Teach Your Dog to Guard an Object

First, Sundance instructs that you should use a treat to lure your dog on top of the object, which in this instance is a suitcase. Tell your dog to stay, and have it hold there for a few seconds. Again, reward it with a treat. As your dog is staying, walk around the

suitcase, continuing to instruct your dog to stay. Although you are moving, your dog should not. At this point, you can try slowly backing up, creating distance between yourself and the suitcase. Monitor your dog to ensure that it is holding its position.

Once your dog learns this basic technique, you can replace the suitcase with other items. Often just having a watchful dog present is enough of a deterrent for would-be thieves, so this can be a convenient skill to teach your dog. Later, you can also train your dog to bark if someone else approaches, alerting you if you are still within earshot.