Training early and often can help discourage resource guarding before it becomes too problematic. dogs find a variety of things valuable, from food to your favorite sweater.. Resource guarding is when dogs exhibit behaviors designed to prevent other animals (dogs, humans, cats, etc.) from obtaining something that is in their possession. they’ve got a thing they want to keep (the resource), so they do stuff (guarding) to make sure the other animals in the area don’t try to take it.. A guide to resource guarding in dogs." myth #1: resource guarding is abnormal behavior. myth #2: because resource guarding is driven largely by genetics, it can’t be changed. myth #3: resource guarding can be cured by making a dog realize that resources are abundant. myth #4: resource guarding is a symptom of “dominance” or “pushiness.”.