Why does my dog guard me?

Why does my dog guard me?

If you’re asking yourself this question, then your dog probably shows a little more than normal affection.

In fact, he might not want to leave your side. And worse, he’s trying to protect you from your loved ones.

Sure, it might seem cute at first. After all, your dog seems to care a whole lot about you. But after a while, it becomes really annoying and potentially dangerous.

That’s why it’s very important to curb this behavior as soon as possible. And the best way to get started with that is to understand where it comes from.

So, here’s why your dog is guarding you.

Why does my dog guard me?

Your dog is your best friend, and you’re his. You two love each other, and your bond is incredibly strong.

This companionship is one of the best things about having a dog. But what happens if that bond starts getting a little too intense?

If your dog is guarding, then a variety of problems can come up. Dogs that are guarding their owners tend to be reactive or even aggressive.

This is dangerous for you and for the people around you. It’s also dangerous for your dog!

If your dog guards you and won’t let anyone close to you, there are several reasons that could be. No matter what the reason is, it’s something you should work to put a stop to right away. It might seem cute at first, but it can quickly escalate and cause a lot of trouble.

Before we get into what guarding is exactly and how you can stop it, take a look at these articles about other dog behavior issues you may encounter:

• Why Does My Dog Jump and Bite While Walking?
• 7 Tips for Overtired Puppy Aggression
• Dog Jumps and Humps When Tired or Over Excited—What Can I Do?

What does it mean when your dog guards you?

Dog guarding can be a serious problem and can get both you and your pup into a lot of trouble. If you don’t nip this behavior in the bud as soon as you can, then it can progress into reactivity or aggression. Both of these problems can put you and your dog into a bad situation.

But what exactly is guarding behaviour in dogs? And what does it mean?

If your dog is guarding you, then that basically means what it sounds like. Your dog is trying to prevent other people or animals from getting to you.

Basically, he thinks that he’s protecting you even if there’s nothing that you need to be protected from.

There are several signs that might indicate that your dog is guarding you. When your dog is guarding, he might growl if someone approaches you or snap at them. Guarding behavior can even be as simple as your dog always standing between you and the other person.

Even if your dog is just standing in front of you, this isn’t behavior that you want to continue. If you allow your dog to continue guarding, the behavior could escalate.

And remember, guarding is more than just loyalty or clinginess. For more info on those topics, take a look at these articles:

• Why Are Dogs So Loyal?
• 9 Reasons Why Your Dog Is So Clingy All of a Sudden

Why is my dog so protective of me?

If your dog is guarding you, then you might be wondering why he’s doing it in the first place.

Dogs guard for a variety of reasons. And their humans aren’t the only things they guard! It’s also extremely common for dogs to guard things like their food or their toys.

This makes sense when you look back at your dog’s ancestors. When they were living in the wild, they didn’t have humans with them to make sure that they had enough food to eat and water to drink.

And they certainly didn’t have any humans buying them toys!

So when they found something, they needed to guard it in case another dog or animal came to take it away.

This is what’s known as resource guarding. But your dog can demonstrate the same behavior towards you! You’re part of his pack and his pack is, in a way, a resource for him. So if he thinks there’s a threat to his pack, he’ll do what he thinks he needs to in order to protect you.

Your dog may think that you aren’t good at protecting yourself. And as the leader of his pack, he needs to make sure that you’re safe.

That’s what results in guarding behaviors in dogs towards their humans. While this may seem sweet, it can cause a lot of future issues. So you’ll want to curb this as soon as you can.

How do I stop my dog from guarding me?

You know what guarding is and why it can cause problems. And you know that if your dog is guarding you, then you need to make sure you put a stop to it.

But how do you do that exactly?

The most important thing is to look into positive reinforcement dog training. When it comes to any type of training, positive reinforcement is going to be your best friend (aside from your dog, of course).

When you use positive reinforcement training, you focus on and reward behaviors that you like. At the same time, you’re ignoring and discouraging behavior you don’t want to continue.

When training a dog that is resource guarding, including you, always avoid punishment. Some people believe that punishing their dogs when they act out is the most effective way of stopping. Unfortunately, it can also encourage fear which might turn to aggression.

That’s what you want to avoid at all costs with a dog that’s guarding!

Instead, you should try and prevent your dog from guarding you in the first place as much as possible.

So, for example, if your dog tends to guard when you’re on the couch and tries to jump up onto you, send him away from the couch. Don’t let him get up onto it at least until he’s trained.

Teaching commands like “leave it” will also be really helpful. Once your dog knows this command, you can tell him to “leave it” if he starts guarding you.

You should also work on teaching your dog that being alone is okay. Your dog might be guarding you in part because he’s anxious about you leaving. Crate training your dog will help a lot with that.

Here’s how to crate train a dog easily in 13 steps.

You should also make sure that you’re keeping up with your dog’s socialization. This is a really important skill for your dog to have.

If your dog’s guarding habits are extreme or you’re not seeing progress with training, reach out to a specialist. Asking for help from a dog trainer could make all the difference for you and your dog.

Remember to do your research and find a trainer in your area that focuses on positive reinforcement training.

And throughout the entire training process, remember to be patient with your dog and yourself. You may not see change right away, but you will over time as long as you stay consistent!

My dog guards me when I sleep, what can I do?

Lots of dog parents have trouble with their dogs throughout the day. If your dog is guarding you when you have guests over or when you’re out for a walk, that’s a problem.

But what if your dog is guarding you at night? It’s hard to keep an eye on your dog when you’re sleeping.

Your dog probably recognizes that you’re much more vulnerable when you’re asleep. And because he’s trying to protect you, he might be more prone to guarding at this time.

But that’s no reason to let him continue, even if he’s only guarding at night. That could transition to guarding you during the day, and that’s not good either.

If your dog guards you when you’re sleeping, then the best thing you can do is prevent him from sleeping with you.

You can put him in another room when it’s bedtime. Crate training will help you a lot here too. Having your dog sleep in his crate instead of with you will prevent him from trying to guard you.

How to stop a dog from resource guarding

Dogs can be really sensitive when it comes to their resources, especially their food and toys. If your dog is resource guarding, then there are ways you can stop him.

If your dog’s guarding is particularly intense, then getting the help of a dog trainer will be your best bet.

But a lot of the time, you can help your dog yourself. Teaching “leave it” is a valuable tool for you and your dog.

So will simply managing your dog’s environment. Sometimes the behavior itself can’t be changed, but your dog’s environment can. If your dog resource guards food, then allowing him to eat in a quiet place alone can help.

Conclusion

Dogs make wonderful companions, and you and your dog will be together his whole life. But if your dog’s attachment starts going beyond loyalty or affection, that’s a problem.

Dogs that guard can quickly become reactive or aggressive if they’re pushed. So if your dog is guarding you, then you need to work with him to put a stop to the behavior.

Remember, in cases of guarding where your dog could be a danger to himself or others, then reaching out to a certified trainer is your best bet. Otherwise, patience and time will help you and your dog learn how to manage his guarding behavior.