Resource Guarding in Dogs: Understanding the Behaviour & the Role of Hand-Feeding

Resource guarding is one of the most commonly misunderstood behaviours in dogs. It can be worrying for owners, frustrating to manage, and emotionally challenging — but it’s important to understand that resource guarding is not about dominance or bad behaviour. It is rooted in fear, insecurity, and the need to protect something valuable.

What Is Resource Guarding?

Resource guarding occurs when a dog shows defensive behaviour around something they consider important. This may include:

• food or food bowls

• treats or chews

• toys

• resting places

• people

Dogs may show this by freezing, growling, snapping, or biting. These behaviours are warnings, not sudden aggression.

Why Do Dogs Guard Resources?

Dogs guard because they are afraid of losing something valuable.

This fear can come from:

• genetics

• early experiences (competition with littermates)

• inconsistent access to food

• past punishment

• being repeatedly challenged around resources

From the dog’s point of view, guarding works — it keeps others away and makes them feel safer.

Common Mistakes Owners Make

One of the biggest mistakes owners are told is to:

• take food away “to show who’s in charge”

• provoke the dog to “test” them

• correct or punish growling

These actions usually make the problem worse.

Growling is communication. If we punish it, the dog may stop warning and go straight to biting.

Hand-Feeding: Helpful or Harmful?

Hand-feeding is often recommended, and it can be helpful in some situations.

It can:

• build engagement

• improve focus

• create positive associations

• support training

But hand-feeding is not suitable for every dog, especially dogs who already have resource guarding issues.

Hand-Feeding and Dogs With Guarding Issues

For dogs who already guard food, hand-feeding needs extra care.

Food is already a sensitive topic for these dogs.

If all food comes from the hand, some dogs may start to feel:

• insecure

• overly focused on the hand

• worried about losing food

• the need to control access to food

This can lead to:

• increased tension around hands

• guarding directed toward people

• anxiety when food is later placed in a bowl

• stronger guarding responses

This doesn’t mean hand-feeding is always wrong — but it means it should not be the main feeding method for guarding dogs without professional guidance.

What’s a Better Approach?

The main goal with resource guarding is to help the dog feel safe and secure, not controlled.

Helpful principles include:

• mixing calm bowl feeding with training rewards

• keeping feeding predictable and stress-free

• not taking food away to “test” the dog

• rewarding calm behaviour around food

• building trust instead of pressure

Every dog is different, and the approach should always be individual.

When to Seek Professional Help

If your dog is growling, snapping, or showing strong guarding behaviour, it is important to get help early.With the right approach, resource guarding can improve — but with the wrong approach, it can escalate.

Always choose a professional who understands behaviour, emotions, and uses force-free methods.