Discovering your dog is guarding you can bring up mixed feelings. On the one hand, their protective nature can make you feel safe, but on the other, it might lead to challenging situations, especially if their behavior borders on overprotective. Recognizing the signs your dog is guarding you and understanding why your dog feels the need to do this are essential steps to fixing it.

This article will explain why your dog is protective over you, including whether certain dogs are more protective of female owners and if this behavior stems from a place of protection or fear. Once we’ve covered that, we’ll then teach you how to stop your dog from resource guarding you, balancing your dog feeling secure with not feeling the need to guard. Let’s begin!

Signs Your Dog Is Guarding You

Signs your dog is guarding you include positioning themselves between you and other people, growling or barking at perceived threats, and following you closely around the house. These behaviors indicate that your dog is taking on a protective role and sees it as their duty to keep you safe from what they perceive as dangers.

Why Your Dog Is Protective Over You

Your dog is protective over you because they naturally feel a strong bond with their owners, which can trigger protective behaviors. This instinct can be more pronounced in certain breeds or can be influenced by the dog’s environment and upbringing.

A dog’s protectiveness can be a sign of their loyalty and love, showing they value their relationship with you and want to keep you safe. This often can be taken too far and lead to displays of aggression, however.

Protective Behavior in Dogs: Is It Bad?

Protective behavior in dogs becomes a concern when it leads to aggression or when it disrupts daily activities. While it’s natural for dogs to want to protect their owners, this behavior must be manageable and not pose a risk to others. Identifying and understanding the root of these behaviors can help in addressing them appropriately.

Overprotective Dog: How to Stop

To stop a dog’s overprotective behavior, socialization and training are key. Introducing your dog to a variety of people, animals, and situations in a positive and controlled manner helps them learn not all strangers are threats.

Training the “leave it” command can be particularly effective in managing your dog’s protective behaviors, ensuring they look to you for guidance in situations they’re unsure about. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to train the “leave it” command:

1. Start with a treat in both hands. Show your dog one closed fist with a treat inside and say “leave it.”
2. Wait until your dog stops sniffing and licking your fist and turns away. Then, give them a treat from the other hand.
3. Repeat this process several times until your dog starts to move away from the first fist when you say “leave it.”
4. Next, place the treat on the floor and cover it with your hand. Say “leave it” and wait for your dog to stop trying to get to the treat. Reward them with a treat from your other hand.
5. Gradually increase the difficulty by uncovering the treat and training in different environments with more distractions.

Understanding the signs your dog is guarding you allows for a better approach to managing their protective behavior, and will ensure that there’s a healthy balance between their instinct to protect and the need for social harmony.

It’s important to remember that the underlying behavioral issues (fear, anxiety, etc.) that were causing all of this to begin with will still be present. And until you address those, any positive changes you see will only be temporary.

“Well, how do I make these changes last?”

By getting your dog to truly choose to follow your direction, that’s how. I tried many times to write out how you can do that before deciding it made more sense to just link you to the free video series that explains it better than I’d ever be able to.

The series is by a man named Dan who is one of the world’s leading dog obedience trainers. In it, he teaches you how to put an end to things like your dog guarding you aggressively and all other misbehavior using his fast and easy-to-follow methods.

In the first video, Dan will reveal to you why the two most common methods of dog training only doom you to failure. You can watch the video now by clicking here. Follow the proven system he’ll show you in his series and you’ll never have to spend another second worrying about why your dog is protective over you ever again!

Dog Resource Guarding Owner

A dog resource guarding their owner is often rooted in their instinct to protect resources they find valuable, which can include their human companions. Recognizing the signs and knowing how to address this behavior can foster a healthier relationship between you and your pet, ensuring that there’s safety and harmony within your household.

Are Dogs More Protective of Female Owners?

It’s a common belief that dogs are more protective of female owners. While there’s no definitive scientific evidence to suggest that dogs are inherently more protective or possessive of female owners, individual dogs might develop stronger attachments or protective instincts towards a particular person in the household.

This stronger bond with a female owner can be based on their experiences, the person’s demeanor, and the quality of the interaction they share. Understanding your dog’s body language and reactions in various situations can help you discern their protective behavior’s nuances.

Learn how to address your dog’s overprotective behavior before it goes too far by going back to the first section now.

Is My Dog Protecting Me or Scared?

Knowing if your dog is protecting you or scared can be difficult, as these responses can sometimes overlap. Protective behavior is often characterized by a dog positioning themselves between their owner and a perceived threat like a neighbor, with their focus and alertness directed toward the external stimulus (other person, other dog, etc.).

On the other hand, fear might manifest through avoidance, cowering, or escape behaviors. Observing your dog’s body language and the context of the situation can provide insights into their emotional state and motivations.

How to Stop Resource Guarding of Owner

Addressing resource guarding of you involves training and behavior modification techniques that encourage your dog to feel secure and not perceive others as threats to their relationship with you. Training commands like “leave it” can help manage your dog’s behavior. Learn why it works and how to train it yourself in the first section.

Additionally, be sure to use positive reinforcement techniques that reward your dog for non-guarding behavior.

In summary, understanding the root of your dog’s possessive behavior is crucial for addressing it effectively. By recognizing the signs of resource guarding and implementing consistent training and behavior modification techniques, you can help your dog feel more secure and reduce instances of guarding behavior.

I’m sure you’re ready to get started now that you have all of your questions about your dog guarding you answered, so I’ll let you get going on things. Best wishes, and thank you for checking out our article “Signs Your Dog Is Guarding You + Stop Dog Resource Guarding Owner”.