{"id":30507,"date":"2021-06-26T13:17:36","date_gmt":"2021-06-26T21:17:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/?p=30507"},"modified":"2023-11-09T18:03:14","modified_gmt":"2023-11-10T02:03:14","slug":"dog-possessive-of-owner-signs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/dog-possessive-of-owner-signs\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Signs A Dog Is Possessive Of His Owner"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Your normally sweet golden retriever<\/a> suddenly starts growling when your friend comes up to talk with you. Again he growls when your son approaches to sit next to you on the sofa. Yet again he growls when your other dog seeks your attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are these the signs that a dog is possessive of his owner?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do you do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, you have to determine what\u2019s really happening. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Dog<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Is your dog being protective or guarding you as a resource like some dogs guard chew bones?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To your dog, you\u2019re the source of resources like food and chew toys. You\u2019re the source of their walks, play, and great experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So you become a very valued resource to your dog. Some just appreciate you and your bond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whereas some other dogs feel that they must protect you against others–or even guard you as a resource to them as some dogs do with their food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are the Signs that My Dog’s Being Possessive?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some growls are playful. The body language of a playful dog usually is relaxed. His tongue may loll out of his mouth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His face wouldn\u2019t show tension, such as wrinkles or a furrowed brow (unless that\u2019s his usual facial expression, like in a Chow Chow or a Shar Pei).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He may do a play bow where his front end bows down and his rear end remains upright. Dogs who want to play may do this as their body wriggles back and forth enticing you: \u201cLet\u2019s Play!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They may even let out a higher-pitched growl to indicate happiness and excitement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this play-with-me body language and sound are quite different from a dog who is being protective or guarding you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look for the following signs to determine whether your canine buddy isn\u2019t playing, but instead being possessive of his owner (you).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Does your dog guard any other resources?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Does your dog tense up, growl, attempt to bite, or bite when you approach or try to take any valued items like food, toys, or chew bones? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dogs that guard some resources are more likely to guard others like you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I got one of my rescued dogs, a Lhasa Apso named Linkin, he guarded toys and food and anything else he saw as valuable–including me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was about three or four years old when rescued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It took months of working on his issues before I saw a lot of progress. But eventually, I managed his issues successfully.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was my companion for almost 14 years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Is your dog a \u201cVelcro dog?\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dogs that constantly have to be with you may be more likely to guard you as a resource. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although most Velcro dogs won\u2019t. (Some are likely though to have separation anxiety.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. What is your dog\u2019s breed or mix?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The genetic make-up of some dogs may lead to them being more protective than other breeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lines of Rottweilers, Dobermans, and Belgian Malinois, for example, may have been bred to protect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if your pup is from these lines, he will probably be more likely to guard. Of course, a dog who guards may become aggressive if he determines that there\u2019s a threat from another person or animal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, some herding dogs like border collies, Aussies, or shelties may be likely to herd family members, friends, or others away from you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They may nip at their heels let out a yippy bark and circle around the person to be herded. (This is usually not aggression, though. But you still have to redirect this behavior to something acceptable, such as going after a toy instead of you.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Does your dog growl, snap at, lunge, whine, or bite people or animals who approach you?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dogs who are guarding or being protective of you will have a deep-throated growl, not the playful growl of a dog being silly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A dog who\u2019s being aggressive will usually have some of the following traits:<\/p>\n\n\n\n