Interesting "Resource Guarding"

[Erin]

Not knowing much about resource guarding - as my own doodle has never exhibited that behavior - I'm just clueless as to how to react to it in other dogs that my doodle plays with.

My girl Hershey is very submissive.  Both to people, and usually with other dogs.  But she does have friends that she runs and plays and chases and gets along great with.  One of these doggies is a smallish, corgi mix thingy that my friend adopted from a shelter.  Great dog.  A lot more high energy.  But very friendly with people and VERY sumbissive to people.  You can't yell or try to move her off the couch or react in a negative way, or she just rolls over....

With Hershey its a different matter.  One minute every thing is great and they're just lounging, the next Ginger runs across the room, growling and snatching whatever toy Hershey has.  Doesn't matter who it "belongs" to, or what it is.  What ever Hershey has, Ginger needs it.  And then she hoards them. 

So take the toys away, and Ginger guards people.  Hershey looks at her funny and she attacks.

Take the people away and Ginger will guard space.  Not let Hershey past a certain point in the hallway. 

It doesn't happen all the time, but it can get ugly....  and correcting Ginger with a loud no, or just grabbing her (25lbs) and hauling her away from biting Hershey's neck and face make Ginger scream and go limp like i've kicked her!  

My 50 lb dog is being pushed around and intimidated by this dog, and I really really like this other dog!  How would you handle this!? 

[Adina P]

I think the key is an impersonal correction with dogs like Ginger -- and I say this from discussions with my trainer (so I might be misinterpreting) rather than from experience.  But dogs like Ginger, tend to use submission to weasel out of doing the right thing (as defined by the owner not some overarching dog morality).  Raise your voice, act intimidating (leaning over her, threatening, etc) and they will throw out submissive postures to get you to stop...but they aren't really submissive in a good way..in a "I really care what you think and I want to please you" way.  They just throw up their hands, so to speak, and declare "hey you're scary" and hope they can change the subject.  That's what I think, anyway, based on discussions with my trainer.  It's hard to say what YOU should do, however, when she's not your dog.  Are her owners around when that happens?

But if you correct her in an impersonal way but a way that shows you mean business, and you are consistent without throwing out 'dominance' type moves, then I think such a dog will come around.  But all that correction without her having a solid obedience relationship with you (or her owners) isn't as useful as it would be on top of a foundation of solid obedience. 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Ginger doesn't really sound like a submissive dog to me, although she may act that way with people.  She seems to be totally ruling Hershey...guarding, growling, snatching.  I always correct these types of dominant behaviors with my guys.  These are unacceptable behaviors IMO, and I just don't allow them.  I would not let the "screaming and going limp" stop me from giving a correction that is fair and deserved.  How else will she learn.  She's been lucky that Hershey is not challenging her....at some point she may meet a dog who will not tolerate this.  Better that she learns before this.