There is no doubt that the dog can be man’s best friend, but certain situations can make our dogs aggressive. Learn how to recover a docile canine companion.
Growling, barking, baring teeth and even biting can be some of the problematic and frequent gestures that aggressive dogs show towards people or the dog may attack other dogs.
They may not always be like this, after all they are our dog companions, but we must recognize that they can make coexistence very difficult.
The good thing is that it is a completely normal behavior, which can communicate a lot about something that is bothering the dog.
For this reason Dog trainer spring Texas, we will explain some tips that can help you recognize and resolve these types of situations with dog training.
1- Yes, you can help him with his behavior
You want to avoid justifying the dog’s behavior or not paying attention to it by claiming that it is his personality. The best thing in excessive cases is to accept that it is a problem that could harm their quality of life and their coexistence.
Do not suffer by reproaching yourself for the canine’s aggressiveness, there is no certainty that it behaves this way because of your care, sometimes it is due to traumatic experiences that have made it adopt a reactive and aggressive attitude.
2- Identify what causes aggressive reactions
This is the beginning of training and requires a lot of attention. Be detailed with his behavior: What is your dog trying to achieve when he attacks other dogs?
Whether your reaction is defensive or offensive , it can also give you a lot of information on how to resolve or redirect this negative energy. The better you understand their situation, the easier it will be to overcome it.
With persistent education you can start from these causes and desensitize your dog to these triggering situations.
Now, the reasons for this type of aggression generally arise from many reasons, here are some:
- Suffering from stress : Stress in regular amounts is not bad for your dog, it is what drives his response when facing problems with two options: Fight or run. It is worth worrying when the response to fight is disproportionate to the problem.
- Excess energy : When your dog does not have opportunities to develop his skills, satisfy his needs and be stimulated, he can accumulate so much energy that he reacts excessively with aggression or barking.
- Fear : Fear of other dogs is a very common reason why dogs attack other dogs or people to keep their distance from what they perceive as a threat and feel safer.
- Lack of socialization : If you are not used to living with other dogs, your response to something unknown may be aggression to push away this new being that you feel is an intruder.
- Certain illnesses : Pain and discomfort can make your dog irritable, as well as make them feel more vulnerable and reactive to attacking other dogs or people.
3- Avoid aggressive situations
Once you understand the causes that make your dog aggressive , a good first strategy is to avoid them to minimize aggressive responses as much as possible, since these aggressive responses have become a habit.
The fewer opportunities the canine has to aggressively get what it wants, the more likely it will be to convince it to adopt new habits.
One of the most common cases of aggressive dogs is during walks, it may happen that the dog attacks other dogs or barks uncontrollably when leashed . So avoiding busy times in parks can be helpful, while you do exercises in parallel to desensitize this situation.
4- Punishments are not the solution
It is wrong to think that with a negative response we will be able to change the behavior of aggressive dogs . We cannot forget that there is no absolute solution to aggressiveness, but it is possible to change your reaction to common situations.
Only with positive reinforcement can we teach an alternative to teach your dog that attacking other dogs or people is not the solution to situations that generate fear, frustration or irritation, punishment will not solve anything, it could even worsen his fear.
5- Reeducate reactions
With appropriate and constant dog training it is possible to create a great difference in habits and reactions in the dog. The important thing is to remain patient and be very detailed with the canine’s behaviors.
It is extremely helpful to have the support of a professional in the field of dog training, as it can help us desensitize and counter-condition the triggers for aggressive behavior in a dog.
It is a long process where the dog will get used to it with positive reinforcement and dog training.