How Can I Stop Dog Aggression?

Understanding Your Dog

In order to prevent dog aggression, it is important to understand the reasons why it occurs. Dogs are naturally aggressive. Aggressive behavior was essential to a dog抯 survival in the wild. This trait has been minimized through selective breeding and domestication but the instinct is still there.

Wild dogs, as social animals, lived together in packs with a distinct hierarchy. Dogs would assert themselves, as they came of age, to determine their social ranking within the pack. Domesticated dogs have this same instinct. Your dog wants to know his ranking in your family and in the neighborhood.

Dogs naturally want to be protective of their territory and their pack, which is their human family. If your dog sees neighborhood dogs as a threat to his territory, or his social standing, your dog may become aggressive. Your dog will also act aggressively when he feels a need to protect his family. He can learn when aggressive behavior is not appropriate if you will take time to introduce him to different situations.

Socialization

Socialization helps your puppy learn how to get along with other dogs as well as teaching him how to deal with various situations. Socialization and proper dog behavior is something a puppy should learn from his mother. However, taking a puppy away from his mother before 10 weeks of age may mean that he has not been taught how to socially interact with other dogs. If this is the case not knowing how to relate to other dogs may lead to aggression if you do not train him properly.

Your furry friend requires socialization in two areas. Does your dog get along with other animals and people and does he understand the requirements within your family? You should provide opportunities for your dog to interact in these areas. Being a responsible member of your family is important to your dog. If you take the time to train your dog properly, from the beginning, you will help him learn to be a responsible family member.

Family Dynamics

The way your family handles tension will affect your dog. Your dog will react to tension within your home. He will be tense if family members are tense and the only way he may be able to express the tension he feels is through aggressive behavior. This is why it is important that your family handles tension in an appropriate manner. Your example has a profound effect on your dog. Being calm with your dog and others is extremely important.

Your Puppy抯 Needs and Wants

It is important that a puppy抯 needs and wants are met. He must receive plenty of attention and he must feel love and security. Your puppy will become bored when he does not get enough attention and boredom can lead to aggressive behavior. Aggressive behavior is rewarded when your dog only receives attention when he acts in an aggressive manner. When your dog is bored negative attention is as much of a reward as positive attention. No attention is worse than negative attention. Giving your dog adequate attention and training him in a positive way will help prevent dog aggression.

Your dog requires regular exercise. A puppy is full of youthful energy and needs space and opportunities to run and play. The need for exercise does not only apply to puppies. Small apartment size dogs and older dogs require exercise as well.

A good way to provide exercise and interaction with you is through neighborhood walks. These also offer experiences for socialization under your control. You must provide good examples for your puppy to follow. Your puppy will learn the wrong behavior if he is allowed to run freely with neighborhood dogs. You should choose mature, well-behaved dogs as playmates for your puppy.

Leaving a dog on his own without guidance will lead to bad habits. With proper guidance your dog抯 aggressive nature can be controlled. Through proper training your dog抯 attention will be focused on you instead of other dogs and people. Your dog will follow your commands in any situation if you are consistent in your training.

Can You Teach an Old Dog New Tricks?

These ideas work well with a puppy because they are a clean slate and open to learning but what if your furry friend is an older dog? An older dog抯 bad habits can be corrected with constant, consistent effort. You must handle a mature dog抯 aggressive behavior immediately. If you wait to reprimand your dog he will not understand your response, he will only know that he feels bad. Continue to repeat corrective actions until your dog understands what his response should be in a particular situation.

Dog Aggression is a Critical Problem

Dog aggression should be taken seriously. Far too many dogs have been taken to the pound because they had a difficult time living peacefully in our society. Don抰 let aggression become a problem. Take the time to train your puppy or dog.

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