Training Philosophy
Resource Guarding Towards People
Resource guarding is most commonly exhibited around food or high-value edibles, like meals or bones. Guarding can also come in other forms, like protection of food-related spaces or comfy spots. Some dogs will guard the kitchen space or pantry where their food is kept. Alternatively, beds, couches, or other cushioned spaces can be hot spots. Sometimes guarding is seen when your dog guards you or a family member. Not to be confused with reactivity, when a dog exhibits guarding of a person, they will guard their person even from others they are typically happy to see, whether it’s a spouse, child, or well-known friend. Our team uses our unique system, one that involves our Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and our pre-training team, to assess and create a personalized treatment plan. If your dog is struggling with guarding behaviors, Beyond the Dog is uniquely qualified to help!
Resource Guarding Towards Other Pets
Resource guarding can also happen towards other pets in the home. This can create fights and other dangerous situations. In many cases, continued fighting over resources leads to the pets’ overall dislike of the other, sometimes creating a situation where dogs can no longer be in the same room together. This creates a very stressful home environment for everyone. At Beyond the Dog, we have treated a thousand dogs with resource-guarding behaviors and we have the treatment narrowed down to a science! Led by Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, we only utilize the latest research in dog behavior in our programs. Our Dallas in-home dog training programs are scientifically proven to reduce and eliminate dog aggression using a combination of positive reinforcement and classical conditioning including teaching specific obedience behaviors to help manage your dog’s behavior around resources. Our Dallas resource guarding dog training program is here to create harmony in your home by reducing or eliminating your dog’s aggression.
Training Programs
From growling to biting, our Dallas team can help reduce and manage any aggressive behaviors so everyone in the home is safe and happy. We aim to reduce and manage resource-guarding behaviors including but not limited to:
Dogs can develop resource-guarding behaviors due to a number of factors including genetics, breed, early environment, aversive training techniques, and the behavior of other pets in the home. Unfortunately, once a dog has shown signs of resource guarding, without proper intervention, the behavior is likely to worsen. At Beyond the Dog, we practice function-based training, as it is the most effective way to treat the behavior. In research conducted by Lindsay Mehrkam’s “Functional analysis and operant treatment of food guarding in a pet dog” we see that behavior modification is the most effective way of treating resource-related aggression. Behavior modification is a systematic approach to understanding and changing dog behavior through the application of learning theories, such as classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and learning theory. Dr. Echterling-Savage leads Beyond the Dog’s aggression training protocols based on science and 20 years of experience. Our unique training programs lead to the most effective techniques for reducing guarding behaviors. According to our resident CAAB Dr. Echterling-Savage, “Resource guarding can cause my clients to experience high levels of stress and concern about their pet. Luckily, we can treat any type of resource guarding with function-based treatment.”
The All-Inclusive Program for Resource Guarding in Dogs encompasses 20 training sessions across five intensive weeks with two follow-up sessions spanning a total of 22 training sessions over eight weeks! After completion of the Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior, our pre-training team designs a personalized treatment protocol. Combining our unique system with classical counterconditioning and positive reinforcement, training is performed in your home, where the guarding is occurring. Your trainer will work with your dog one-on-one for three (1) hour sessions during the week. The fourth session each week is dedicated to your training! This structure is designed to produce seamless learning and long-term behavior change. After the 5-week-long training, there are two follow-up sessions to support your progress. Please note that our indirect behavior assessments will confirm your dog’s behavior and goals. If your dog’s training program requires additional oversight from our Animal Behavior Experts, a small additional fee may be required.
Most insurance companies such as Trupanion will cover behavioral training when under the direction of a CAAB or a Board Certified Vet Behaviorist. Be sure to check with your provider to see if they will cover the cost of resource-guarding dog training.
If you live outside of the Dallas Fort-Worth service area or would like a one-off consultation with an expert, schedule a virtual consultation with our Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, or one of our Dallas behavior consultants. We will create a customized training plan for you to manage your dog’s resource guarding. After your consultation, you will have the option to schedule additional virtual sessions and continued expert advice to troubleshoot training situations. Pricing for a 1-hour virtual consultation with Dr. Echterling-Savage is $375. We also offer 1-hour consultations with our Dallas behavior consultants. Following protocols led by Dr. Echterling-Savage, our Dallas trainers are experts in treating resource guarding and aggression in dogs. Pricing for a 1-hour virtual consultation with one of our Dallas trainers starts at $150.
Reach Out
We’ll get back to you in two wags of a dog’s tail!
Sign up for our newsletter
Sign up for our newsletter
