Sharing Isn’t Easy: Resource Guarding in Rescue and Shelter Dogs
6 pm (GMT) - 14th September 2026 - Webinar and Q&A - Once purchased, you will have a minimum of 12 months access to the recording.
About this Webinar:
Resource guarding is a common behaviour seen in dogs entering rescue and shelter environments, often arising from stress, uncertainty, and past experiences around scarce or valuable resources. This presentation explores the current research on resource guarding and how it applies to real-world rescue settings.
Participants will learn how to recognize and assess resource guarding safely, understand the factors that contribute to the behaviour, and interpret guarding signals in a shelter context. The session will also cover practical management strategies to reduce risk for both dogs and handlers, alongside evidence-based behaviour modification approaches that can help improve welfare and adoptability.
Designed for animal rescue workers and shelter staff, this presentation aims to provide the knowledge and practical tools needed to support dogs displaying resource guarding while maintaining safe and compassionate care practices.
Meet your Instructor
Tom Candy
A passion for animal welfare, canine behaviour, and the development of others has been cornerstones of Tom’s (He/Him) career, which spans over 15 years in Shelter and Rescue with 10 focusing on training and behaviour. This experience and a drive to support even more shelter and rescue animals and staff, led to Tom starting Simplifying Shelter Behaviour, an educational organisation and podcast dedicated to bringing up to date, positive based training and behaviour tips and tricks to shelter and rescue staff and volunteers.
Having started volunteering in rescue at the age of 15, Tom has been involved in a variety of aspects of rescue, including fundraising, home checking, transporting and general day-to-day operations, which pushed Tom to undertake a Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree in bio-veterinary science and a Master of Science degree in Clinical Animal Behavior from the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom.
Since graduating, Tom has been working at the UKs largest dog welfare organisation as a Training and Behaviour Advisor, eventually working across seven rehoming centres before being promoted to Senior Training and Behaviour Advisor, where he supported the Training and Behaviour teams across the southwest of the United Kingdom. Tom is currently a senior Clinical Animal Behaviourist Development Officer, working to upskill staff to improve behaviour skills. Tom is a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist with the Animal Behaviour and Training Council in the United Kingdom, and a Certified Canine Behavior Consultant and Certified Shelter Behavior Specialist with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultant and a member of faculty and CBATI-KA with the Grisha Stewart Academy.
