How to stop your dog from attacking other dogs can be quite a challenge. If you have a dog that is not particularly aggressive, you probably won’t have much trouble teaching him basic commands. However, if he has a tendency to attack other dogs, you’ll need some additional help. Fortunately, there are several ways to train a dog to behave better around other people and animals. Here’s how to do it.
The first thing you need to learn how to stop your dog from attacking other dogs is recognition. Your dog will only know what’s happening when he receives verbal or physical encouragement from you. This can happen while you’re walking your dog, playing with him, or just by being nearby. In order for your dog to learn how to stop attacking other dogs, make sure that you constantly reinforce his positive behavior. Don’t use force, but use patience, praise, and lots of affection to encourage good behavior.
Another important piece of the puzzle in learning how to stop your dog from attacking other dogs is understanding your dog’s temperament. Most dogs are more timid and submissive in certain situations than they are in others. If you know your dog’s temperament well, you’ll be able to anticipate when he might get angry or try to attack another dog. Keep a calm, protective tone in your voice at all times, even when your dog is timid or trying to act tough.
A dog that is overly aggressive will probably need some training as well. If you’ve observed your dog’s behavior in the past, you may have a pattern to watch for. If you notice your dog lunging at other dogs when they get too close to you, he’s probably been taught to attack other dogs when he feels like he’s dominant. Or perhaps your dog barks when it’s time to go out, and he’s been trained to bark whenever anyone comes to the front yard. If you feel that your dog does these things on a regular basis, and your attempts to train him haven’t worked, contact a professional trainer who specializes in dog behavior. They can show you how to stop your dog from attacking other dogs by reinforcing his positive behavior and removing the negative ones.
Some bad habits that can’t be helped include your dog urinating in other places, digging up your garden, and digging holes in your yard. These behaviors can’t be helped if your dog’s ancestors were pack animals, and most breeds are naturally aggressive towards other dogs. However, you can teach your dog to stop doing these things by training him using the exact techniques that work to get him to stop.
Once you understand how to stop your dog from attacking other dogs on instinct, you have a few things that you can do to reinforce good behavior. First, always reward your dog’s good behavior. This doesn’t mean that you’ll have to spend a lot of money on dog obedience classes or anything like that. A quick pat in the head, a praising whimper, or even a treat will do the trick.
Another important strategy when learning how to stop your dog from attacking other dogs is to make him learn that he’s only hurting you if he attacks you. You can do this by distracting him with something else, by pointing out something he’s doing that makes him upset or by simply talking to him in a calm, soothing voice. Anytime he sees another dog approaching him, he should learn that he’s doing something wrong and should stop himself from doing it. This will help to keep him from getting into any altercations with other dogs.
If your dog continues to have issues with other dogs, you may want to consider enrolling in dog behavior classes. These classes can teach you how to stop your dog from attacking other dogs on instinct and teach him basic manners. However, you don’t really need these classes if you don’t want to be able to. There are plenty of ways for you to help train your dog not to attack other dogs on your own.