If your normally sweet and loving dog turns into a snarling hound from hell when you try to take something away from them, they are engaging in a behavior called “resource guarding.”

This article examines the warning signs of resource guarding in dogs, situations that provoke the behavior, and what to do about it using positive training methods.

No one wants to think about their pup biting someone, but if it happens, it’s important to know what to do since a dog owner can be held liable even if the bite failed to break the skin.