No matter what type of aggression you're experiencing in your dog, you are the one to help transform your dog's behavior. Nobody should have to live with an aggressive animal, so it's time to step up and take back control of your dog and your home. From my experience I know you'll both be happier when you do.
Why is My Dog Aggressive?
In our articles we have covered several different kinds of aggression in dogs, ranging from fear aggression to territorial aggression and everything in between, but we can simplify it even further.
Your dog is being aggressive either because he thinks he is the alpha dog and must dictate to you how he expects you to behave or he doesn't understand the instructions you are giving him. With the exception of aggression in adult dogs you can put nearly all the other types of aggressive behavior into these two buckets.
Alpha Dog Aggression
If your dog thinks that he is the alpha dog in your home then you are going to have regular problems with each command you issue. Your dog will be repeatedly strive to assert his authority and get you to do things the way that he wants them done. When you don't behave, your dog will try to discipline you as he would another dog in his pack, with aggression.
Your Dog Doesn't Understand
The second key cause for aggressive behavior is that your dog simply doesn't understand what you are telling him. In this case your dog understands that you're the alpha leader in your house but instead of thinking he is doing the wrong thing when he's showing aggression, he thinks it's what you want him to do.
This can be a little difficult to believe, but by looking at an example you can see how the owner and the dog are just reading the same situation in a different way. Example: You're out in the park and your dog is looking all around and then begins barking at the people he sees. You know that he is scared, so you pat him on the head to reassure him. Your dog, instead of thinking that you are being reassuring, thinks that you're rewarding his barking and believes that this is what you want him to do, so he keeps barking.
How to Address Aggressive Dog Behavior
Whether your dog is challenging you to be the alpha dog or he doesn't understand your instructions, it is essential to get on the right track as fast as possible.
In all our articles we have mentioned the words consistency and patience when talking about training your dog. When dealing with aggression it is exactly the same if not more important to have both these qualities in check.
Let everybody in your family know you are going to start to deal with your dog's aggression and teach them the way to respond to your dog when he shows behavior that is negative and how to reward him when he is good.
The key to your success is in the timing of your delivery. You must act quickly in order to make sure that your dog will link the reward or negative outcome with the action. You can't provide retrospective rewards or corrections to your dog, as this will just confuse him.
The most effective way to train your dog is to create a routine, get in the habit of taking walks, feeding and other activities at particular times throughout the day. This can help your dog learn what to expect and when to expect it. It also helps your dog recognise rewards and corrections.
In addition, enrol your dog in obedience school or a dog aggression class to help quickly curb that aggressive behavior before it gets worse.
