Dog fear aggression is an extremely misunderstood behavior but surprisingly, it’s more widespread than you may think and could actually be quite dangerous. Often, the two manifest similarly but in actuality there are certain physical signs that you can look out for which only point to a dog fear aggression rather than simply a playful reaction for dominance. It is possible to correct dog fear aggression if you know what to look out for. Some of these signs include barking, lunging or circling, biting, chasing, running away, and whining/screaming. Understanding how these signs manifest will help you understand whether your dog is feeling threatened or whether it is simply defending its territory or is simply playing.
In many cases the dog is simply fearful and trying to protect itself from an aggressive dog. In other cases the dog is being overly territorial and is showing its anger by barking, biting, or chasing. The key to correcting dog fear aggression is to understand which one of these dog behaviours is being caused by anxiety and try to reverse that behaviour through dog training tricks. It is vital that you are able to break through the dog’s resistance, whether through play or aggression, as once that is in place the dog is likely to see you as a threat and attack.
Dogs that have learned dog training tricks to overcome dog fear aggression are usually very easily trained since they respond well to encouragement and praise. This means that there is no need for you to take punitive action immediately. Often this aggression will subside within a few days. If you punish your dog too harshly though and it doesn’t seem to get better, then it’s probably best not to give it any further attention or to leave it alone.
Many dog owners believe that dog training is all about punishment, and that if you scold your dog, it will just growl and snap at you and be even more aggressive. However, there are two things to remember when it comes to dog fear aggression. First of all, it’s perfectly acceptable to reprimand a dog if it isn’t acting appropriately, such as when it is chewing, biting, or nipping. Second of all, you shouldn’t use violence if you don’t want your dog to harm you or others. Dog training tips and techniques differ widely, but many owners find that hitting or slapping their dog just doesn’t work and actually teaches the dog to be afraid of humans in the future. Instead, you should use words like “no” and “bad dog” and show your dog by pointing and speaking firmly.
Fear in dogs can also be caused by bad training, as well as genetics. Certain breeds of dog have a predisposition towards fear aggression. These include mutts and older dogs that have not been properly socialised. The cause of this dog behavior is almost always because the dog has not been taught to be afraid of people before. You can often overcome dog fear aggression by starting the dog’s training early and providing it with a healthy diet, plenty of exercise, and regular contact with you.
If your dog has behavior issues, you should consider seeing a professional dog trainer. These professionals are often specially trained to help with dog training issues like aggression or fear. It’s important to get a dog trainer who knows how to recognize behavior problems early, and who can help modify the dog’s behavior. A qualified dog trainer will probably recommend to you some dog training books and videos that you can take with you to use when you go out. Many dog trainers have websites you can read information off of.
Your dog may also display dog fear aggression around other dogs or people. If you have an aggressive dog that is prone to lunging or snarling at another dog or person, you should consider carefully whether or not you want to leave your dog alone in a room with another dog or person. This aggressive behavior could be dangerous to you or to another dog or person, depending on the situation. If you feel that leaving your dog alone with another dog or person would create a real threat to your dog or person, you should probably take the dog to a dog trainer or a dog day care center.
There are some dog training books you can get that contain lots of good information on dealing with dog fear aggression. Some of these books even have a checklist of what you should do right before, during, and after training. You may also want to look for a video that has a similar list of things to do before, during, and after training. Once you understand the concept of dog training aggression, you can put together a plan for successfully correcting this behavior. With the help of a trained dog trainer, you will be able to train your dog so that it understands the behavior boundaries and knows you as its master.
