06/14/2026
“Just let the dog eat.”
Normally, that’s pretty decent advice for a mild resource guarding dog.
But what about when a dog challenges you before you even put the food down? What about when an owner has to place the food bowl down when the dog isn’t nearby just to avoid a confrontation?
Good training avoids unnecessary conflict whenever possible. But effective behavior modification also requires knowing when conflict is unavoidable, how much pressure is appropriate, and how to communicate clearly through it.
In this video, I’m giving the command “Out” (leave the resource), using an e-collar at low levels, and staying calm and consistent. The more frustration, emotion, or aggression I bring into the situation, the more likely I am to make the problem worse.
This is one of the reasons I prefer using an e-collar for serious resource guarding cases. It allows me to clearly communicate what I want while creating far less physical conflict than many of the alternatives. That doesn’t mean there’s zero conflict. But the goal is clarity, not confrontation.
More updates on Arlo to come. 🐶
