Protectiveness

Reasons Behind Overprotective Behaviors

All dogs, personalities, and life experiences are different, so there’s no catch-all reason for overprotectiveness. Sometimes it may even be a combination of several factors that makes your dog seem like he’s been possessed whenever the doorbell rings. Before you can address the behaviors, you should try to figure out the causes behind them:

Poor Socialization: There are two schools of thought where socialization is concerned. Some dogs never get the chance to socialize appropriately when they’re puppies because they live as strays until they are picked up and put into a shelter. Getting no or negative socialization as a puppy can have long-lasting impacts on how your dog acts around unfamiliar people and other dogs. Rescue dogs aren’t hopeless, however – it just takes a little bit longer to socialize them as adult dogs.

The other side of socialization is dogs that were around other dogs – or even professionally trained – as puppies, but slowly grew overprotective due to a lack of continued socialization. If you are the only person your dog sees and interacts with, he will likely become overprotective just because you are his entire world.

Fear/Jealousy: Fear and jealousy are real emotions that can lead to overprotectiveness.

Attention Seeking: The phrase, “Negative attention is still attention,” plays a big part in overprotective behaviors. If you don’t stop other negative behaviors or if you overindulge, your dog may start being overprotective just because it gets him attention.

Disposition: Some dogs are naturally more protective than others (German Shepherd compared to a Golden Retriever), but it’s important to remember that overprotectiveness is a behavior, not a trait. If your dog is overprotective now, that doesn’t mean he has to stay that way.

Hierarchy in the Home: All dogs want structure, so if you let them rule the roost, they will think they are the top dog in your home. This way of thinking can lead to overprotective behaviors.

Some Things You Can Do

Socialize

Wait, isn’t socialization when most of the behaviors show up? Unfortunately, yes, but in order to overcome them, you need to socialize more. Start by taking things slow and being purposeful – rushing into socialization can be scary and potentially dangerous for you or other people or dogs.

Introduce new people and animals at a distance, and offer earned treats or encouragement as you get closer to the individual. It’s crucial that you remain confident because your dog will pick up on your social cues and respond accordingly.

If it’s a new dog or family member that’s causing the overprotective behavior, be sure to socialize with both of them in each other’s presence. It’s tempting to give lots of love and affection when the other individual isn’t around, but try to resist that urge. If you interact with each separately, they’ll think that the other person or dog is “stealing” you away from them, which can exacerbate overprotective behaviors.

Lastly, try to let other people help you with daily things like feeding, watering, walking, and playing. If you are the only person doing those things with your dog, he can become obsessed with your attention.