One of the biggest canine behavioral reasons that dog owners seek professional veterinary treatment is their dog’s aggression. It’s also the toughest reason why dogs are often given up to or surrendered to animal shelters. Aggressive dog training methods are sometimes necessary to tame an aggressive dog. Training an overly aggressive dog shouldn’t be done on your own, but a combination of some aggressive dog training tips and your experience as a dog owner can make dog training a breeze.
The type of aggressive dog training depends on the breed of dog, its personality and past experiences. The Retriever has been bred to be obedient, so any sudden and strong behaviors are considered reactive rather than aggressive. A Pug, the more common dog of choice, is more aggressive but less likely to snap at other people. The Yorkshire terrier is known for its maternal instincts and strength, which can mean that the dog is more reactive than most other dogs. A Doberman Pincher, which is one example of the sporting dog breeds mentioned earlier, can also be aggressive.
Some experts recommend aggressive dog training as a method for helping a dog overcome the negative behavior patterns associated with excessive barking, running at other dogs and chasing small items such as balls and bugs. Training this way, using positive reinforcement and verbal commands such as “down” and “stay” and “come,” teaches your dog to behave appropriately around other people and animals in your presence. For instance, if you instruct your dog to “stay” when around other people, he won’t dart out of the way of a passing car as he would if he were responding to a command like “down.” He will remain where he is and will not dart into the path of another dog.
Another effective technique is to teach your dog how to maintain eye contact when around other people or animals. If your dog must look away, then he must look directly at you and stay focused on you. This is called “eye contact conditioning.” It may take some time to get used to, but is an important part of correcting aggressive behavior.
If lunging at another dog or lunging toward another dog is a habit, training your dog to stop it involves redirecting the dog’s attention. To do this, move slowly and deliberately out of the dog’s view while giving him plenty of praise and treats. Then, move in closer, making sure your dog isn’t going anywhere. When you feel that the dog is concentrating on you rather than another dog or object, move away again, causing the dog to redirect his attention again.
One of the most difficult behaviors to train is aggression. However, with these simple tips, you can train aggressive dogs. In particular, the first tip is to use positive reinforcement. Always reward good behavior with treats and praise. This will reinforce the dog for good behavior, which in turn will prevent aggressive behavior in the future.
The second step in training aggressive dog is to work on establishing yourself as the leader of the pack. You must establish your authority by asserting your dominance, by gently nudging the dog and by ignoring aggressive dog behavior. If the dog starts to exhibit bad behavior, then scold him using short, firm tones and repeating your commands until he understands what you want.
The final step is to use positive reinforcement to correct your dog’s bad behavior. This works best when combined with other techniques, such as the ones mentioned above, since it can be quite effective. It can be particularly useful when used with other methods of training, such as punishment, since it can correct even the best-behaved dog without resorting to harsh physical punishments. Combined with other techniques, such as dog training gadgets and toys, positive reinforcement can help your dog learn how to behave well in social situations.
