Understanding and Preventing Aggressive Dog Problems
Any owner that has had to deal with aggressive dog problems can attest that it is no walk in the park. It is both very frustrating and embarrassing when your dog begins to mount a stranger’s leg, or continually growls and snaps at young children.
There are many different factors that influence canine aggression, the most common being a lack of early socialization and territorial issues.
Fortunately, there are ways to curb aggression. However, before you can hope to fix your aggressive dog problems you will need to understand the root cause of why he is acting the way he is.
Understanding the Different Types of Dog Aggression
There are different types of aggression that a dog can display. Sometimes dogs act out due to fear or pain- this is most commonly seen in poorly socialized dogs.
If you board your dog frequently, you may want to ask the employees how he reacts while he is taken from his kennel for walks. A dog may also exhibit aggressive behavior over toys, their territory or their puppies.
While aggression over puppies is not a long-term problem, behavior issues regarding toys and territory are. It is very important not to allow these forms of aggression to persist.
Dominant-aggressive Dogs
You may experience aggressive dog problems if your dog has a very dominant personality. You can tell when a dog is showing dominant characteristics by the way they approach other dogs, eat their food and obey certain commands.
For instance, a dog that is dominant will approach other dogs in a very confident manner, with their hackles up and their tails wagging slowly from side-to-side. Generally, they will be standing tall with their ears completely raised.
They are also very commanding of their owner’s attention. A dominant dog will be more likely to mark around the house, even if they have been neutered. This is the type of dog that tends to mount your guest’s legs and push children out of the way when they are trying to get something that they want.
Defensive-aggressive Dogs
Aggressive dog problems can also been seen in dogs that are always on the defense- generally these dogs tend to display very submissive actions. This form of aggression is an outlet for fear. Often times, a dog that shows defensive aggression will be very wary of human touch- including any kind of grooming.
If your dog avoids direct eye contact or urinates when he is afraid, you will want to watch him around new people because he is more prone to snapping. This type of aggression is usually the result of poor socialization.
Socialization is Key
There are certain things you can do to prevent aggressive dog problems. The first thing you need to keep in mind is that you can never let your dog become dominant over anyone in your household.
Make sure that the breed of dog that you choose matches your personality type. For instance, a very submissive person does not want to bring home a breed that will constantly test the boundaries, otherwise they are setting themselves up for failure.
A key to preventing aggressive dog problems is to allow your dog to have adequate opportunities to socialize starting while he is still young. This interaction will help teach him how he should act around different types of people.
Ideally, he should be exposed to children as well as adults.