Dog Possessiveness Blog about Pet Animals

Dogs have a natural instinct to be possessive of some things and will act aggressively towards another dog that gets too close to their food or toys. Our pet insurance customers will be happy to know that this is a normal reaction between two dogs, but this behaviour shouldn't be used towards their owner. This type of behaviour has to be stopped and can be prevented with the right kind of dog training.

A dog that shows a possessive behaviour towards food and toys could unintentionally bite the hand that feeds it. There are different levels of possessiveness. Some dogs will show no signs of being possessive when an owner takes something away from them. If a dog starts wagging his tail fast when you approach his food bowl, or if he has a toy you want, averts his head and walks away with it in his mouth, then these are signs of mild possessiveness

If your dog stares aggressively and bares his teeth when you try to approach their food or if it will not give up a toy unless forced to, these are clear signs of possessiveness. This behaviour can be changed with a little patience, time and leadership. Positive reinforcement is the best approach. This will allow your dog to relax and trust you. They will have to learn that their owner means no harm when they approach them. You should not take their food away when they growl because this only reinforces to them that you are trying to take their food and they will try to prevent that.

It is also never a good idea to pet your dog when they are eating. This will make them nervous and they might snap. Eating should be an enjoyable experience. Most people don't like to be disturbed when they are eating, neither do dogs. The same type of positive reinforcement is used for dogs that are possessive of their toys. You can teach them the "drop it" command. When they drop the toy you can verbally praise them or give them a treat. Dogs are very intelligent and will learn quickly what is expected of them. This is also a good command to teach your dog in case they have something in their mouth that could cause them bodily harm.

With a little time and patience you and your dog will be able to relax and trust each other. A little possessiveness is natural and a dog just needs to be taught that you mean them no harm.