How to Eliminate Your Dog's Aggression

Dogs can possess many different types of aggression, but this lens will focus on the main two types. It is important to recognize which type your dog has, since they come from different causes and thus have different methods of treatment.

1. Aggression directed at family members

The two most common causes of a dog showing aggression toward members of their own human family are:

~ Your dog is defending something they think of as theirs from a perceived threat, you, which is known as resource guarding.

~ Your dog is uncomfortable with the treatment/handling they receive from you or other family members.

2. Aggression directed at strangers

This type of aggression easily recognizable. Your dog may act nervous around strangers or new people in the house. Your dog may also be on constant alert, meaning they can't lie quietly, pace around or bark or whine at the smallest sound. On the other hand your dog may be the other extreme and remains completely still, not moving at all, and starring intently at the person they feel aggression for.

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Resource guarding is quite common among dogs. If your dog is resource guarding they may snarl at you if you approach them while they are eating, or they give you "the eye", a direct stare, if you attempt to take a toy away. All dogs can be possessive from time to time - it is in their natures. At times your dog may be possessive over objects with no apparent value, such as inedible trash, crumpled up paper or tissue, or old socks. However, most the time resource guarding is an issue over things with an understandable value like food and toys.

What Causes It?

Dominance is the root cause. Dogs are pack animals, and so they are used to a very structured environment. In a dog pack, each dog is ranked in a hierarchy of position and power, or dominance, in relation to every other animal. Each knows the rank of every other dog, which means they know exactly how to act in any given situation. Dogs view their human family as their own dog pack. Your dog has ranked each member of the family, and has their own perception of where they rank in this pack as well.

If your dog perceives that they are higher up on the social totem-pole than other family members, there will be a power struggle in the house. If your dog thinks they are the pack leader then they will act aggressively, because dominance and aggression are the exclusive rights of a superior-ranked animal. An underdog would never show aggression or act dominantly to a higher-ranked animal, since they know the consequences would be dire. Resource guarding is a typical example of expressing dominant behavior, as only a higher-ranked dog would show aggression to defend their resources. The bottom line is if your dog knew that they are not the pack leader, then they would never attempt to prevent you from taking away toys or food.

How To Handle It

The best course of action for dominant, aggressive behavior is consistent and frequent obedience work. Training your dog to be obedient will demonstrate your authority over your dog. All you need is two 15-minute sessions each day to make it crystal clear to your dog that you are the boss, and that it pays to do what you say. This can be made clear by rewarding your dog (with treats and lots of praise) for obeying a command, and isolating them (putting them in a "time-out", either outside the house or in a room by themselves) for misbehavior. If you are unfamiliar with canine psychology and communication it is best to learn about this, so you can understand what your dog is trying to say. This will help you to stop any dominant behaviors, and to communicate your own authority more effectively. Keep obedience sessions short and productive (no more than fifteen minutes - maybe two or three of these per day), so it will not be a chore for you or your dog.

Treatment or Handling issues

Every dog has different handling thresholds. While some dogs are perfectly happy to be hugged, kissed, and have an arm draped over their shoulders (this is essentially "I'm in charge" to a dog); others (typically the ones not used having much physical contact from a very young age) are uncomfortable with too much full-body contact. The latter will get anxious and irritated when someone continues to try and hug them. Another common cause of handling-induced aggression is a bad grooming experience. When a dog's nails are clipped it is quite easy to accidentally cut the blood vessel that runs inside the nail. This is extremely painful to a dog, and a sure-fire way to cause a long-lasting aversion to clippers. Many dogs also have an aversion to being bathed. A lot of owners, when dealing with a wild-eyed, half-washed, upset dog, feel that they must forcibly restrain the dog to finish the bath. This will only add to the dog's sense of panic, and reinforces their impression that bath-time is something to be avoided at all costs, and if necessary, to defend themselves by showing their teeth and growling.

Techniques to Handle This

It is definitely much easier to start off training your dog at a young age. Handle your puppy frequently, and get them used to being touched and rubbed all over. Typically young dogs like being handled, and it is usually the older ones who aren't used to much physical contact during their lives that sometimes find physical affection difficult to accept. You can practice picking up your dog's paws and touching them with the clipper, or take them to the bathing area (warm water is much more soothing for a dog than a freezing spray of ice water). Be sure to supplement with lots of praise and the occasional small treat throughout the process.

It is a bit more difficult for an older dog that may have already experienced many unpleasant handling/grooming instances. First, you must undo the damage already caused by those bad experiences. To do this you need to take things nice and slow, making sure your dog remains calm through the process. As soon as they begin to show signs of stress, stop immediately and let them calm down. It will work better if you introduce this to them like a game, by giving lots of praise and treats. Remember to take things slowly and if you get nervous during the process stop. Dogs show aggression for a reason -- they are warning you to back off, or else!

If your dog continues to resist being groomed, despite all the practice you put in, it's wise to use a professional groomer. Your vet can clip their nails for you, but do make sure to tell him first that your dog gets aggressive when the clippers come out. For bathing and brushing you can use any of the number of dog-grooming businesses available in your area, and again be sure to tell them about your dog's reaction to the experience first.

The foremost reason for aggression towards strangers is that your dog never learned how to get used to them. It is important to realize that you essentially are your dog's parent, and they rely on you completely to teach them and to acclimate them to normal social living. Lacking the chance to get out of the house and have consistent, positive experiences in the world outside, will prevent your dog from feeling confident in unknown situations. Without these experiences, your dog can hardly relax when they leave their comfort zone.

Ways to Prevent This

Your dog or puppy needs to be socialized to the outside surroundings, including people and other animals. This is one of the most important things to do when you have a dog. It is best to begin socializing your dog at a young age, right around the time they have had their vaccinations. Socializing your dog allows them to learn from their own experiences. Your dog will learn that new sights and sounds are fun, and not scary.

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It won't be sufficient to just take your dog into a crowded place and tell them "Calm down, it's okay Buddy" -- your dog must learn this for themselves. Ideally your dog should be socialized as a puppy so they have more chances to learn this. Additionally, it is best to expose your dog to many types of people (babies, teens, men, women, people in uniform, wearing a motorcycle helmet or carrying an umbrella) in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. This will create a feeling of ease and happiness when confronted with strangers or new situations.

Socializing your dog is fairly easy, and is more general than a targeted training routine. If you have a puppy then take them to puppy preschool. These classes are likely to be held at a vet clinic, which is beneficial since it will teach your puppy a positive association with the veterinarian. Puppy preschool usually consists of 10 puppy owners and a qualified trainer, where you begin teaching them basic obedience commands (sit, heel, etc).

The best part of puppy preschool is the play times, which happen a few times a class where the the puppies are encouraged to play freely off the leash with the other puppies. This is a perfect environment for them to be socialized, since there are lots of new dogs and people to interact with, and it is safe and controlled. Socialization doesn't end after puppy preschool, it's a continuous effort throughout your dog's life. They need to be taken to a variety of new places around various people. The trick is to build up your dog's tolerance slowly, so they don't become overwhelmed and frightened.