Dogs And Resource Guarding (Part 2)

If your dog is "resource guarding" you, does that mean that your dog sees you as an object, and that you are not being your dog's leader? (I'm not referring to a grumpy dog that just would rather be left alone, I'm referring to a dog that is full on going to stand up to a confrontation regardless of the person who is approaching.)

No.

That's a ridiculous diagnosis. 

First, dogs aren't so dumb as to think you are the same as a bone or a tennis ball. How could anyone think otherwise? Second, if a dog is "resource guarding" you or any other thing or living being, to the dog the loss of that thing or being is an existential threat to them. Bullying the dog at this point will only increase their insecurity regarding that situation and can escalate, with some dogs, into a dangerous confrontation that was unnecessary. It will also be ineffective. 

You can't let others fix it for you. Unless you are willing to have that other person (whom the dog wants to stay away when your dog is with you) break the animal abuse laws and fight your dog, even to the death, to get that dog to permanently relate to them in a submissive manner (and believe me, you wouldn't like how that looks), then don't go down that rabbit hole. Even a 50 lb. dog, in a full fight with a 200 lb. man, has a good chance of permanently disabling or killing him. Is that the fight you want? Do you want the law involved if someone finds out what happened? Do you want to go down that rabbit hole? Furthermore, you should assume a male dog will never submit to a female human, so figure that one out, too. Do you not understand the male/ female hierarchy in dogs? And now each additional person that approaches you will have to defeat your dog, as well. 

Second, bullying your dog and being aloof isn't going to fix your problem. Driving the dog away from you isn't going to fix this, either. And if you bully your own dog, that doesn't mean your dog is now comfortable with this other person coming towards the both of you. "Being your dog's leader" has nothing to do with the root problem here. 

There is so much garbage on the internet these days about dog training. Don't believe everything you see. 

There are better ways of diagnosing what is happening and better ways of dealing with that. 

Plan accordingly.