if you have a resource guarder!
October 14, 2021
In some ways this book is great. It gives you practical advice on how to deal with resource guarding. It’s aimed at behaviourists but a committed owner can easily work with it.
At the same time, I feel it’s quite limited when it comes to a number of scenarios it deals with. After reading it, I still don’t know what to do with a particular type of guarding one of my dogs displays.
At the same time, I feel it’s quite limited when it comes to a number of scenarios it deals with. After reading it, I still don’t know what to do with a particular type of guarding one of my dogs displays.
January 4, 2022
This book is an excellent guide to dealing with human-dog resource guarding. The only reason I've rated it a 4 and not 5 is that there wasn't as much dog-dog resource guarding content as I'd like. I refer back to this book regularly, it's very well written and well thought out with a strong emphasis on safety throughout.
January 1, 2020
Succinct, yet incredibly informative. This is one I refer to often as a dog trainer myself, but also highly recommend it to all my clients with resource guarding dogs looking for more information because it's an easy to read and understand compilation!
October 20, 2021
The basic information in this book is fantastic. It is not terribly well written and I did come away with lots of questions and no one to ask, but as a starting point it is a very useful and empowering read.
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