I recently met Dinky, a one-year-old Havanese, at Lucky Pups Dog Rescue in Abington, Pennsylvania. Dinky was surrendered by his former family, who had two small children. As with many dogs going through such a significant life transition, Dinky was understandably stressed when he first arrived at the rescue. He went from a familiar home environment to a noisy, unfamiliar space surrounded by new dogs and people. That sudden change took a toll on his emotional well-being.
Over the first few days, volunteers noticed some concerning behaviors. Dinky began guarding high-value items like bones and favorite chew toys—growling and even snapping when someone tried to take them away. He also growled when someone tried to pick him up. Interestingly, he often acted as though he wanted to be held, but then would change his mind as the person approached. Volunteers were careful to respect his body language, either not picking him up at all or allowing him to keep his prized items without confrontation.
The rescue team asked me to evaluate Dinky and create a behavior support plan to help him feel safer and reduce his stress. Here’s the approach I recommended.
Understanding the Roots of Dinky’s Behavior
Dogs aren’t born enjoying physical touch or handling—it’s something they learn through early experiences. The critical socialization window for puppies is between 3 and 14 weeks of age, during which they form lasting impressions of people, environments, and handling.
There are three possible outcomes during this stage:
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- Lack of exposure: The puppy isn’t introduced to enough new people, places, or experiences, making future transitions more difficult.
- Negative exposure: The puppy has unpleasant or frightening experiences, creating long-term fear or distrust.
- Positive exposure (ideal): The puppy is gently and positively introduced to a variety of new things, making them more adaptable and confident.
- In Dinky’s case, it’s likely that being small and cute meant he was frequently picked up by the young children in the home—whether he liked it or not. If this happened often enough without his consent or comfort, he may have formed a negative association with being handled. Combined with the stress of a new environment and a lack of trust in new people, this can quickly lead to defensive behavior like growling or snapping when approached.
Changing Dinky’s Experience With Being Picked Up
My goal isn’t to force Dinky to tolerate being picked up—it’s to change how he feels about it. Here’s the gentle behavior protocol I recommended:
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- Teach a predictable cue – I use the word “Up” to let a dog know I’m about to pick them up. For dogs who are already wary, knowing what’s coming helps reduce the element of surprise and builds trust.
- Pair the cue with high-value treats – Every time Dinky hears the cue and is lifted, he should be rewarded immediately with something amazing (like a stuffed Kong, soft treats, or something he really loves). A dog can’t feel fearful and excited at the same time—if the reward is good enough, he’ll begin to associate being picked up with good things.
- Break it down into tiny steps – For sensitive dogs like Dinky, we start slow. In the beginning, it may just mean placing a hand under his belly while giving a treat, then removing it. Gradually, we add light pressure, lifting slightly, and so on—always pairing each step with rewards and allowing him to opt in.
Over time, with consistency and patience, Dinky can begin to enjoy—or at least tolerate—being picked up because it reliably predicts something he loves.
Addressing Resource Guarding
Resource guarding is a natural and instinctual behavior. It’s not something we can eliminate, but we can teach the dog to feel more relaxed and trusting when we approach them while they have something they value.
Here’s how I approached this with Dinky:
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- Use trades, not force – Never take something away without giving something in return. I teach all dogs that when I take something, I either return it or replace it with something of equal or higher value.
- Teach the cue “Give” – This means the dog releases an item from their mouth willingly. I pair the cue with a high-value treat and practice gently. As the dog releases the item, I mark the behavior with “Yes” and reward immediately.
- Avoid negative experiences – If a dog has been yelled at, had things snatched away, or experienced punishment when guarding, the guarding often worsens. Building trust is key. Dinky needs to know that when a person approaches, he doesn’t lose out—he gains something better.
Why Resource Guarding Happens
Resource guarding can be influenced by:
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- Genetics – Some dogs are predisposed to guard more strongly than others.
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- Early life experience – Puppies that had to compete for food or attention in a litter may learn to protect what they have.
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- Negative interactions with humans – If someone has forcefully taken something away or scared the dog while they had a valuable item, it reinforces the need to guard more intensely.
A Bright Future for Dinky
Since Dinky is still so young, the great news is that he has plenty of time to learn that people can be safe, gentle, and trustworthy. With patience and the right training approach, he can quickly begin to enjoy being held and willingly give up items when asked. Dinky is a sweet and sensitive little guy, and with the right family, he will make a wonderful addition to a loving home.
Dogs Tend to Be either People-Centered, Dog-Centered, or Environment-Centered
Every dog has a natural preference for how they interact with the world. Some are people-centered – they seek out human connection, love being near their person, and are most comfortable when they’re close. Others are environment-centered, enjoying independent activities like sniffing, swimming, or chasing birds. And yet others are dog-centered, when they are around other dogs, all they want to do is play with the other dogs and not the people or the environment.
It’s important to understand:
A Dog being people-centered doesn’t mean they dislike other dogs or the outdoors. It simply means their primary focus-and source of comfort-is human connection. How do you know? Put your dog to the test. Have a person and a dog stand in a room at least 10 feet apart. Bring in the dog being tested. Where does he go? Does he go to the person first? Does he run up to the other dog first? Or does he spend most of his time sniffing and investigating the environment?
Dinky is a great example of a people-centered dog. During my evaluation, you’ll notice he’s almost always sitting or leaning right next to me. He chooses closeness.
Because of his past experiences-especially around being picked up when he wasn’t comfortable-I didn’t initiate petting or physical touch. I waited for Dinky to make the first move. And what he chose was to lie close and lean in. That’s powerful communication.
When we respect a dog’s boundaries and let them lead the interaction, we create the space for real trust to grow.
In this video https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1EvSDkVUwx/?mibextid=wwXIfr, watch how we teach Dinky to “Give” and how he quietly seeks connection without needing to be asked.
Does this sound like your dog? Are you confused about why your dog looks at you a certain way…or reacts so strongly tothings other dogs seem fine with? Do their behaviors feel unpredictable-or just plain overwhelming?
You are not alone-and you’re not doing anything wrong. But there is a better way forward.
Join me for my upcoming live webinar: The Canine Calm to Confident Blueprint. June 19th at 7pm (est)
This webinar will helpyou:
Understand what your dog is really trying to say
Learn how to recognize stress signals
Take the first steps toward a calmer, more connected life together.
Only a few days left to sign up! Semd me a private message on Facebook or email me directly, and I’ll send you the link.
Not sure if your dog is even stressed? Take my FREE Dog Stress Quiz-you’ll get immediate feedback based on your answers to help you assess your dog’s stress level and what to do next.
Let’s make life easier-for both of you.
