Do you think your dog is aggressive? With some expert advice and a bucketful of patience, training your dog out of their aggression is possible. I’ve outlined some basic training techniques you can do at home to slowly correct aggressive behavior.
Recognizing Aggression
It is crucial to address aggression because it puts you, your dog, and others at risk. Making behavioral adjustments in a dog is a difficult task, which is why many seek the help of professional dog trainers.
What is aggression in dogs?
Aggression is a general term used to refer to various behaviors. Aggressive behavior is usually a warning or a precursor to an attack. Some examples of aggressive behavior include growling, snarling, barking threateningly, showing teeth, lunging, and biting.
The very first step is to identify things in a dog’s environment that might trigger aggression. Aggression is a manifestation of a socialization issue and may indicate other underlying problems. For example, if you adopted your dog from a shelter, their aggression may indicate that they were previously abused and experienced trauma. You should be aware of how to socialize with your aggressive dog.
Types of aggression in dogs
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) lists a number of categories for aggression in dogs:
- Territorial
- Possessive
- Protective
- Fearful
- Unsocialized
- Defensive
- Experiencing pain
While plenty of factors can trigger aggression, many of them are environmental. Aggression is how your dog negatively responds to things in their environment.
When you recognize exactly what causes your dog to act aggressively, you’ll be able to address the problem head-on. This will help you customize your training plan according to their needs and train them more effectively.
You might like to read: How to calm an aggressive dog?
Tips on Training an Aggressive Dog
Identify who your dog shows aggression towards.
Is it a specific person or other animals? When you have identified what in the environment causes your dog’s aggression and to whom his aggression is directed, the work can begin.
Be proactive.
You should never ignore aggressive behavior. As soon as you recognize it, you must take steps to address it. Being proactive helps keep you, your dog, other people, and their pets safe. If a dog you don’t own displays aggressive behavior or the dog gets aggressive all of a sudden, leave it alone. Its aggression is usually a warning sign for strangers to stay away. However, if your dog is the one being aggressive, then you must take the necessary steps.
Consult a professional.
It’s usually best to work with professional dog trainers who specialize in adjusting aggressive behavior. You should also check with your vet, who may identify health concerns causing your dog’s behavior.
Don’t punish your dog.
Bear in mind that you should never punish your dog for aggressive behavior. Dogs do not understand punishment, and the anxiety or stress caused by punishment may cause them to lash out even further. Instead, try rewarding their good behavior. Be firm to remind your dog that you are in charge, but keep in mind that dogs respond best to reward-based training.
Conclusion
Aggressive behavior in a dog does not in any way, shape, or form mean that they are a lost cause. By implementing some training techniques plus the right amount of love and patience, your dog will become a happy, well-adjusted companion for life.
Related Posts:
– How to stop dog aggression towards the owner?
– How to stop dog on dog aggression?
