Training an Aggressive Dog
Aggressive dogs can be a serious problem and can result in serious injuries to humans as well as dogs and other animals. Training an aggressive dog often requires the help and expertise of a animal behavior specialist, but there are things you can do to prevent or mitigate aggressive behavior in dogs.
Symptoms of aggressive behavior include snarling, growling, biting, and snapping at humans and other animals, excessive barking, being over protective of food, possessions and members of the family, repeated attempts to mount people’s legs, and being fearful or constantly trying to escape and run free.
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The first step in training an aggressive dog is understanding the underlying causes and types of aggressive behavior that a dog can exhibit. There are several different forms of aggressive dog behavior.
Types of Aggression in Dogs
Dominance aggression occurs when a dog is trying to establish dominance. Dogs are pack animals with an established hierarchy. A dog may try to establish himself as the alpha, either with other dogs or with human members of the family. Territorial aggression occurs when a dog feels the need to protect his territory from intruders.
Fear aggression occurs when a dog feels cornered or threatened. Your dog may lash out and show signs such as growling, pulling his ear back, or placing his tail between his legs. Predatory aggression may occur in some breeds of dogs that love to hunt and chase game down.
Redirected aggression can occur when a dog cannot act out against the object that is causing his anger or fear. For example, if there is a dog outside the fence or a stranger at the door, the dog may turn on other dogs or humans if he can’t get at the intruder. Finally, the dog could have a medical condition causing the aggression.
Learning the various types of aggression and their symptoms is the first step towards both preventing and training aggressive dog. Genetic and environmental factors influence how dominant a dog may be or become.
Behavior modification techniques can be used to reduce aggression in some cases. Spaying or neutering a dog can also help to curb some aggressive behavior. However trying to train an extremely aggressive dog can be potentially dangerous and you may need the help of a animal behavior specialist.
Training an Aggressive Dog Starts with Prevention
To prevent aggressive behavior in puppies it is important to understand that they need to be socialized and handled gently when they are young. They should also be trained at an early age and you need to establish control and let them know who is alpha. You never want your puppy or dog to achieve dominant or alpha status in the household.
Puppies should be trained to take food without lunging or grabbing for it. Chasing children and other humans should also not be allowed, and there should not be rough play such as wrestling, fighting or tug-of-war. Rough housing can encourage aggressive behavior. Puppies and dogs should earn their treats and rewards. They should be taught to sit for treats or putting on the leash before going outdoors. You must constantly reinforce who is in charge.
If your dog reaches dominant status or is displaying aggressive behavior, you must take precautions and probably need the help of an animal behavior specialist. The first step in treatment is to pinpoint what is triggering the aggressive behavior and trying to remove or prevent the situations from happening. Dogs can be trained and conditioned to exhibit more submissive behaviors and should be rewarded when they show signs such as laying their ears back, avoiding direct eye contact, rolling over or lowering their heads.
Training aggressive dog techniques include understanding the various types of aggressive behavior and learning how to prevent these behaviors from developing in your puppy or new dog. If you have a dog with a serious aggression problem, seek the help of a professional animal behavior specialist.