It’s comforting to have a dog who stays by your side, even sleeping on your bed. A protective dog makes you feel safe and loved. But when your dog starts to think of you as his personal property, becoming more and more possessive of you and guarding you against every little thing, it’s not into an aggressive one.
When he starts growling because someone new has come to your house and is sitting next to you, or he starts bullying the rest of the household with menacing barks and dominant behavior, your feeling of trust will soon turn to fear. Dogs that don’t understand that you are the boss become a problem. And once he senses someone else is afraid oh him, he’ll protect you even more closely. If your dog is a herding breed, he may even try to nudge you into a corner away from the stranger, or nudge the other person away from you.
Preventing Over protectiveness:
It isn’t just big or dominant dogs that become overprotective of their owner – any size or breed of dog can develop this trait. To prevent over protectiveness, avoid telling him “it’s okay” when he growls at someone else. This just reinforces the behavior – he’ll think you are giving him the message that growling is acceptable. Instead, begin obedience training as soon as possible. “Asking your dog to ‘Sit’ will give him something to do and lower his arousal when someone approaches,” says Dr. Goodloe.
To let your dog know that you’re in charge, don’t allow him to sleep on your bed or furniture. When he learns to behave more submissively, you can invite him back on, if you wish.
There are a number of reasons why your dog may become overprotective but it’s up to you to regain control over this potentially dangerous situation.
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