What Does Protective Dog Behavior really mean?
If you have a protective pooch on your hands, you may have mixed feelings about his behavior. After all, it’s nice to know that your dog is so closely bonded with you and your family. However, your dog’s overprotective tendencies can come out when there is no imminent threat and make for an unnecessarily dangerous situation.
Below, we’ll decode protective dog behavior so that you can figure out where it stems from and how you can help your pooch develop a more secure relationship with other dogs and people.
A Front For Fear and Insecurity
Upon first glance, protective dog behavior might seem endearing or even favorable to some owners. You may feel that your dog’s overprotective nature stems from a fierce degree of loyalty and love for your family.
However, dogs usually begin acting overprotective out of insecurity. For example, a lack of structure and training can make a dog feel as though they need to protect you as one of their belongings. This is why maintaining a calm yet positively assertive tone when training your dog is so important— Your dog needs to see his owners as authoritative figures in order for him to develop a strong, healthy companionship.
On the other end of the spectrum, your dog could be acting out of total fear. If he wasn’t properly socialized with other people and dogs, your pooch could have serious trouble interacting with groups outside of your family. It’s also possible that your dog just has a rough past— Oftentimes, shelter, or rescue dogs came from difficult situations where they weren’t given the care they needed.
Luckily, a point of no return simply doesn’t exist— Adopted dogs can also become their best under the care of a committed owner. In short, protective behavior is something that should be addressed, not encouraged, as early as possible to ensure that your dog has a happy, healthy existence.
How To Correct Overprotective Dog Behavior
While every dog is different, here are a couple of guidelines to keep in mind while training your dog to feel safe and secure.
Reinforcing Desired Behavior
One of the most important things to consider is how your dog’s behavior is being reinforced. As dog trainers like to say, “Your dog is learning whether you’re ready to work with him or not.” Therefore, not taking the time to train your dog can be just as neglectful as training your dog improperly, without positive reinforcement.
While it may seem cute every time your Beagle starts to growl when he sees someone approach you, something as simple as an owner laughing or giving the dog a pat on the head can encourage this behavior to develop even further.
It’s your job to make sure your dog is taught to be secure in a variety of social situations. Being calmly authoritative now can ensure that your dog and others are safe later on.
Early and Frequent Socialization
One of the most common causes of overprotective behavior is a lack of socialization. While it’s true that some dogs may be more aloof than others based on their genetic makeup, dogs need to learn early on how to tolerate other dogs and humans calmly.
If you have a puppy, make regular socialization a priority once all shots are completed. Introduce your dog slowly with other pets of different breeds that you trust. Reward your dog with lots of treats and praise whenever he interacts favorably with another person or animal.
Over time, your dog’s confidence will grow, and he’ll feel more comfortable around other animals. If you have an older dog, the same process applies, but you’ll want to be extra patient to make sure Fido is given all the time he needs to create new, positive associations.
Always keep your dog on a leash when interacting with new stimuli just to be safe. You can also invest in a muzzle as an extra precaution during training sessions if your dog has shown to express aggression through biting or snarling.
Seeking Outside Help
With any behavioral issue, it’s always a good idea to consult an animal behaviorist and dog trainer to get a second opinion and a better understanding of your dog’s unique situation and background. Don’t lose hope— it may take some time for your dog to trust others, but with care and commitment, he’s bound to blossom into his best self in no time at all.
