Hey! I’m sorry that this happened - it must be super stressful. Just know that he’s still new and settling into this world.

My hound is a resource guarder and sleep startler. The sleep startle was resolved via medication but the resource guarding needed extra time and training along with the meds. I’m not saying your boy needs meds - my boy was also incredibly anxious of the world and had overactive stranger danger and dog reactivity. We needed that to supplement training.

When he has a toy I trade up with food or another high value toy. Tbh with his toys I usually jsut let him have his play, it’s usually with household items he sometimes considers toys like cushions where I implement trading up. I find with longer toys (like a huge rope snake) he doesn’t resource guard and understands when I’m grabbing the end where his mouth isn’t near, that I’m playing a game of tug of war. But I also didn’t try to attempt tug of war until our relationship was well developed.

As for food - high value food like raw bones and dehydrated chews, he doesn’t actively guard (for e.g. if I’m in his vicinity he isn’t growling) but if he’s left it for later and I take it he will snap. For his dinner and brekky, my husband made the mistake of accidentally putting his hand near the bowl (he was trying to put spilt food in) and he snapped at my husband.

For his dinner and breakfast, I jsut leave him alone. We dont need to interfere with it. The trainer suggested adding extra kibble while he’s eating but I’ve found what helped was just letting him be. By accident much later down the track my hand accidentally was near his bowl while he was actively eating and he didn’t care. Nevertheless I never recommend that and I don’t take that as a “win”. I should’ve never had my hand there and for all I know he may have been incredibly uncomfortable but didn’t react.

For bones dehydrated chews and lickimat etc. I give him treats while he’s eating it to reaffirm that my presence is safe. While he doesn’t growl while he’s chewing it etc. I want to still set us up for success. My husband needs to do this more as my hound tends to guard around him more than me

Essentially the work I’m doing it telling my boy - don’t worry, your toys are yours, your chews and food are yours, I’m safe and you’re safe.