Resource guarding is a show of aggression in dogs where they attempt to protect something they value: food, a toy, a bed, a person. If this behavior isn't corrected, it can escalate to physical aggression and bites.
It would be bad enough for a dog to resource guard a toy- where when a person or other dog approaches, the guarding dog bites the toy to control possession of it, or the person/dog approaching to make them leave.
It becomes considerably worse and more dangerous when the dog is guarding a toddler/infant. What happens if the baby gets fussy or moves suddenly and spooks the dog? What happens when the parents go to pick up the baby and the dog views that as stealing? Now you have a baby's safety- possibly their life- in the hands of a dog who feels threatened by parents reclaiming their baby.
Dogs have been domesticated, but are ultimately still animals with instincts and undesirable behaviors that can come into play even with generations of good breeding and years of good training.
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u/that0nemook Aug 24 '26
Resource guarding