Stop Your Dog’s Aggression Towards Other Dogs

It is important to remember that the dogs many of us keep as pets today were originally bred from wild pack animals and whilst breeding has enabled dogs to be domesticated they retain many of their natural instincts and habits. One such trait is the desire to determine social rank when in the company of other dogs.

When two dogs meet you will often find that one of the dogs naturally assumes a higher status which the other dog will accept and the social rank is peacefully determined. On occasions however, particularly where the dogs are of a similar age, sex and size, they will view each other as rivals and each will want to assume the higher status. It is in these situations that aggression commonly occurs.

As soon as your puppy has had its vaccinations and is no longer susceptible to disease you should commence their socialization training. This will normally be from approximately 12 weeks of age onwards. Early and ongoing socialization is considered to be essential in preventing a dog's aggressive behaviour towards others.

By exposing your young puppy to other dogs in a wide range of different situations he will more readily learn how to interact with them in an acceptable manner whereas if you prevent him having contact with other dogs while he is young he is more likely to display aggressive behaviour when he does meet other dogs later in life.

The majority of dogs have no desire to engage in aggression with another dog and so during your puppy's socialization teach him to respond to clear and simple commands such as "come" and "walk on". Always reward him when he obeys and follows your commands as this will help you to divert your puppy's attention towards you and away from the other dog.

Even with early and continuing socialization you are unlikely to prevent your dog's natural instinct to show aggression towards other dogs completely. Your dog will however normally display certain warning signs of possible aggression when meeting other dogs and you should look out for your dog doing all or any of the following:

Growling at the other dog

Staring intensely at the other dog

Raising his head, ears and tail

Making himself look as big as possible, often with hackles raised along his back, and leaning towards the other dog

Moving slowly and rigidly towards the other dog

If your dog displays any of the above signs when meeting another dog it is important that you yourself remain calm as it is common for your dog to pick up on your own reaction to the situation and he himself will then act accordingly. If you remain calm it will help to keep your dog calm whereas if you become anxious your dog will sense your anxiety and become more agitated himself. Avoid the temptation to pet or comfort your dog as he may misinterpret it as a reward for his aggressive behaviour thereby encouraging him to do it again.

Clearly and firmly issue your dog with the "come" or "walk on" commands which you taught him during his socialization. When he obeys, praise and reward him thereby gaining his attention whilst you lead him away from the other dog.

Unfortunately, not all dog owners are as responsible as you and at some time you are likely to encounter another dog who is intent on demonstrating his assumed greater social rank by picking a fight with your dog. When all else fails and a fight occurs resist the temptation to try and part the dogs by grabbing your dog's collar or by putting yourself between the dogs as you are likely to get bitten. A far safer course of action is to distract the dogs by making a loud sharp noise, such as shouting, blowing a whistle or banging any suitable objects together. If you have any water to hand throw it over the dogs to distract them and once they are apart use the "come" or "walk on" commands to quickly but calmly put distance between them.

Immediately after a fight, having suffered such a traumatic experience, and provided your dog has suffered no obvious life threatening wounds, he is probably best left alone to calm down. Once he has done so you will need to examine him thoroughly for injuries and where you discover any of a potentially serious nature take him to see the vet as soon as possible.

Want more help and advice on how to train your dog including access to online audio and visual training material? Check out the website at www.train-your-dog-online.com and read the puppy and dog training online review blog here.

Further helpful tips and advice on a range of dog training matters can also be found for free at the dogexpert website.


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