If you’d like some more unsolicited advice: We just managed to cure my sister’s resource-guarding dog of defending her squeaky toy. We handed her the toy, and were ready with a bowl of cheese slivers. While she was busy with the toy, we tossed cheese toward her. Very soon, we were able to come close with her wagging her tail at the thought of cheese. It took two weeks of training about twice a day, for literally two minutes.
I did the same with my own dog when she was a puppy, by dropping delicious treats into her bowl of boring kibble. The trick, if your dog is already growling, is to stay far away and toss the treats at first. Watch for her to get tense – that’s the sign which usually precedes growling.
My dog is now happy to let every human being take the juiciest bone right out of her mouth. Forget about dominance. Make it fun.
Interesting fact I learned about recently: Even in a pack of wolves, the cubs and young wolves may growl at adults when they have something precious in their mouths. This is accepted and expected, because having hold of an item makes it unequivocally that wolf’s. It is not a challenge – it’s their social rules at work. Take that, Cesar Millan.