05/06/2026
🐾 Shelby! Work In Progress 🐾
When I first met Shelby, he had some serious resource guarding issues.
In fact, he had already bitten two members of his family during resource guarding incidents.
Fast forward to today, and the progress he's making is fantastic.
In this video, Shelby has a sock on his bed. something he would previously have guarded very intensely. You'll notice that we're able to move our hands around him and near the item without the immediate reactions we once saw. This is part of a carefully structured desensitisation and behaviour modification programme that has been built up over time.
At one point, Shelby does give a brief growl. That's important.
Behaviour change isn't always a straight line, and growling is communication. The difference is that the growl lasted only a couple of seconds before he relaxed again. He was then praised and rewarded for making a better choice.
As the session continues, Shelby repeatedly drops and gives up the sock. We even throw it away and, rather than racing to retrieve it and guard it as he once would have done, he waits calmly for it to be returned.
By the end of the video, we're able to place a hand underneath him and remove the sock without any concerns.
💚 This didn't happen overnight.
💚 This is the result of a structured programme carried out over several sessions.
💚 Every dog is different, and every resource guarding case should be assessed individually.
Please don't attempt to replicate exercises like this yourself without professional guidance. What is appropriate for one dog may not be appropriate or safe for another.
It's also worth noting that Shelby has no history of swallowing or consuming socks, which is an important consideration when designing a training plan and assessing risk.
Well done, Shelby.
You've come a long way, and we're all incredibly proud of you. 👏🐾
