Great Pyrenees Mix Trapped in Shelter for 450 Days – Resource Guarding to Blame, But Will It Keep Him from Finding Love?
Spinach is a 1.5-year-old Great Pyrenees mix in the care of Austin Pets Alive!—a no-kill animal rescue in Austin, Texas. Still a young dog, Spinach has spent more than 450 days at the shelter. Spinach has braved through over a year of stress and anxiety, and two summers where temperatures hit triple digits. Through it all, Spinach has shown his playful, charming personality and has received more than a few interested adoption applications.
Unfortunately, none of the homes that have applied to adopt Spinach have been a good fit for one particular reason: Spinach resource guards.
Resource guarding can be a complex behavioral issue, and dog owners managing a dog who resource guards need the right skills to approach the problem. When managed incorrectly, dogs who resource guard can become reactive and a risk to your family’s and other animals’ safety. Dogs who resource guard are not bad dogs, they just need a patient, understanding family that gives them the space they need while still doing the work to address the behavior.
@austinpetsalive Spinach was in a kennel all last summer – just a puppy back then. Today, as temps hit triple digits, he’s still in that kennel, once again exposed to the dangerous heat. We need your help to give #greatpyrenees Spinach some relief in this scorching weather. This week, we need to replace fans like the one above Spinach’s kennel, put up shade cloths, and make repairs to our HVAC system and other parts of our worn-out facilities. Could you help? Thanks to generous anonymous donors, your gift today will be DOUBLED up to $28,000 to help us buy cooling supplies like… 🐶 Kennel fans – $150 each ❄️ Kennel mister compressors – $2,500 each 🌳 Shade cloths – $30 each 🧊 Bagged ice (15 bags/day) – $45 per day 💧 Gatorade/other items to support people in the heat – $25 per day To help pets like Spinach now, visit the link in our bio. 🐾 Can’t donate but want to help? Sign up to foster or adopt today! #austinpetsalive #austintx #texasheat #shelterdog #beforeandafter ♬ оригинальный звук – Bah Rouz
Let’s learn more about what Spinach and other dogs who resource guard need from their owners.
Get To Know Spinach the Great Pyrenees
Spinach is a big boy, weighing in at around 76 pounds thanks to his Great Pyrenees ancestry. Spinach has the classic thick white coat of a Great Pyrenees, and his love of the outdoors helps to confirm that this boy comes from working dog stock.
One of Spinach’s most unique features is that he is missing an eye, but that doesn’t slow him down at all. Spinach is “full of energy and loves to play tug of war and chase flies in the great outdoors,” says Austin Pets Alive! about Spinach’s personality. “His goofiness is sure to keep you entertained, especially when he tries to clumsily jump on the couch or shows his excitement through hilarious facial expressions.”
House-trained and good at basic commands, Spinach responds well to positive reinforcement and lots of treats. He has lots of potential to be a super well-behaved dog, and he pays excellent attention to his humans.
Because of his resource guarding, Spinach is not recommended for a home with young children or children who cannot understand the need to give a dog space at certain times. With the right people, Spinach will make a loving and loyal companion, and an excellent buddy to play in the yard or go on long walks with.
@austinpetsalive Replying to @Mary🍃 ♬ original sound – Austin Pets Alive!
What Is Resource Guarding?
Resource guarding in dogs is an aggressive behavior used to claim or protect “resources” like food bowls, treats, and furniture, and can even look like a dog resource guarding a favorite human being or animal. Dogs resource guarding might growl, bark, lunge, or even bite at people or other animals they feel might be trying to claim their items/family members.
Resource-guarding behaviors typically stem from anxiety, and it’s important to remember that dogs can feel intense emotions. To keep yourself and your pup safe during these high-stress moments of resource guarding, it’s important to learn how to approach your dog appropriately.
Warning Signs of Resource Guarding
Some misguided dog owners accidentally cause resource guarding in their own dogs by trying to assert dominance over food or toys—for example, taking a dog’s bowl while they are eating or taking a toy out of a dog’s mouth to try to show them that you are in charge. When your dog learns that humans approaching their food often means it will be taken from them, it’s only natural that they will respond with aggression or reactivity. Other dogs develop resource guarding behaviors because they have experienced being hungry, have been punished for enjoying toys or treats, etc.
Resource guarding is more than just when dogs growl—warning signs can be subtle, and you need to be familiar with canine body language to pick up on your dog’s state of mind. Some signals your dog is resource guarding include:
- Lip licking
- Whale eyeing
- Flattened or lowered ears
- Stiff body language/posture or freezing in place
- Slow or stiff movements
- Lowered head
- Hyper-awareness of other animals or humans when they get near a “resource”
How To Stop Resource Guarding In Dogs
If you’re at a loss for how to stop a dog from resource guarding a person or item, don’t panic. It is entirely possible to teach your dog to stop resource guarding humans, food, toys, or anything else—it will just take a little time and patience.
With methods like positive reinforcement and clicker training, resource guarding can be reduced and sometimes eliminated completely. What is most important is safety. Never try to take an item from a dog who is resource guarding, and make separating animals the top priority in cases of resource guarding between dogs. Using tools like baby gates to separate animals from other animals or resources is a great place to start.
To start learning how to prevent resource guarding or how to manage a dog who resource guards, I recommend speaking with a canine behaviorist, a dog trainer, or your local shelter. Rescues like Austin Pets Alive! offer dog behavioral programs and other training resources. If you are currently dealing with a dog that is resource guarding, follow this advice from the Austin Pets Alive! introduction to resource guarding:
“DO NOT try to take the item directly from your dog. This may be a tempting option, especially if the item is something they shouldn’t have or could be dangerous for them. Taking an item away could trigger a worse reaction and reinforce the unwanted behavior.
DO trade the item for treats. To do this, grab some high value treats (cheese, chicken, hot dog) and toss them to the dog while standing at a distance far enough away that they are not actively showing guarding behaviors. Start tossing treats close to the dog, then as the dog starts leaving the item to get the treats, toss treats farther and farther away from the item.
Eventually, toss treats far enough away that you can lead the dog to another room or outside. Do not try to get the item they were guarding until your pup is safely secured in a different area”
Spinach has had many adoption applications but the hunt for his perfect family is still on—learn more about how to adopt a dog from Austin Pets Alive!
