Human guarding

[pinkmarshmallow]

Hi. 
I posted about 6 months ago regarding my 2 boys - the 5 year old being the resource guarder and the 2 1/2 one very interested when this happens   Toys were taken away and if a toy comes out we are very much on the look out for the growling to start.   Benji,  the older one usually drops the toy - a treat is given and toy hidden away.
Over the past month - Benji has started to guard anybody who walks in the front door and keeping Snoopy away from us as though we’re his ‘prize’ and Snoopy’s not allowed to welcome us.  I thought it was just my family but saw the same happen with my hairdresser yesterday when she visited.  A spat started, tried to ignore them and thankfully it was fairly low key.   But it has bothered me, particularly over this holiday time when we are having various friends and family staying with us and unsure how my husband and 2 older teens and myself should deal with them. 
Any bits of advice would be welcome.  They never used to be like this until this year. 

[hoover]

in my limited experience with Ollie, when he started guarding people it was only that person themself that could instruct him that his behaviour was unacceptable.  Slightly different situation, but he would guard the bed/ person in the bed, if their partner approached (didn't matter which one of us it was.)  It was only the person already sharing the space with him that could instruct him to get off the bed.   It's a bit of a palavar but you could try telling the person entering to instruct Benji to go and lie down or something? 

Alternatively you could arrange for Snoopy to enter the space first and Benji after - it is often little things like that that are enough to completely change the dynamic.  Ollie is a pain when people come to visit - but only if they enter when he is already there.  I often have him waiting outside so he enters the space with visitors already present, and he is a completely different dog.

Good luck with it!

[Elisha9]

I’ve actually posted about something similar. My girl Poppy guard’s me. If she’s cuddling me and my Border Collie comes up also she growls. One time did end up in a near spat. I had to grab both of them by the scruff (never done this before as don’t personally agree with it) and pull apart and tell them both to get out and then all was fine. She’s never done this before. She’s the sweetest girl, they both and and both adore my daughter who’s 4 1/2. But god forbid Paisley wants to cuddle the same time as Poppy! Luckily nothing since has happened. I’ve made it clear if I want to cuddle Paisley I can, she can come when I say so and touch wood has been ok since!


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[pinkmarshmallow]

Thank you both for your advice.  The option that I’ve tried, at the moment, is when we’ve had guests this past week, we've put both dogs in the utility room where they’re out the way.  We get the guests in the lounge and sat down chatting, and then we’ve let them in to find the guests.   All has gone really well as far as that’s concerned.  Thank you.  There’s still a situation when one of us turns up when they’ve been home alone but we’re trying to ignore them and hope the situation fizzles out.  If not, then we’ve been splitting them apart and giving them time out (like children)!  Not ideal and they’ve started first thing in the morning having a growl at each other as I’m trying to let them out.  They are both trying to be pack leader but not all of the time.  They’re such lovely dogs apart from this!  They don’t fight/argue with any other dogs - just each other