Counterconditioning resource guarding (possessiveness)
Cal has been exhibiting aggression toward family members who approach when he has an item of value. Sometimes those items are dangerous and the family wants to take it away to protect him, but they can't without growling and snapping, and sometimes lunging and biting. This is the 3rd lesson. Cal has developed an association with people approaching or reaching in and that item being taken away, so he has learned that if he exhibits aggression, they back off. All I'm doing is showing Cal that my approaching him is beneficial. I'm not there to take things away, I'm there to add treats, but even if I do take the object he'll get it right back. Cal will begin to associate my approach with the appearance of treats and in anticipation of them he will drop his item. Eventually Cal could drop an item as I approach without instruction.
