Training Philosophy
Resource Guarding Towards People
Does your dog exhibit aggressive behavior around food? Does your dog growl or snap at you whenever you go to grab a toy from them? If your dog struggles with resource guarding, you are not alone! Resource guarding can be directed at both people and other pets in the home. Many people get confused about this behavior as it happens seemingly out of nowhere due to the wide variety of conditions that bring on this aggressive behavior. Our team uses a unique system involving our Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, our Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior, and our pre-training team to assess and create a personalized treatment plan. Our unique process is one of a kind and specific to Beyond the Dog. Using our system, we’ve treated hundreds of dogs that show aggressive behavior around all different resources from bones to beds around the greater Houston area. Our Houston resource guarding dog training program is here to create harmony in your home by reducing or eliminating your dog’s aggression.
Resource Guarding Towards Other Dogs
Does your dog growl and lunge at other pets in the home whenever they have access to certain items? Maybe whenever your older dog has a bone they become stiff and territorial when your new puppy approaches? This may seem like normal behavior but often develops into a very dangerous living environment. If you have two dogs fighting in your Houston home over resources, our Houston in-home dog training program is for you. Led by Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, your dog’s behavior will be thoroughly analyzed through the Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior and knowledge of our pre-training team. Through our unique process, we will create a personalized treatment plan for your dog. Our Houston 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.
Training Programs
This Houston dog training program is specifically designed to reduce and eliminate resource guarding. Common instances of guarding that we treat include:
Dogs can develop resource guarding for many reasons 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. Our trainers treat resource guarding with a combination of classical conditioning and positive reinforcement, including teaching specific obedience behaviors to help manage your dog’s behavior around resources all while using a functional approach. Research by Mehrkam et al. supports that function-based treatment using classical and operant conditioning was highly effective in treating resource guarding in dogs with results that last weeks after treatment has been performed. Dogs are taught to be less concerned about the resources and happily look forward to being approached by their loved ones. According to our resident CAAB Dr. Echterling-Savage, “Resource guarding in dogs is a problem behavior that has caused my clients some of the most stress, confusion, and concern. Luckily, with proper function-based training, it is treatable.”
Our 22-Hour Training Program for Resource Guarding in Dogs encompasses 20 training sessions across 5 intensive weeks with 2 follow-up sessions spanning a total of 22 training sessions over 8 weeks! As well as 30 minutes of virtual consultations with Dr. Echterling-Savage. After you submit your training contract and Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior, our pre-training team, led by Dr. Echterling-Savage, uses the information provided to craft your personalized dog training program. Then, your trainer will put your training plan into action! 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 2 follow-up sessions to support your progress. Please note that our indirect behavior assessments will confirm your dog’s behavior and goals.
This program has been designed to address resource guarding behaviors while teaching obedience commands and manners that support those goals. During this program, we address resource guarding behaviors including:
Lunging, growling and snapping at other dogs and/or people that is associated with:
It is very likely that a dog’s resource guarding behavior will get worse if not treated. There are multiple causes for resource-guarding behavior, including early life experiences, dog breed, genetics, the behavior of other pets in the home, and exposure to aversive training methods (such as the use of shock collars).
Our team, led by our co-founder and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, will develop a personalized training program that addresses your dog’s unique challenges. We use classical conditioning and positive reinforcement to treat resource guarding behavior.
Classical conditioning is a function-based intervention that supports long-lasting success in behavior modification. We implement proven scientific research into our training programs, including a study by Mehrkhahm et al. that demonstrated that function-based interventions significantly improved resource guarding behaviors, allowing dogs to be excited when approached by family members rather than being concerned about guarding their resources. As stated by Dr. Echterling-Savage, “Resource Guarding behaviors are very treatable with proper function-based training, which has relieved families of a great deal of concern and stress with their dog’s behavior”.
Before training begins, we ask that you complete our “Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior”.This will allow our team to better understand your dog’s behavioral history and your concerns. Dr. Echterling-Savage will meet with you for a virtual consultation. This consultation will help to develop a personalized training plan to ensure the most effective training methods to achieve your goals.
During this program, your trainer will work with your dog through 1-hour sessions throughout the week, with one of these days dedicated as a lesson with you. This lesson will be used to teach you how to reinforce what has been taught.
After the training program has been completed, follow-up lessons will take place. These lessons will monitor the overall progress to ensure long-term success in treating your dog’s resource guarding behavior.
Our Resource Guarding Behavior Modification Package offers customized virtual sessions with Dr. Echterling-Savage, our resident Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB). As one of the few Board Certified Behavior Analysts in Applied Animal Behavior and among only 50 CAABs in the country, Dr. Echterling-Savage has decades of experience and has published papers on canine behavior. Her expertise makes these consultations a unique opportunity for anyone looking to address their dog’s resource guarding behavior and make lasting improvements.
Dr. Echterling-Savage will work closely with you to design a training plan designed specifically for your dog’s needs. After your first meeting, she’ll continue to guide you, providing ongoing support and troubleshooting behavior scenarios that help you manage your dog’s resource guarding behavior and ensure ongoing progress. This program runs for four weeks for mild cases and six weeks for moderate or severe cases.