Resource Guarding
Resource guarding in greyhounds is not uncommon. Learn what it is, why it happens, and how to address it through simple training and management techniques.
What is resource guarding?
Resource guarding in greyhounds is not uncommon, and is when a dog displays mild to moderate aggressive behaviour around their personal areas including food and water bowls, bedding, kennel, toys and sleeping area. The dog equivalent of "don't touch my stuff!"
Often, greyhounds are raised with their litter mates in a pack until they are around 20 weeks old.
After 20 weeks of age, greyhound pups may be group housed or housed in pairs until they reach their race pre-training stage. At these stages of life, greyhounds may be required to share food and water bowls, toys and bed space.
During training and racing, greyhounds tend to be individually housed and their food and water bowls, bedding, toys etc are their own, so they do not have to share.
This upbringing may pre-dispose some greyhounds to resource guarding.
If adopting through GAP, we will let you know if your dog has any previously noted resource guarding behaviour and/or what work has been done to correct, where appropriate.
How can I address resource guarding?
Resource guarding is a behaviour that we can change relatively easily through training; but it is a serious behaviour if not managed properly. Dogs are predators, so they are pre-programmed to protect important resources such as food, water and sleeping areas.
To address resource guarding successfully, you need to work with your greyhound to teach them that the approach by you or another human to his/her food, toys, bed or space is a good thing.
Before beginning any training, you should seek expert help from your veterinarian, a dog trainer, your adoption agency/shelter/rescue group or GAP.
However, here are some simple management techniques:
- Always provide your greyhound with their own time-out or safe space. Food, water and treats should be first made available there and, while they are still resource guarding, this area should be blocked from entry by children and other pets/animals.
- Teach your greyhound the command GIVE/MINE. Start with objects that he/she does not value as much as treats (which are highly valued). Then gradually work your way up to objects that he/she cares very much about. Ask him/her to give you the object, then either wait for them to do so (if they know the cue) or cause them to do so by presenting food near their mouth. Reward and praise him/her for dropping the object, then give it back to them as soon as they are done chewing. Practising this cue and giving the resource back each time helps your greyhound understand that giving away their resources to a human is a good thing, so there's no reason to guard them. Children should only work on this step under adult supervision. Start with the family member that the greyhound trusts most.
- Condition your greyhound to expect good things when you approach, especially if they have some sort of highly prized resource, like a bone. As with "give", start with something your dog does not guard. Walk over, present the treat while they are enjoying their low value toy or food, and leave. Do this with several low value toys throughout the day. Repeat this for several days until he/she begins to look up at you, with a "Hey, they're here to give me a treat" expression on their face. With the low value objects, move up to touching the dog in some way, grabbing the object (often saying "give" first), then popping a high value treat in their mouth and returning the object. Over a period of weeks or more, gradually move up to repeating the above with higher and higher value toys or food. With high value items, start by just walking by the dog, out of the range that makes him growl, and dropping a treat. Move closer as the days go by, if the dog is ready; never progress faster than your dog is happily willing to go. If the dog is not relaxed and happy at any stage, you have moved too fast, so retreat to the previous level. Repeat this entire process with several high value objects. After that, progress to doing this process with more people around, more stress in the environment. Children should only work on the conditioning step under adult supervision.
How will I know when we're at the maintenance stage?
After your greyhound is happily accepting any human approach to its food or toys, you are at the maintenance stage. Twice a week, at first, then once or twice per month, approach while they're eating, pick up the bowl, and plop in a handful of treats before setting it back down. Do the same with toys or bones as well.
Practise the "give or mine" command, replacing the surrendered object with something else if you really must take it away.
Why has my greyhound started resource guarding again?
If your dog ever starts up again with resource guarding, it's probably because you haven't kept up on the training and they have started to notice that it's not such a good thing to give up their resources, after all. Remind them that humans are the source of all good things by going through the above process again.
For further advice on your GAP dog's behaviour, please call our team on 5799 0166.
_51505627.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
Meet our dogs ready for adoption
All greyhounds adopted from GAP are de-sexed, vaccinated, microchipped, wormed and health checked.
Name
0 Years Old
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.
Name
0 Years Old
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.
Name
0 Years Old
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.
Name
0 Years Old
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.
Name
0 Years Old
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.
Name
0 Years Old
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla.
Thoth
Harrison
George
Whisper
Mary ARP
Mary is an absolute sweetheart and the beauty to match! This gorgeous girl is friendly, outgoing and full of enthusiasm. She loves being around people, is incredibly affectionate and has a fun, puppyish nature that shines through. Mary is playful, boisterous and very excitable. She can be quite jumpy when she’s happy, often greeting people with a LOT of enthusiasm. She will need a home with a secure backyard where she can burn off some energy. Mary may besuited to live as an only dog or may be suitable to live with medium or large dogs. She also may be suitable to live with a family that have older children aged 15+. Due to her energetic nature, she is not suitable to live with elderly people or dogs. With the right home, Mary’s fun-loving personality will make her a wonderful and entertaining companion.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). We have behavioural and health assessed this lovely dog, and they will remain with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting this particular dog, and not other dogs currently in our care.
Jed ARP
Jed is a handsome and affectionate greyhound with a sweet, friendly nature and a real love of people. Personable and easy to spend time with, he enjoys being close to his handlers and has an endearing habit of leaning gently against you for comfort and companionship. With his kind heart and loving personality, Jed quickly wins over everyone he meets.
While Jed is generally social, he can sometimes feel a little worried around unfamiliar breeds of dog, so he would benefit from thoughtful introductions and would be best avoiding off-lead parks or busy areas where dogs may rush up to him. He may suit living with polite dogs of any size who will respect his space and could also be a wonderful companion for a family with children aged 5 years and older. With understanding and support, Jed will reward his new family with loyalty, affection and plenty of gentle cuddles.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). ARP dogs are kept with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting them. As such, you will not be able to meet any other dogs, as you otherwise would be able to.
Lou Lou ARP
This beautiful 5-year-old girl is as sweet as she is pretty. Friendly, social and outgoing, she loves being around people and greets life with confidence and enthusiasm. Her personable nature and very affectionate personality make her a wonderful companion, whether she's joining you on an adventure or simply enjoying some quality time by your side. She also walks beautifully on lead, making daily strolls together an absolute pleasure.
With her easy-going and loving temperament, she may suit living as an only dog where she can soak up all the attention, or with a compatible male dog of any size. She would likely do best in a home with respectful children aged 10 years and older. Full of charm, affection and companionship, this lovely brindle girl is ready to become a treasured member of a lucky family.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). ARP dogs are kept with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting them. As such, you will not be able to meet any other dogs, as you otherwise would be able to.
Ricey ARP
Ricey is a handsome 4-year-old boy with a friendly and personable nature. While he enjoys the company of people and forms lovely connections with those he trusts, Ricey is more of an introvert at heart and can be anxious in unfamiliar situations. Despite this, he always tries hard to be brave, taking things in his stride and showing a quiet determination as he navigates the world around him.
Ricey would likely thrive in a patient and understanding home that allows him to build confidence at his own pace. He may suit living as an only dog, where he can enjoy plenty of one-on-one attention, or with a confident medium or large canine companion. Ricey may also be suited to a home with respectful children aged 10 years and older. With kindness, routine and support, this sweet-natured boy will make a loyal and rewarding companion.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). ARP dogs are kept with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting them. As such, you will not be able to meet any other dogs, as you otherwise would be able to.
Possum ARP
Possum is a sweet, friendly and confident 5-year-old boy who never misses an opportunity to make a new friend. Outgoing, personable and affectionate, he loves meeting everyone and anyone, greeting the world with a wagging tail and a happy attitude. Whether you're stopping for a coffee at a local café or strolling through a weekend market, Possum is the kind of dog who enjoys being part of the action and sharing adventures with his people.
With his easy-going nature and love of human company, Possum may suit a home with respectful young children aged 5 years and older. He may also be happy living as an only dog, soaking up all the attention for himself, or sharing his home with a like-minded medium or large caninecompanion. Charming, social and full of affection, Possum is a wonderfulall-rounder who is sure to bring plenty of joy to his future family.
Bobby