Dog turf wars

Is your dog a breed that has been designed for protection or alerting you to company arriving on your plot? Or is your dog being territorial becoming an issue? Many people enjoy having a dog as an alarm to intruders but your dog probably doesn’t know who is ok and who is not.

If your dog is feeling obliged to play guard dog it is important you act as if you are in charge of the door, guests, the gate etc. Perhaps some of her response is directly related to her genetics.

Make yourself the source of the ‘good things’ in life (food, play, walks and meaningful stimulus) to help reduce her taking charge of security on her turf. The less something belongs to you, the more she things it belongs to her. This includes toys, visitors, space etc.

When dogs need to look to you for things such as permission and direction they will be encouraged to trust you to take charge in other ways. Your dog doesn’t have a filter that tells her who to let in and out when it is not a regular visitor. If she alerts you to a situation, arrive there take control and give her some direction – permission to go ‘off-guard’ if you will. If a dog’s energy is not reduced when you claim the space then you may need to decide whether you are going to manage the situation (e.g. access, leash, muzzle) or employ some training tactics.  Don’t take a gamble on safety. Visitors will also be looking for cues that you will control the dog or they may not be comfortable to venture in.

The more visual and physical access a territorial dog has to seeing outside of your property and the more she is allowed to patrol it e.g. verbally tell off passers by, the more difficult it will be to reduce her desire to guard his turf. When someone passes she thinks her reactivity has scared them off. This, with repetition cements in her mind that she is doing a great job and is rewarded each time someone passes.

Leah & Angela OMeara

Hound Dog Day Care (Specialists in Dog Minding & Dog Boarding, Pet Sitting Brisbane & Doggy Day Care Brisbane)