Resource guarding is a normal canine behavior that becomes a welfare concern when it escalates to aggression, with positive reinforcement-based management preventing harm to dogs and their families.
Resource guarding creates welfare concerns for the dog as well as safety concerns for the family. Dogs that guard intensely experience significant anxiety around their resources - the constant vigilance required is stressful. Physical punishment of guarding, which is unfortunately still commonly advised, dramatically worsens both the behavior and the dog's underlying anxiety, creating a more dangerous and more distressed dog. Dogs that are punished for guarding may eliminate the warning signals (growling, stiffening) before biting, making them more dangerous while the underlying anxiety remains unaddressed. Positive management creates calmer, less anxious dogs with fewer guarding incidents.