Resource management practices of Canadian and American domestic dog breeders and associations with puppy competitive behaviour: A cross-sectional study.

Resource-guarding behaviour is common in companion dogs and negatively impacts human safety, canine welfare, and the human-canine bond. Experiences with resources during critical sensitive periods of development have the potential to influence adult behaviour around resources. Dog breeder management of puppies' access to resources (e.g. milk, food, and toys) is largely unknown. In this study, dog breeders in Canada and the US (n = 293) were recruited through convenience sampling to complete a cross-sectional survey on breeding and resource management practices and their puppies' behaviour around resources. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to determine how resources were managed, the association between management practices and reported competitive behaviour around resources, and the use of aversive-based training methods. Breeder introduction and type of food and toys provided to puppies varied greatly. Most breeders reported intervening during suckling, feeding, and playing to ensure access to resources and habituating puppies to sensory stimuli. Factors associated with increased odds of reported competitive behaviour around food included breeder intervention during suckling and eating, country and breed. Increased odds of reported competitive behaviour around toys was associated with food competition, breeder intervention during play, puppy toy preferences, and whether littermates played together. Increased odds of the use of aversive-based training methods was associated with puppy competitive behaviour during suckling, eating, and playing. This research highlights the need for longitudinal studies on the development of competitive behaviour from birth to sexual maturity and optimal puppy resource management for the prevention of unwanted behaviours in adulthood.