Why is my dog suddenly possessive? The Ultimate Guide

How to Stop Possession Aggression

If the sign your dog exhibits is growling, be sure you are dealing with the growling properly. The worst thing you can do is to force your dog to give up the item hes protecting. You could get injured and your dog will learn nothing. Instead, teach your dog to trust you around its treasures. Its better to find a way to convince your dog that giving up the item means something good will happen.

Offer a Special Reward

Instead of taking away your dogs treasured object, try introducing something your dog may find even more valuable, like a special treat or a new toy. If your dog is holding the item he is guarding, you can use the “drop it” cue to get your dog to give up the item. Just make sure you have a valuable reward.

After your dog stops guarding and gets the other reward, you can let him have the item he was guarding back. Repeat the exercise often, each time your dog is resource guarding. Over time, your pet will learn that there is no need to protect its possessions.

Why is my dog suddenly possessive?

How obsessed is too obsessed?

Why is my dog suddenly possessive?

It’s hard not to be obsessed with the fact that your dog is obsessed with you. That’s every dog parent’s dream, after all!

But if you notice your dog’s demeanor or body language seems to shift when other people come around, or get a bit too close to you, this obsession could actually be possessiveness.

The Dodo spoke with Dr. Andrea Y. Tu and Dr. Vanessa Spano, veterinarians with Behavior Vets in New York City, to figure out how you can spot the difference, and how you can help if your pup is being possessive.

Dog Possession Aggression: What To Do