One of the most common reasons that dog owners seek professional veterinary help is the aggression of their dog. It’s also the third most common reason pets are given up to or returned to the animal shelter. Training an aggressive dog shouldn’t be attempted without the assistance of a skilled dog trainer, but any of the following aggressive dog training tips could help you in your attempts. Remember that you don’t have to do this alone, and that it’s OK to ask for help from others that are more experienced with handling aggressive dogs. You need to remember that obedience training for dogs isn’t a race, and that training won’t happen overnight. Patience, dedication and commitment are the ingredients that make up a successful obedience training program.
There are several aggressive dog training tips that you can incorporate into your training efforts. The first of those tips is to never use punishment as a method of behavior modification. If you hit, spank, snap, or otherwise physically punish your dog, you’re setting yourself and your dog up for failure. This is because dogs aren’t born aggressive, and there isn’t a real way to completely retrain a dog with bad behavior without using some sort of force. That being said, however, here are a few of the top-notch reasons why you should avoid using punishment when training:
– Effective dog training tips tell us that the key to solving aggressive dog behaviors is to reward positive behaviors. If you’ve ever witnessed a pack of aggressive dogs at play in the park, you know how easy it is to recognize the signals that a dog is displaying that is asking for attention. Dogs that get attention in return reward themselves by playing more, seeking out more, or showing more interest in other things when they receive attention from their owners.
If a dog stops playing with you and reacts aggressively, you can make sure he understands that other people don’t want to be hurt and that you will be on his side if he hurts another dog. The most effective method for teaching this to a dog is through positive reinforcement. You simply have to offer treats to him every time he behaves appropriately, and then he learns that he gets the treats if he behaves properly. If he continues to behave badly, then you have to punish him but you shouldn’t make him feel like he’s doing anything wrong. In other words, you have to make sure he feels as confident and happy to interact with other dogs as much as he does with you.
– Another of the tried and true tips for effectively training a dog is to keep everyone involved in the training process. Training should be taught to a dog as a puppy using positive reinforcement, and you’ll likely need some form of obedience training as well. For a dog that already possesses some obedience skills, you should emphasize the rules and commands, and give your dog enough exercise to satisfy any boredom. When you keep everyone involved in training, the dog won’t be able to become too reactive. This, in turn, will help him to develop a balanced, socially responsive behavior.
– Another thing to remember when training a dog that acts up is to make sure he has his Frisbee. Dogs that live inside with their owners, under poor conditions, tend to be very reactive to changes in the home’s environment, such as moving furniture, toys, and so on. Taking the time to get him a Frisbee and keeping everyone else busy with training will help him master the behavior in no time.
– A great way to determine whether or not your dog is reactive or not is to go to the dog park. Play with different dogs. Ask them if they are aggressive or not. Chances are, if one of them reacts aggressively to other dogs, that dog probably does it because he is stressed. You can also find out what the stress level is by placing him on the stress level chart.
– Always reward good behavior, even if it doesn’t immediately look like it is working. If you continuously reward aggressive behavior, this will teach the dog that he can get his treats and attention by being aggressive to other dogs. He will then continue to do this, and you will have rewarded him for this behavior. Eventually, this will minimize any aggressive behavior, and the dog will only act when he is rewarded for it.
