06/29/2026
Resource guarding protocols are one of the most important exercises employed by great breeders.
Here’s an in-depth explanation by Jane Messineo Lindquist, author and producer of Puppy Culture, of WHY this applies to every puppy, not just puppies with red flags for potential guardiness:
https://www.facebook.com/100068655595586/posts/1304072551891252/?fs=e&mibextid=wwXIfr&fs=e
TLDNR: Even if your puppy would never dream of resource guarding, make sure you do the anti-resource guarding protocols in Puppy Culture and With Open Arms (links in comments). They are are emotionally foundational for your puppy, and technically foundational for you.
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A question came up in the With Open Arms student discussion group about puppies that pick up things such as twigs and leaves in their mouths on walks, and how to get those things out of their mouths. Re-posting my answer, here.
Every puppy, ever, is going to play "keep away" and, while the behavior springs from a different well than resource guarding, the solution begins with the same protocols.
Here is my post:
Have you watched/been doing the resource guarding exchanges in the course? Although the behavior is not resource guarding but, rather, a playful behavior, the anti-resource guarding protocols are emotionally foundational for your puppy, and technically foundational for you.
When my puppy or dog has something I don't want them to have, I say "trade" and then put an enormously great treat right in front of their face. When they drop the thing to take the food, I remove the thing and give another treat. VERY IMPORTANT when you say "trade" the treat should not be visible. It should be hidden, preferably in your hand behind your back. (the technique is demonstrated by me and Jean Donaldson in the resource guarding protocol which is why I say it's technically foundational).
Eventually, when you say "trade" your puppy will have an involuntary response to the word "trade" and his mouth will just open and the stuff will drop out. But you have to be very careful about the timing, make sure you get "trade" out loud and clear before presenting the treat, or it will just become a lure and he won't do it if you don't have treats...like in an emergency situation when he's picked up something dangerous.
All that having been said, I spend a good part of the first months of my puppies' lives with my hand down their throats, pulling something out that they should not have. There's going to be situations that come up before the time "trade" is perfected when you also do not have a treat handy and need to get something out of the puppy's mouth NOW. I just pry open my puppies' mouths when this happens.
But the situation you describe is easily manageable by having VERY HIGH VALUE treats on hand when you walk your puppy. If there is no food in the world that is better than a game of keep away, use a high value toy. And you don't need to worry about spoiling your dog or teaching him that if he picks up stuff he'll get a treat. I've just never had that be an issue.
