Training Philosophy
Resource Guarding Towards People
Is your puppy showing early signs of resource guarding? Some of the most common signs of puppy resource guarding are puppies growling at your approach if they have their food or bone. Some puppies snap at you if you try to take their toy. Another red, flag for puppy resource guarding is when your puppy swallows a stolen item whole rather than drop it when caught. If any of this sounds like your puppy, it is time to consult an expert! 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 like beds or couches. Some puppies will guard the kitchen space or pantry where their food is kept. If your puppy is struggling with guarding behaviors, Beyond the Dog behavior consultants are uniquely qualified to help!
Resource Guarding Towards Other Pets in the Home
Resource guarding can also happen towards other pets in the home. This can create dog fights and other dangerous situations. In many cases, continued fighting over resources leads to an overall negative relationship with each other overtime, leading to a situation where they cannot be in the same room. This creates a very stressful home environment for everyone. At Beyond the Dog, we have treated hundreds of dogs with resource-guarding behaviors and we have the treatment narrowed down to a science! Our one-of-a-kind Dallas puppy training programs are scientifically proven to reduce and eliminate puppy aggression using a proprietary combination of positive reinforcement and classical conditioning. Led by Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, we only utilize the latest research in puppy behavior to treat resource guarding.
Training Programs
Our goal is to treat resource guarding and teach relevant obedience skills to create a happy home environment. From growling over a stolen sock to snapping if you take their bone, we work to reduce any resource-guarding behaviors and help you manage them on your own to keep everyone safe and happy. We will address behaviors such as:
Puppies guard resources 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 the puppy shows signs of resource guarding, it is very difficult for owners to not inadvertently reinforce it. Plus, the guarding behaviors are likely to strengthen as they grow older. At Beyond the Dog, we practice function-based training, with a combination of classical counterconditioning and operant conditioning. 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 counterconditioning, operant conditioning, and learning theory. Dr. Echterling-Savage leads Beyond the Dog’s aggression training protocols based on science and 20 years of experience. According to our resident CAAB Dr. Echterling-Savage, “The best way to eliminate puppy guarding is to recognize the early signs right away and seek professional help. Once the behavior has been identified, one of our Dallas behavior consultants can easily treat the problem behavior.”
The All-Inclusive Program for Puppy Resource Guarding encompasses 20 training sessions across five intensive weeks with two follow-up sessions spanning a total of 22 training sessions over eight weeks! After you submit your training contract and Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior, our pre-training team, led by our CAAB, Dr. Echterling-Savage, uses the information provided to craft your personalized puppy training program. Then, your trainer will put your training plan into action! Your trainer will work with your puppy 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 the severity of your puppy’s behavior and if deemed severe you may incur a small additional fee.
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 puppy training.
If you live outside of the Dallas Fort-Worth service area or would like professional advice, 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 puppy’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. Following protocols led by Dr. Echterling-Savage, our Dallas trainers are experts in treating resource guarding and aggression in puppies. Pricing for a 1-hour virtual consultation with one of our Dallas trainers starts at $150.
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