On a fairly regular basis, my chocolate-brown chihuahua mix will get territorial about some limbless, chewed-up toy that no one else wants. She’ll prowl around with the toy in her mouth, hackles raised, while growling to warn that the headless elf from last Christmas is all hers.
The rest of us will ignore her, and eventually, she’ll relax. Or she’ll cool it when I inform her that she can’t come up on the couch until she stops.
My little dog isn’t the only one who has territorial behavior. Many animals display a behavior called “resource guarding.” Scientists are increasingly learning more about why some animals, specifically dogs, have this behavior and how pet parents can respond.
“Resource guarding is a normal behavior that dogs perform to either get or keep access to an item of perceived value to them. Even though it's normal, it can be problematic for owners, particularly when aggression is involved,” says Jacquelyn Jacobs, an assistant professor in the department of animal science at Michigan State University.
